I beat the guy 60 60 and he called me "a pusher!"

Gonzalito17

Banned
This guy at the courts needed someone to play when i got there and there was one court open. SO we go to hit. I knew I could beat him so I was content to just hit on the far side facing the sun which was I mean straight in your eyes. Then he wanted to play sets. Okay, fine, I win 60 60. After it's over, he doens't say well played. He waits a few minutes and goes into a shpiel about that he plays for fun and exercise, only been playing 4 years. So I comment yeah that's good so do I but to get better you have to have a strong will to win, a very strong desire to improve. Yadayada as I'm walking away after saying goodbye he mumbles something about losing 30 pounds and not caring if he wins or loses, and that ... "you're a pusher." Whoa. It's a snide put down of course, then I say, Yeah well I only needed to play my B game to beat you, I just played defense 90% of the time (with the sun in eyes on the one side) and waited for your error. And also that I've won several tournaments and you don't win tournaments by being just a pusher. After a few more heated words, calling me a braggart, he eventually said he didn't mean pusher as an insult that it was an honest mistake he's only been playing for 4 years. and that was about the end of it. The nerve of someone losing 60 60 and calling you a pusher. End of story )
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
WERE you pushing?
Sounds like with the sun in your face the entire time, you hit balls left and right back to his court, not going for winners.
Is that pushing to you?
 

JW10S

Hall of Fame
Don't you know? For the vast majority of players anyone who can on average hit the ball 1 time or more over the net than they can per rally is a pusher. Of course that is wrong, but it is how it is. People just can't deal with the reality that they are no where as good as they dream they are. Only a very insecure, little person would diss a player who just killed them. Claiming you lost to a pusher is the lamest excuse in tennis--a good player can beat a pusher.
 

mikeler

Moderator
This guy at the courts needed someone to play when i got there and there was one court open. SO we go to hit. I knew I could beat him so I was content to just hit on the far side facing the sun which was I mean straight in your eyes. Then he wanted to play sets. Okay, fine, I win 60 60. After it's over, he doens't say well played. He waits a few minutes and goes into a shpiel about that he plays for fun and exercise, only been playing 4 years. So I comment yeah that's good so do I but to get better you have to have a strong will to win, a very strong desire to improve. Yadayada as I'm walking away after saying goodbye he mumbles something about losing 30 pounds and not caring if he wins or loses, and that ... "you're a pusher." Whoa. It's a snide put down of course, then I say, Yeah well I only needed to play my B game to beat you, I just played defense 90% of the time (with the sun in eyes on the one side) and waited for your error. And also that I've won several tournaments and you don't win tournaments by being just a pusher. After a few more heated words, calling me a braggart, he eventually said he didn't mean pusher as an insult that it was an honest mistake he's only been playing for 4 years. and that was about the end of it. The nerve of someone losing 60 60 and calling you a pusher. End of story )


Sore loser. If he can't deal with your consistency, then the guy just sucks. I love playing pushers, it gives me time to setup for all my shots and then finish up at net.
 

Anton

Legend
Don't you know? For the vast majority of players anyone who can on average hit the ball 1 time or more over the net than they can per rally is a pusher. Of course that is wrong, but it is how it is. People just can't deal with the reality that they are no where as good as they dream they are. Only a very insecure, little person would diss a player who just killed them. Claiming you lost to a pusher is the lamest excuse in tennis--a good player can beat a pusher.

There are some very good players who are pushers. Not at pro level anymore, but plenty at club level.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Wait a minute here....
Did OP's opponent ever say he himself was a good player?
Lots of bad player's lose to pushers by bagels.
 

Anton

Legend
Sore loser. If he can't deal with your consistency, then the guy just sucks. I love playing pushers, it gives me time to setup for all my shots and then finish up at net.

I do love to play against pushers too. I'm as happy to keep bashing the ball as they are to keep retrieving it.

One thing to never do is underestimate effectiveness of their ugly game and then lose the game mentally.
 

corbind

Professional
If a guy can't win ONE game in twelve, does it matter what you are? He sucks bad. I could claw one game from a superior player just from him screwing around and getting lucky.

It's really hard to double-bagel a guy. This is just my thought and style. If I'm up 4-0, I'll start screwing around *and go for riskier shots and tactics because it would be difficult to lose. I have some fun with it.

I'm amazed a guy would get all bent out of shape about losing. He knows he's not in your class so should just take the lesson and be happy to have had the experience.

