A Loss, But a Win

michael_1265 · Oct 18, 2010

I don't know about everyone else, but I relish the opportunity to play higher rated players/teams. Not so high that there's no chance to be competitive, but those that you might have a chance against on your very best day. Yesterday, a player on our 7.5 combo team got sick, and I subbed in (as a 3.0) with a 3.5 partner against a good 4.0 woman and a good 3.5 man. Yeah, they beat us. The first set went quickly. We broke the man in the second set, and we pushed it all the way to a second set tiebreaker, which we lost 9-7. My partner played incredibly well on the big points. I never lost my serve, and I had a large number of volley winners. Downside: I missed an overhead putaway during the tiebreaker, and I watched a topspin lob drop for match point, thinking that it would go long. All in all, not a bad day.

Has anyone else given a full 1.0 NTRP away in doubles and actually won the match?

Cindysphinx · Oct 18, 2010

michael_1265 said:
I
Has anyone else given a full 1.0 NTRP away in doubles and actually won the match?

Yes!!

My 3.5 partner and I beat a couple of 4.0s. Straight sets. Where we got them was by being wildly aggressive in coming to net. I think they were shell-shocked. We haven't played that well since.

JoelDali · Oct 18, 2010

The lust for playing high level players is the first step in becoming a legitimate sandbagger.

Angle Queen · Oct 18, 2010

No. But had some teammates be on the losing end of one of those 1.0 giveaways recently.

Spokewench · Oct 18, 2010

Cindysphinx said:
Yes!!

My 3.5 partner and I beat a couple of 4.0s. Straight sets. Where we got them was by being wildly aggressive in coming to net. I think they were shell-shocked. We haven't played that well since.

You mean 4.0s that forgot what a lob was? Wow, I've never played 4.0s like that.

Cindysphinx · Oct 18, 2010

Spokewench said:
You mean 4.0s that forgot what a lob was? Wow, I've never played 4.0s like that.

Heh, heh.

One was strictly a singles player who was weak at net. Her partner was a slicer/dicer with mobility issues.

So the slicer dicer lacked the topspin to hit topspin lobs effectively. She struggled with the movement required to reach our volleys.

And the singles player got pegged at net, and then when they played 2-back we were able to hit short.

It was a Perfect Storm for us!

Boy, if two 3.0s beat me and a 3.5 partner I would never hear the end of it . . . .

OrangePower · Oct 18, 2010

michael_1265 said:
I don't know about everyone else, but I relish the opportunity to play higher rated players/teams. Not so high that there's no chance to be competitive, but those that you might have a chance against on your very best day. Yesterday, a player on our 7.5 combo team got sick, and I subbed in (as a 3.0) with a 3.5 partner against a good 4.0 woman and a good 3.5 man. Yeah, they beat us. The first set went quickly. We broke the man in the second set, and we pushed it all the way to a second set tiebreaker, which we lost 9-7. My partner played incredibly well on the big points. I never lost my serve, and I had a large number of volley winners. Downside: I missed an overhead putaway during the tiebreaker, and I watched a topspin lob drop for match point, thinking that it would go long. All in all, not a bad day.

Has anyone else given a full 1.0 NTRP away in doubles and actually won the match?

Well done on your win!

I've won several dubs matches where our opponents combined ratings were a point higher than ours. It's obviously not the expected outcome and not that common, but actually not that rare either:

The gap between a player at the top of a level and a player at the bottom of the next higher level is actually smaller than the gap between a player at the top of a level and a player at the bottom of the same level.

For example, (weak 4.5) - (top 4.0) < (top 4.0) - (weak 4.0)

So basically, don't think you have no chance of winning just because on paper you are overmatched!

michael_1265 · Oct 18, 2010

Cindysphinx said:
Yes!!

My 3.5 partner and I beat a couple of 4.0s. Straight sets. Where we got them was by being wildly aggressive in coming to net. I think they were shell-shocked. We haven't played that well since.

That's an awesome win, Cindy!

michael_1265 · Oct 18, 2010

JoelDali said:
The lust for playing high level players is the first step in becoming a legitimate sandbagger.

Maybe, but all I want to do is to be a 3.5 in November, so I'm thinking that cancels it out. I'll admit that is is cool, though, to be better than your opponent thinks you're going to be.

michael_1265 · Oct 18, 2010

Angle Queen said:
No. But had some teammates be on the losing end of one of those 1.0 giveaways recently.

Are you gonna make me look it up?

michael_1265 · Oct 18, 2010

OrangePower said:
Well done on your win!

I've won several dubs matches where our opponents combined ratings were a point higher than ours. It's obviously not the expected outcome and not that common, but actually not that rare either:

The gap between a player at the top of a level and a player at the bottom of the next higher level is actually smaller than the gap between a player at the top of a level and a player at the bottom of the same level.

