Of course a 4.5 should be able to handle a kick serve. Just last week I was playing singles against a 3.5 guy and I nailed him in the shoulder because he got confused by my serve's bounce. I wouldn't even say my kick serve is that great either. I haven't been against too many myself because its not usually until you face the strong 3.5 or 4.0 guy that you face the wicked kick serve.
7.5 Mixed Etiquette?
- Thread starter Hokiez
- Start date
Of course a 4.5 should be able to handle a kick serve. Just last week I was playing singles against a 3.5 guy and I nailed him in the shoulder because he got confused by my serve's bounce. I wouldn't even say my kick serve is that great either. I haven't been against too many myself because its not usually until you face the strong 3.5 or 4.0 guy that you face the wicked kick serve.
goober
Legend
This happens to men too. At some point everybody sees one for the first time and goes whoa!.
The difference is that there are very few women that hit these serves below 4.5 so the first time they see one is in mixed. Actually I haven't seen a club level woman actually hit a kicker unless she was a former college player or high level junior player.
I agree with duketennisgal, the way to actually play this serve is to step in and take it on the rise. At higher levels a kick serve with spin and not much pace is an easy sitting duck to return.
Whenever I talk women, I always ask why they don't work on a kicker. I know that, for some reason, the motion seems to be easier for men to learn, but a woman with a kick serve and solid groundies would be able to have success at most levels of women's USTA.
Topaz
Legend
I'm a 3.5 woman, and will stand way in on men's serves as well...for all the reasons already described. I can get it before the twisting/slicing/bouncing takes effect, and if it is hard and flat, just block it back.
Though, sometimes on the kickers, I will also stand way back and take it after it spins out, though I don't like giving up so much landscape for the angles that way.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Meh. Just play tennis. As long as you are NOT deliberately going for the skull of a person of either gender, everything should be just hunky dory.
Though, sometimes on the kickers, I will also stand way back and take it after it spins out, though I don't like giving up so much landscape for the angles that way.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Meh. Just play tennis. As long as you are NOT deliberately going for the skull of a person of either gender, everything should be just hunky dory.
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Actually I've seen one woman hit a kick serve. She was a 3.0 last year and appealed up to 3.5. She was probably the most talented female player I've seen, because of her progress over the months and ability to hit with alot of pace and topspin at such a low level.
goober
Legend
I didn't know you could appeal your rating up. Can't you just play at a higher level?
Yeah but she is playing both 3.5 and 4.0. So I guess she didn't want to be considered a 3.0 anymore. It looks better on paper to say 3.5.
I need to play more people like you.
I play a lot of 8.0 mixed, and a few of times that I've flattened out and went for a serve against the woman, either they or their partner has gotten uppity.
Xisbum
Semi-Pro
:shock: My kind of woman! :shock:
duketennisgal
Rookie
I just don't understand people that act like that. If you are willing to play at that level you should not need people to take it easy on you.
I've had a few guys who thought they needed to take it easy on me, I was ok though, I just hit winner returns or hit the return as hard as I could at his net partner, fixes that really quick!
I play with a bunch of guys as well and I have to keep reminding them that they need to play just as agressively as they do in regular doubles. The only thing I don't think a guy (or woman) should do is purposely nail an overhead at somebody that's 5 feet from you, too much risk of serious injury at that point.
This types of statements point to the undeniable fact that the NTRP rating system has currently implemented simply does not work and, for the most part, is largely worthless.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
Two reasons to appeal up.
One, it makes it easier to get onto a new team. Some teams won't take any players with a C rating below the team's rating. There's only so many hours in a day, so there isn't time to do a try-out for everyone who wants to join. One way to cut the burden is eliminate people who want to play up.
Two, this player plays in a league where there cannot be more than 1 point of separation between partners. If she is 3.0, she cannot partner with a 4.5 player in combo (8.5) or mixed (8.0).
Topaz
Legend
Oops!!! Not what I meant to say...that's what happens when I type while trying to do five billion other things at the same time!
---WRONG---
Spokewench
Semi-Pro
I'm working on it - don't know when I will get it entirely, but I'm not giving up. 3.0 woman on the move
spoke
goober
Legend
If you appeal up won't you have an A rating? Or is that only if you appeal down?
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
You'll still have an "A" rating, so an alert captain could check it.
I would imagine most don't. Or perhaps they assume the "A" always means the player appealed down, which makes them doubly desireable.
You know, I know the player Raiden mentioned, who appealed up. I have to smile, as I had always thought the computer had moved her up when it moved me up.
The smile is because she is younger and more athletic than I am, and we were doubles partners. It must have seriously torqued her jaws to see the computer moved me up but didn't move her up, perhaps choosing to believe I was stronger and therefore more responsible for our win. "WHAT!!?! THE COMPUTER THINKS I'M WEAKER THAN THAT OLD LADY!!!"
Man, that must have really stung!
Xisbum
Semi-Pro
I love playing mixed and have always found playing solid percentage tennis works better then attacking the weaker player. I have played with weaker partners and have been the weaker partner and have yet to loose to a team that tries to pick on one of us.
I think it depends on how weak the weaker player is. I usually play the positions not the people, and there are teams that I should be blowing out but instead will win 6-3, 6-4 or other competitive scores. I may not be as good at taking the tactically correct shots and so I will hit more errors than if I just direct it at a weak player and end the points sooner.
Cindysphinx
G.O.A.T.
No matter how weak the weak player is, I simply cannot bring myself to hit a groundstroke from the baseline to them when they are at net if they are very close to the net. I don't know what happens to me. I see that 8-inch sliver of open space between their abdomen and the net, and I feel like I have to drive the ball with enough topspin that it goes into that gap. I miss every time.
Fay
Professional
This is the custom in our state ...
I play a lot of mixed with my husband -- at the 7.0 level, though. Guys hit the ball at me and they apologize, and I always tell them there's no need. Hitting at the net person (male or female) is a legitimate play. It's stupid to feel bad about it. If you can't take the heat, back off the net. I will also add that if I think a guy is weak or asleep, I'll haul off and hit at him as hard as possible. So why should a guy not do it to me? I'm not prepared to say I'll never hit at a weak player, especially during a tournament or league match. That's my take.