__________________________________________________
* Screwing around can be troublesome. Today in doubles we were up 4-0 then messed around until it became 6-6 and I was damned if I'd lose to an inferior pair and never live it down. We won 8-6. Had it been the other way around I'd have called them pushers. Just kidding! Had we lost I would have called myself a dumb ___ for not closing it out.
 

JW10S

Hall of Fame
Wait a minute here....
Did OP's opponent ever say he himself was a good player?
Lots of bad player's lose to pushers by bagels.
That's the point--a good player can beat a pusher, a bad player can't. Claiming one lost because their opponent was a pusher is not an excuse, and it doesn't make one look any better, it just shows how bad one is. In reality instead of trying to diss their opponent they should look in the mirror and admit 'I'm so bad I can't even beat a guy who does nothing other than hit the ball over the net'. Again, anyone who makes the excuse that they lost to someone for no other reason than they were a pusher is nothing more than a loser--period. They should get used to losing because they stink. End of story.
 

Tennusdude

Semi-Pro
He sucked in tennis but he was an expert in pushing your buttons. If he called me a pusher, I would have told him the following. I guess I am a pusher because I pushed you all over the court like I was sweeping an elephant turd into a shovel. Then I dumped you unceremoniously in the bin, so the dustmen could take you to the dump. It never fails to amaze me how some people can be so conceited about the pitiful strokes they call their tennis game. When I lose the inferior players, everyone tells me that I let them win, even if I swear that my opponent played well, they still think that I let them win. I guess I am lucky in that respect.
 

dizzlmcwizzl

Hall of Fame
There are many worse things in the world than being called a pusher. And by your own description it sounds like you were pushing. I would not be bothered by it, and I certainly would not be getting into an argument about tennis with someone you beat 0-0.
 

Tennusdude

Semi-Pro
Pushers can be notoriously difficult to beat. You need to be patient and not get frustrated. You need to draw pushers to the net, they hate the net. Pushers generally love to run, so hitting at them can be successful as well.
But the most important thing to remember is not to overhit. It will often take more than one shot to put the ball away, sometimes even 3 or 4 great shots, that is why you cant over hit. I pusher only wins by the errors you make. A pusher can never hit a winner on you. I think Brad Gilbert was somewhat of a pusher. He made it to number 4 in the world. He was able to beat Boris Becker because Becker would get angry and lose his patience. Gilbert beat McEnroe at the master at Madision Square Garden one year. McBrat was so angry he took a sabbatical from tennis and actually said that Gilbert didnt even belong on the same court as him. Talk about sour grapes. Actually Gilbert was a master at using different games plans in order to defeat different style players. He wrote a book called Winning Ugly which is an excellent book and well worth the read.
 

SoBad

G.O.A.T.
Thanks for bringing this up. Pushers is one of those taboo subjects that no one seems to be willing to bring up on these forums.
 

TheCheese

Professional
Nothing wrong with being a pusher. You're just never going to beat good players that way unless you have some serious speed and at least some technique.
 

KFwinds

Professional
Honestly, when I double-bagel someone I could really care less what comes out of their mouth after that unless they want to offer up some cash for another tennis lesson. Not sure why anything he says after a match like that should bother you so much... so, ditto to post #12
 
In the pros or advanced competitive tournament level, 6-0 6-0 means a tactic/strategy issue. Because at that level, everyone can play.

But 4.0 and below, that's a talent issue.

How did you not get bored during the match? Haha.

Lastly:

haters-gonna-hate-mantis.jpg
 
Last edited:

Wilander Fan

Hall of Fame
On club level, bagels are common because the difference is the serve. Despite everything else, if one player serves consistently and the other cant, its going to be alot of holding and alot of breaking.
 

Gonzalito17

Banned
Whoa. Didn't expect this many responses,so can't address each point individually, sorry for that. He's a basic decent player, not a very good mover though. So when he challenged me to play this match I wanted to kill him. I felt the right tactic was to just play smart defense, which I can do very well, only go for my shots when up 30-love or 40-15. I played to kill him, knowing my movement and consistency would do the trick. Actually not a pusher, I can play and win USTA tournaments, can beat nationally ranked players. But when I play B or C level players I use my B or C game, why bother using your A game with a weak player? When he called me a pusher I took it as an insult and responded in kind. WHy take any disrespect from a C level dog? The deal is to respect everyone but not to endure any BS from anyone. Ever. At least that's my method.
 

