I had a match last night and it was only my third match ever. I won 6-0 6-0 and it took less than 45 minutes. Throughout the match I couldn't help but notice the look on my opponents face as he looked dejected. Afterwords I tried to be friendly with him and thanked him for playing and as soon as we walked off the court he just left without saying anything and not even watching to see if his teamates won or not. It felt great to get a win like that but at the same time I felt pretty bad for the guy. I'm only 21 and this man I played must have been mid 40's or so. I feel good about winning but feel bad for my opponent and I wonder...is it really fair that I(a 21 year old college student who can run all over the court) play against a middle age man who can no longer move well? Any thoughts from anyone on that or any similar experiences?
Bittersweet Victory
- Thread starter Swengo86
- Start date
Moz
Hall of Fame
Don't feel bad. Us old farts who are fitter than the 21 year olds we play don't think twice about beating up on them.
goober
Legend
Don't feel bad. There are plenty of 40 year olds in great shape. He wasn't one of them. Maybe this double bagel will get him to bust his ass into shape. I wouldn't feel bad unless you were playing out of level.
JRstriker12
Hall of Fame
Don't feel bad -
As long as you we a good sport, played the game honestly, and respected your opponent, you didn't do anthing wrong.
His look of dejection probably had to do more with his game/abilities than with you.
Sure, it sucks to get bageled, but if the dude is 40, he'll get over it and life will go on. Really, nothing you are going to say is going to help him feel better.
I've played tight matches that went to three sets only to have my opponent smash thier racket when they lost - so it's not about the score. I also realized the it wasn't me - that's not my problem, that's their problem handling the loss.
I've been on the end of some serious butt whippings, I'm dissapointed, but I go up to the net, shake hands and congradulate the winner.
One last word, make surre you handle losing with the same grace as you do a win. You never know when someone will beat you 0 and 0.
As long as you we a good sport, played the game honestly, and respected your opponent, you didn't do anthing wrong.
His look of dejection probably had to do more with his game/abilities than with you.
Sure, it sucks to get bageled, but if the dude is 40, he'll get over it and life will go on. Really, nothing you are going to say is going to help him feel better.
I've played tight matches that went to three sets only to have my opponent smash thier racket when they lost - so it's not about the score. I also realized the it wasn't me - that's not my problem, that's their problem handling the loss.
I've been on the end of some serious butt whippings, I'm dissapointed, but I go up to the net, shake hands and congradulate the winner.
One last word, make surre you handle losing with the same grace as you do a win. You never know when someone will beat you 0 and 0.
Steady Eddy
Legend
21 year olds don't have an edge, much less an "unfair" edge against 40 year olds. At the highest level of tennis, there's no room for any imperfection. They have to have skill, concentraton, and fitness. So you see young players dominate. So people wrong get the idea that any young guy who just took up the game will whup a middle aged guy who's played all his life. So I'll get some 22 year old saying "let's play sometime" with a grin, 'cause he thinks he'll blow me away. And when we warm up I find that he never gets more than three in a row in play. So it goes 0 and 0 in 30 minutes and he walks away, glaring at me like I sandbagged him. The guy you played was probably pretty bad. It had nothing to do with his age. Don't feel sorry for every over 40 opponent you play. You'll be on the other end of the double bagel soon enough.
I never feel good blowing out an opponent. I find it awkward during changeovers for some reason. I guess when I know someone is that bad though, I would rather beat them easily then have them play competitive because it would show my game isn't much better than theirs. Its just better to avoid those types of matches unless its someone who knows you are vastly superior to them beforehand and want to use the match as a learning experience more than anything.
Don't feel bad. There are plenty of 40 year olds in great shape. He wasn't one of them. Maybe this double bagel will get him to bust his ass into shape. I wouldn't feel bad unless you were playing out of level.
I'm not playing out of level. I just started playing a couple months ago so I'm at the beginner level. It could have also been that it was 98 degrees out plus we were on a green hard court. It was probably over 100 on that thing! Maybe he just couldn't take the heat because in some of my teams previous matches some of the other guys had to forfeit their court because of heat exhastion....I dunno.
smoothtennis
Hall of Fame
It wasn't his age, believe me. There are plenty of 22 yr. olds who can't go three hard sets. Anybody can be out of shape if they don't work at it.
That's what I'm hoping for! I want to get better and I feel that the only way for me to do that is play against better players. I'll never get anywhere when I'm playing guys that all I have to do is get the ball back over the net a couple times and I win the point. I guess that is what 3.0 tennis is all about though. I don't really have to win the point. I just have to keep myself from losing it and I'm fine.
Steady Eddy
Legend
I don't know how it is where you are, but I watched the 3.0s one night after I finished playing. One was good, (I don't think he's really a 3.0), his opponent was so-so. The guys on the other court were hopeless. So don't make too much out of one match. See how the other ones go.
How big of a difference is there between 3.0 and 3.5? Can one move from 3.0 to 3.5 pretty quickly? I'm just wondering. I played football and lacrosse in highschool and lacrosse at penn state in college so I pick up on it pretty quickly. Will it take long to get to the next level?
I'm also 6' 2" or 6'3" which is a nice advantage at the net to be that tall and have long arms!!
Steady Eddy
Legend
Not only does it give you better reach it intimidates opponents. I think alot of people panic and just give away the point when they see someone tall come to the net. Me, I'm 5-7 and when I come to the net, it fills them with confidence.
Haha the reminds me of my last match. There is another kid my age on my team who is a little taller than I am and he works out a lot!!!(because he works at a gym
) Anyways, he told me after the match what his opponent said to him before they started. The guy goes " man I thought I was going to get some old fat guy who can't move and I look over and see the cover of men's health walking accross the court!" Haha I couldn't stop laughing. He is always wearing sleeveless shirts to the matches too, which even scares me at times!
Steady Eddy
Legend
Haha the reminds me of my last match. There is another kid my age on my team who is a little taller than I am and he works out a lot!!!(because he works at a gym
I think Nadal started this 'sleeveless shirt intimidator' thing.
Yea I think so but only some guys can pull it off, and this kid on my team can deffinitely pull it off!! If I'm not mistaken I think he's bigger than nadal :shock:
