A pusher that I cannot beat---Help!

[topspin73212]

I have been playing with the same friend for 5 months now and we are at the same level (approx 3.5-4.0). Turns out that in order to play more consistently, he turned into a pusher--spreading junk balls that fall in the court. I should be able to handle shots with less pace, but sometimes when I am creating my own pace, I make errors....and then it snowballs, and I lose.

We played better tennis before when we were actually going for our shots, but now for the sake of consistency his game turned into garbage--and now mine threatens to if I continue to play softball just to compete with the pusher. I cannot improve if I don't learn how to beat him--and now its in my head and the more I dont want to lose, the more my game unwravels to pieces.

Please help! Any advice or life experiences will help a great deal!

 

[fgbowen33]

how to beat the pusher

what the pusher does is gives no pace and if you go to the net he lobs. You have to work on your net game and especially your overhead cuz he keeps lobbing you. When he puts the lob up you have to it away. Practice your overhead to where you don't miss it and you will beat him.

 

[Off The Wall]

Pusher ******

You'll be pleased to learn there are several threads on the "pusher" ******. You are not alone. We are a support group here.

Alas, sometimes a tennis player will stop trying to improve and instead strive to win--by any means--including pushing. That player is your "friend."

He junks you because, as you stated, it works. You cannot generate over-whelming pace. (Pushers can usually junk back a well-paced shot, anyway.) So, it takes more than hitting harder.

Pushers are comfortable running back and forth along the baseline against strokers playing from the baseline. Make him uncomfortable.

 

[GuyClinch]

What are your normal strategies to get points - and how come they don't work on him? It seems to me that your just making too many unforced errors and you have to just improve rather then just come up with a 'strategy" to beat him.

The guy I play is a "pusher" too - and he isn't bad he sometimes beats me. But I just try my regular strategies. I hit serves out wide and try to knock off the short replies for winners (usually the opposite court or sometimes I try to wrong foot him if he guesses that side).

I try to hit shorter balls down the line for approach shots - again if executed well you should be able to volley a winner or smash an overhead.

If he has a slow second serve (and I find most pushers do) try to either hit the serve down the line for a tough approach (or sometimes a winner) or hit with topsin and hit the extreme angle shot..

I don't see anything magical about a pusher that can combat such basic strategies. Honestly I don't get the whole - how to beat a pusher stuff. The same things you do to any old player will work against a pusher. That is unless your REALLY relying about your opponent to just make a ton of errors and beat themselves.

Pete

 

[ps60]

i am tired of a soft baller in our all double "club".

among many old men, these younger (30-40) guy turned his game to all soft balls. (is he a pusher ??) He hit every ball soft and high. He can keep the ball deep and over the net man. Just don't let U attack in the forecourt. I hate to play with him, not because our team can't win, it is just boring. I'd add a lot of top spin and power if i have the time for setup. it could be more effective than making him run. But that maybe only for him.

For me, i 'd rather put away the racket than playing with this junk games.

 

[arnz]

i am tired of a soft baller in our all double "club".

For me, i 'd rather put away the racket than playing with this junk games.

A lot of people are like you...which is totally opposite the way I think. I love to play with all kinds of people, the softballer and junkballer incuded. I do softball and moonball and junkball too when faced with this type of player. Sometimes I find myself laughing in the middle of the point at the kinds of rallies and points this type of playing produces. Beating somebody at their own game is fun for me, sending them side to side, throwing the short ball then lobbing or passing them.

To the OP, there is no secret to beating the pusher. To beat the pusher, you just have to become a better tennis player. The pusher does nothing but expose our own weaknesses. You create unforced errors off of easy balls because your strokes, timing, footwork and anticipation are not consistent yet. Practice your strokes, practice your volleys, perfect your footwork so if you see an easy ball you move and set yourself up properly to hit an effective shot. This takes time so dont get discouraged.

The pusher is a rite of passage for good players. Someday you'll be wishing you saw a ball like the pusher is giving to you right now instead of a hard hit angled topspin winner that your future opponents will give you

 

[topspin73212]

Hey thanks to everyone who responded and feel my pain. I understand that I have to work on my fundamentals, and if I was good enough, I should be able to handle any ball coming at me--no matter whether its coming at me with heavy topspin or no spin at all.

Its just sad because my friend has all the fundamentals to be playing some really good tennis--I have seen him do it before. But in order for him to cut down his errors, his game has become very junk-ball-like. A lot of his shots involve a lot of "luck"as well--has anyone played someone like this? --where things just fall right on the line for your opponent?

I guess I am not mentally strong enough yet to get through the softballing and "luck" shots--my mechanics come apart through my frustration. The only way I was able to turn it around was to be super agressive and serve-and-volley every point.

 

[theace21]

Develop a strong weapon and control the tempo of the match. When he gets you frustrated and you are afraid to hit the shot - he will wear you out and win. Work on hitting a nice controlled forehand that you can move him around with, pull him out of the court. Most pusher just sent the ball back with very little pace, step around the shot and hit your controlled forehand...Takes practice to beat these guys...

 

[topspin73212]

Thanks Ace for the advice! I just picked up Gilbert's Winning Ugly because I need to get my head straight. It seems to have a lot of perpectives for on-the-court-thinking. I think the mental aspect of my game is overpowering my muscle memory for how to play solid tennis.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

What a "pusher" does is point out the weaknesses in your game.

It is always easier to play against someone that hits a ball with pace that bounces into your comfort zone and is fairly consistant. They are doing half the work for you.

Slow, paceless, junk-balls that die or bounce oddly force you to really anticipate, force you to stroke through the ball, force you to move well and get in position early.

In other words, to beat this kind of player, you need to play better.

By play better, I mean that most people think they play better than they really do. The difficulty they have with the "pusher" is their wake up call to start drilling.

Keep working on your strokes, movement and court tactics.

When eventually, you start beating this guy you will know you are on the right track.

 

[jonline]

One thing that may just work in some cases is waiting until they hit a ball short (somewhere around the service line)...then you can mix it up instead of just hitting all topspin by going for a short slice (preferably a drop shot). Your opponent will come up to the net uncomfortably and as soon as they make their probable weak return, lob it over their head. Worked well for me today!