Turbo-87

G.O.A.T.
Whoa. Didn't expect this many responses,so can't address each point individually, sorry for that. He's a basic decent player, not a very good mover though. So when he challenged me to play this match I wanted to kill him. I felt the right tactic was to just play smart defense, which I can do very well, only go for my shots when up 30-love or 40-15. I played to kill him, knowing my movement and consistency would do the trick. Actually not a pusher, I can play and win USTA tournaments, can beat nationally ranked players. But when I play B or C level players I use my B or C game, why bother using your A game with a weak player? When he called me a pusher I took it as an insult and responded in kind. WHy take any disrespect from a C level dog? The deal is to respect everyone but not to endure any BS from anyone. Ever. At least that's my method.

I kind of agree with you but why drop down to his level and trade insults? You've got to have thicker skin than that. Just my opinion...
 
Last edited:

Anton

Legend
So when he challenged me to play this match I wanted to kill him.

This is the part that seems strange to me.

Why not just play and have fun? And if you didn't think playing against him would be at least some fun then just decline.

I play with lesser skill players all the time and don't feel like I need to dominate them for daring to ask me to play some games.
 

Roforot

Professional
Gonzalito, what level of USTA do you play. This isn't an insult but I've seen "pushers" win tournaments at 3.0 and 3.5 level especially in the heat. Sometimes I'll also play pusher type doubles for fun but never against a strong 4.0+ team.
 

OrangePower

Legend
Honestly, when I double-bagel someone I could really care less what comes out of their mouth after that unless they want to offer up some cash for another tennis lesson. Not sure why anything he says after a match like that should bother you so much... so, ditto to post #12

+1. Why care at all what a significantly weaker player thinks of your game?

In the reverse situation, if I get badly beaten, then it could be helpful to get some insight from my opponent on what he perceived as my weaknesses and how he exploited them.
 

LeeD

Bionic Poster
In HIS view, what he sees of your play, you are more consistent than him, you hit safe shots all the time. That is what HE sees. He sees a PUSHER who beat him double bagels.
You did push, didn't you?
He doesn't know you serve like Roddick, move like Monfils, and crushes groundies like DelPo.
He only saw you making safe shots and pushing the ball back to his side of the court.
 

Rozroz

G.O.A.T.
all i can say is that he's a sure loser,
BUT-
it can be really frustrating to win agains a very good defender who
gets every ball back deep with NO pace... demands good nerves ;)
when i'm in this spot it's no fun at all.
 

Gonzalito17

Banned
Feel if you play with a killer instinct and ruthlessness, you play much better as opposed to just playing light leisurely tennis. I have found the formula to win is to play every ball like it's match point. Level is strong 4.5. Play open, 35s. When I lose 60 60 you don't knock your connquerer in any way, you salute him. For a chump to call his double bagel master a pusher is not acceptable. It's all part of the mental and physical battle, never let the opponent have an inch on the court or off ) At least that's how I do it. Give respect and tolerate no disrespect.
 

Mick

Legend
In HIS view, what he sees of your play, you are more consistent than him, you hit safe shots all the time. That is what HE sees. He sees a PUSHER who beat him double bagels.
You did push, didn't you?
He doesn't know you serve like Roddick, move like Monfils, and crushes groundies like DelPo.
He only saw you making safe shots and pushing the ball back to his side of the court.

If you are way better than your opponent, you can only play the pushing game. Otherwise, the points would last at most 2 strokes.

Federer pushing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmzqPx1rHq0
 

TheCheese

Professional
Whoa. Didn't expect this many responses,so can't address each point individually, sorry for that. He's a basic decent player, not a very good mover though. So when he challenged me to play this match I wanted to kill him. I felt the right tactic was to just play smart defense, which I can do very well, only go for my shots when up 30-love or 40-15. I played to kill him, knowing my movement and consistency would do the trick. Actually not a pusher, I can play and win USTA tournaments, can beat nationally ranked players. But when I play B or C level players I use my B or C game, why bother using your A game with a weak player? When he called me a pusher I took it as an insult and responded in kind. WHy take any disrespect from a C level dog? The deal is to respect everyone but not to endure any BS from anyone. Ever. At least that's my method.

C level dog?

