I've played my share of no pace pushers and finally learned how to beat them by learning how to put away floaters confidently with top spin. I'm talking hard hitting top spin deep into the court. I now love floating ducks and can confidently attack them without giving up points...after tons of practice doing just that!
Recently, after hitting with several higher level players (4.0+) and then last night with a fellow who had played competitively in his younger days, I've began to notice there's a different sort of "skilled" pusher.
The skilled pusher can hit with pace if needed but never goes for winners, hits the middle of the court, can hit with extraordinary top and back spin...heck, every kind of spin! But even his spinniest shots get any pace mostly from the spin. They leap off the court when hit with top spin but that's not too fast.
It seems like the Cult of Powerless Spin is dominant in low and mid-level tennis and every middle aged guy spends his time trying to hit weird bouncy spin shots with his poly-strung APD.
So now I'm learning how to read these shots better so that eventually I can T off on them with confidence. The fellow I played last night was really nice and he explained how, for example, what looks like a top spin forehand from him can acually be a back spin shot the bounces straight up and then dies straight down.
I also find it interesting, and reassuring, that as I get better at reading these spin shots and T off on them these guys can't handle the pace. It seems they're used to hitting floaty spinny shots to each other or getting dink shots from lower level players. Connect with a powerful top spin shot and they either wiff or frame it with a poorly time extreme spin shot attempt since the ball is coming in too fast.
The guy I played last night said that some of my strokes were easily 4.5+ and that consistency will come with time (have been playing for a year). He also readly declared himself a Skilled Spinny Pusher and said that they are indeed common in low/mid level tennis and that consistent, hard pace doesn't really win matches until 4.5+ because that's when you can produce high pace with spin CONSISTENTLY (he clearly played at a high level in college+ but decided a career in finance was more sensible given the challenges of making a living as a pro.)
He said lots of 3.0 to 4.0 players try to hit like the pros, hard and with top spin, buy it's really tough to do under match conditions with enough consistency to win matches without too many unforced errors. I was absolutely guilty of that last night as I'm determined to learn how to read spinny, weird breaking, low pace shots and return them with as much accuracy and pace as I can low level dinked floaters.
So, in your opnion, was this guy's description of mid level rec tennis accurate? Are the most successful mid level 3.5+/- players those who simply hit to the middle? Is the Cult of Paceless Spin truly dominant as Nadal-wannabees focus on spin, spin, spin to the exclusion of pace since it's safer?
EDIT...I also noticed something else about these guys. Loads of wrist action and little to no shoulder turn! They hit open stance and hit like they're playing pin pong. All arm and wrist. May explain the lack of power.
Recently, after hitting with several higher level players (4.0+) and then last night with a fellow who had played competitively in his younger days, I've began to notice there's a different sort of "skilled" pusher.
The skilled pusher can hit with pace if needed but never goes for winners, hits the middle of the court, can hit with extraordinary top and back spin...heck, every kind of spin! But even his spinniest shots get any pace mostly from the spin. They leap off the court when hit with top spin but that's not too fast.
It seems like the Cult of Powerless Spin is dominant in low and mid-level tennis and every middle aged guy spends his time trying to hit weird bouncy spin shots with his poly-strung APD.
So now I'm learning how to read these shots better so that eventually I can T off on them with confidence. The fellow I played last night was really nice and he explained how, for example, what looks like a top spin forehand from him can acually be a back spin shot the bounces straight up and then dies straight down.
I also find it interesting, and reassuring, that as I get better at reading these spin shots and T off on them these guys can't handle the pace. It seems they're used to hitting floaty spinny shots to each other or getting dink shots from lower level players. Connect with a powerful top spin shot and they either wiff or frame it with a poorly time extreme spin shot attempt since the ball is coming in too fast.
The guy I played last night said that some of my strokes were easily 4.5+ and that consistency will come with time (have been playing for a year). He also readly declared himself a Skilled Spinny Pusher and said that they are indeed common in low/mid level tennis and that consistent, hard pace doesn't really win matches until 4.5+ because that's when you can produce high pace with spin CONSISTENTLY (he clearly played at a high level in college+ but decided a career in finance was more sensible given the challenges of making a living as a pro.)
He said lots of 3.0 to 4.0 players try to hit like the pros, hard and with top spin, buy it's really tough to do under match conditions with enough consistency to win matches without too many unforced errors. I was absolutely guilty of that last night as I'm determined to learn how to read spinny, weird breaking, low pace shots and return them with as much accuracy and pace as I can low level dinked floaters.
So, in your opnion, was this guy's description of mid level rec tennis accurate? Are the most successful mid level 3.5+/- players those who simply hit to the middle? Is the Cult of Paceless Spin truly dominant as Nadal-wannabees focus on spin, spin, spin to the exclusion of pace since it's safer?
EDIT...I also noticed something else about these guys. Loads of wrist action and little to no shoulder turn! They hit open stance and hit like they're playing pin pong. All arm and wrist. May explain the lack of power.
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