For example, (weak 4.5) - (top 4.0) < (top 4.0) - (weak 4.0)

So basically, don't think you have no chance of winning just because on paper you are overmatched!

But it's more fun that way!

roundiesee · Oct 18, 2010

Cindysphinx said:
Yes!!

My 3.5 partner and I beat a couple of 4.0s. Straight sets. Where we got them was by being wildly aggressive in coming to net. I think they were shell-shocked. We haven't played that well since.

Well done! I think doubles should be played at the net if one really wants to win; I cannot stand to play from the back, and especially so if I have a partner who is literally parked on the baseline. Well done again Cindy, and keep on coming in for what it is worth!

whomad15 · Oct 18, 2010

Spokewench said:
You mean 4.0s that forgot what a lob was? Wow, I've never played 4.0s like that.

guys don't believe in using the lob because it isn't aggressive and manly, girls only use it when they're both on the baseline because if one of them rushes the net they freak out

being sarcastic up there, seriously though the lob is an underrated shot

Cindysphinx · Oct 19, 2010

Yes, the lob is underrated.

I have had several people tell me that a topspin lob is an unnecessary shot in doubles. Yet as I face tougher and tougher opponents, it is the shot I turn to more and more. These players aren't at all shy about taking the net and they can volley when they get there. I sure can't blast through them, so lobbing is my best option.

bcart1991 · Oct 19, 2010

Cindysphinx said:
I have had several people tell me that a topspin lob is an unnecessary shot in doubles.

They are wrong. I'll use it often, mostly to get one of my opponents off the net, so my partner and I can take it over.

LuckyR · Oct 19, 2010

Yes, sort of. I don't play tournaments so the majority of "matches" I play are timed affairs, not best of 3. But our two 4.0's, have "beaten" two 4.5's and a 4.0 and 5.0 in this format.

It actually is not as difficult as it seems, in the sense that tennis, specifically is a consistancy sport, so rating have to reflect what you can do routinely, but may totally not reflect what you on a particularly bad day.

Annika · Oct 19, 2010

What could be better than to hit a topspin lob to your opponents and watch both players move back to the baseline, only to try and hit and overhead winner! :twisted:
Need I say more about the topspin lob? :shock:

burosky · Oct 19, 2010

In doubles it isn't that rare. A couple of true doubles specialist would have a fighting chance against a couple of singles players.

dizzlmcwizzl · Oct 19, 2010

Cindysphinx said:
Yes, the lob is underrated.

I used to play golf and one of the quotes I remember was Jack Nicholas suggesting young players learn to hit it hard when you are young and straighten it out as you age.

I took the same philosophy in tennis ... hit it hard while I was learning and then learn to play controlled tennis as I get more experienced. While I like the power, I have always thought it was a mistake to have waited to learn control. Shots like the lob and drop shot require tremendous skill and have a dramatic effect on your opponents. I wish I had the skill to lob effectively in doubles. I am finding these shots very hard to include in my game now and wish I had started younger.

dizzlmcwizzl · Oct 19, 2010

michael_1265 said:
Has anyone else given a full 1.0 NTRP away in doubles and actually won the match?

Early on in my tennis "career" I was playing 8.0 mixed. I was a 3.5 and usually played with a 4.5 woman who was very talented. One day the 4.5 woman got caught in traffic and knew she could not make it to the match. The 3.5 girlfriend of another teammate was there to watch the match and had some equipment in her car. She bought a shirt and borrowed some shorts. The captain jerked the lineup and put us on court 1 against a very strong 4.5 man / 3.5 woman combo.

We ended up winning the match 6-3, 6-3 by playing amazing tennis with nothing to lose. The 4.5 guy was the captain of the team and when he realized he had just gotten spanked by a couple of 3.5's he broke his racquet on the net post. it was a very satisfying day to say the least.

michael_1265 · Oct 21, 2010

dizzlmcwizzl said:
Early on in my tennis "career" I was playing 8.0 mixed. I was a 3.5 and usually played with a 4.5 woman who was very talented. One day the 4.5 woman got caught in traffic and knew she could not make it to the match. The 3.5 girlfriend of another teammate was there to watch the match and had some equipment in her car. She bought a shirt and borrowed some shorts. The captain jerked the lineup and put us on court 1 against a very strong 4.5 man / 3.5 woman combo.

We ended up winning the match 6-3, 6-3 by playing amazing tennis with nothing to lose. The 4.5 guy was the captain of the team and when he realized he had just gotten spanked by a couple of 3.5's he broke his racquet on the net post. it was a very satisfying day to say the least.

That's a nice win. I've always wanted to make someone break his racquet.

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