My god man, it's just a game. Take the high road, who cares what he thinks. No need to trade insults over tennis.
 

oragne lovre

New User
Pushers can be notoriously difficult to beat. You need to be patient and not get frustrated. You need to draw pushers to the net, they hate the net. Pushers generally love to run, so hitting at them can be successful as well.
But the most important thing to remember is not to overhit. It will often take more than one shot to put the ball away, sometimes even 3 or 4 great shots, that is why you cant over hit. I pusher only wins by the errors you make. A pusher can never hit a winner on you. I think Brad Gilbert was somewhat of a pusher. He made it to number 4 in the world. He was able to beat Boris Becker because Becker would get angry and lose his patience. Gilbert beat McEnroe at the master at Madision Square Garden one year. McBrat was so angry he took a sabbatical from tennis and actually said that Gilbert didnt even belong on the same court as him. Talk about sour grapes. Actually Gilbert was a master at using different games plans in order to defeat different style players. He wrote a book called Winning Ugly which is an excellent book and well worth the read.

Thanks for the tips.
 

SwankPeRFection

Hall of Fame
If you're waiting on the error, you're pushing. Like it or not, the definition is correct. It's fine if that's what you were doing. Don't get offended because you decided to just push the ball back. Maybe next time you'll hit some aces on the serves and some winners on the return and be aggressive on some shots. That should keep people from complaining.

I think everyone hates to lose to some degree, but nothing's worse then knowing you beat yourself... and playing against a pusher, that's exactly what you end up doing. When you get beat by your opponent winning points on your mistakes, you tend not to have any respect for them. The truth is, no one likes to lose, but if they're going to lose, they like knowing they lost because they got beat, not because they beat themselves, regardless of the fact that consistency is their weakness. When you understand that, you'll understand why he said what he said.
 
...This guy at the courts needed someone to play...

...I knew I could beat him so I was content to just hit on the far side facing the sun which was I mean straight in your eyes.

...Then he wanted to play sets.


I know where you're coming from, the guys a *****. You're doing him a favor by playing with him and he's so self centered he forgets it in a minute. It comes under the category of, "Let no good deed go unpunished." You cater to all his whims, taking the sun side, obliging him to play sets, kick his ass and he thanks you by being a sore loser--I bet you'll were playing with your balls too.

You need to get something out of this too, so why not practice your B and C game, that's legit. What I do in situations like that is, every once in a while, pop a big serve or ground stroke winner to remind them who the boss is, or knife an extreme slice that they've probably never seen, that hovers like a flying saucer and they shank off. Once again, you're doing the guy a favor and he repays you by being and ungrateful jerk--that's the world we live in today.
 

Wikky

Rookie
Nothing to be upset about, anyone who uses the word pusher is usually just looking for an excuse. People tend to forget that tennis is a game of who can hit a ball in an area more than another person, especially beg-int stages.
 

sundaypunch

Hall of Fame
If you're waiting on the error, you're pushing. Like it or not, the definition is correct. It's fine if that's what you were doing. Don't get offended because you decided to just push the ball back. Maybe next time you'll hit some aces on the serves and some winners on the return and be aggressive on some shots. That should keep people from complaining.


Waiting for an error does not equal pushing. Blooping the ball back with no pace is pushing. The OP said he won by playing good defense and only going for it at 30-0 and 40-15.

If you know that an opponent has a low shot tolerance, trying to hit to safe targets is the smart thing to do. This doesn't mean to play tentatively - you can still hit hard. Many coaches recommend doing this and forcing an error as it demoralizes the opponent more than if you hit a clean winner. It also minimizes your unforced errors.

The truth is, no one likes to lose, but if they're going to lose, they like knowing they lost because they got beat, not because they beat themselves, regardless of the fact that consistency is their weakness. When you understand that, you'll understand why he said what he said.

This applies to the vast majority of people that think they play offensive tennis. They lose because they beat themselves - they continually go for too much.
 

bukaeast

Rookie
If you were driving him side to side or up and back, but with no pace, that is not what I consider pushing. You were controlling the points, not merely getting it back.
 

Mongolmike

Hall of Fame
Thanks for bringing this up. Pushers is one of those taboo subjects that no one seems to be willing to bring up on these forums.

lol... yup... they should sticky this and dump all the pusher threads into one. (Not saying the OP is a pusher just because someone else did, but it does fit the category)
 

sportlerin

New User
Pushers can be notoriously difficult to beat. You need to be patient and not get frustrated. You need to draw pushers to the net, they hate the net. Pushers generally love to run, so hitting at them can be successful as well.
But the most important thing to remember is not to overhit. It will often take more than one shot to put the ball away, sometimes even 3 or 4 great shots, that is why you cant over hit. I pusher only wins by the errors you make. A pusher can never hit a winner on you. I think Brad Gilbert was somewhat of a pusher. He made it to number 4 in the world. He was able to beat Boris Becker because Becker would get angry and lose his patience. Gilbert beat McEnroe at the master at Madision Square Garden one year. McBrat was so angry he took a sabbatical from tennis and actually said that Gilbert didnt even belong on the same court as him. Talk about sour grapes. Actually Gilbert was a master at using different games plans in order to defeat different style players. He wrote a book called Winning Ugly which is an excellent book and well worth the read.

Thanks for the tips.


Likewise. Nice post, Tennusdude.
 

NJ1

Professional
Waiting for an error does not equal pushing. Blooping the ball back with no pace is pushing. The OP said he won by playing good defense and only going for it at 30-0 and 40-15.

If you know that an opponent has a low shot tolerance, trying to hit to safe targets is the smart thing to do. This doesn't mean to play tentatively - you can still hit hard.

Exactly right, good post.
 

Gonzalito17

Banned
If you were driving him side to side or up and back, but with no pace, that is not what I consider pushing. You were controlling the points, not merely getting it back.

Exactly Buka, I could move him around easily, can hit the targets pretty accurately. And was giving him no pace, so as to let him create his own pace, which of course, would cause him to take more risks and miss. Felt like a cat playing with a mouse ) haha
 

tiebraek

New User
Pushers can be notoriously difficult to beat. You need to be patient and not get frustrated. You need to draw pushers to the net, they hate the net. Pushers generally love to run, so hitting at them can be successful as well.
But the most important thing to remember is not to overhit. It will often take more than one shot to put the ball away, sometimes even 3 or 4 great shots, that is why you cant over hit. I pusher only wins by the errors you make. A pusher can never hit a winner on you.


Your definition of a 'pusher' describes half plus of the ATP and WTA TOUR!! LOL
 

Bedrock

Semi-Pro
This guy at the courts needed someone to play when i got there and there was one court open. SO we go to hit. I knew I could beat him so I was content to just hit on the far side facing the sun which was I mean straight in your eyes. Then he wanted to play sets. Okay, fine, I win 60 60. After it's over, he doens't say well played. He waits a few minutes and goes into a shpiel about that he plays for fun and exercise, only been playing 4 years. So I comment yeah that's good so do I but to get better you have to have a strong will to win, a very strong desire to improve. Yadayada as I'm walking away after saying goodbye he mumbles something about losing 30 pounds and not caring if he wins or loses, and that ... "you're a pusher." Whoa. It's a snide put down of course, then I say, Yeah well I only needed to play my B game to beat you, I just played defense 90% of the time (with the sun in eyes on the one side) and waited for your error. And also that I've won several tournaments and you don't win tournaments by being just a pusher. After a few more heated words, calling me a braggart, he eventually said he didn't mean pusher as an insult that it was an honest mistake he's only been playing for 4 years. and that was about the end of it. The nerve of someone losing 60 60 and calling you a pusher. End of story )
Why do you pay attention to it, pusher?
Play again.
 

Sakkijarvi

Semi-Pro
When...

... will a pusher simply say, "damn right I'm a pusher, and damn proud of it..." Like, 'I wrote "The Hacker, Pusher and Dinker From Hell' and my name is Carlos Campos. Throw your hairless, sunken chest out when you say it and make sure those longjohns you wear under your tennis shorts on 62 degree May days when playing outdoors are not too crinkled (yeah, know that guy).

Instead, all this energy denying the obvious. Like, when you lose to a pusher and tell him he's a pusher you want to insult the little slug.
 
Last edited:

Rjtennis

Hall of Fame
I don't really like playing pushers but if I'm playing smart tennis it's usually fairly easy because I know they are not going to attack anything short. I just have to remind myself to hit a few extra balls and wait until I get something short before I attack. Pushers are great at hitting slow-medium paced, deep moonballs. Even through I want to attack those balls, I have have to wait as it's not that smart to be attacking balls that are above my head. Pushers are planning on winning the match based on my unforced error so there is no point in playing super aggressive and adding to the unforced error. Pushers can be a hard group to figure out, but once you develop your own game plan on how beat them it's not so hard. The same strategy should work against all of them for the most part.
 
Top