Help! Matchplay and ball striking "schizophrenia" between 3.0- and 4.0+

[eb_tennis_247]

OK, so I have advanced with my tennis, where I am playing with players that are at least 4.0, and I am also playing in social leagues and free clinics where the players are 3.0 or even below.
I also train with regional Top 20 D1 players/instructors, hitting some high-quality shots.

Here is the issue:

With upper 3.5/4.0 and above players, I have to deal with pace, placement, and weight. It is really helping me advance my tennis, and it requires me to have fitness, reaction time, and technique.
On the positive side, I can hit some good shots back, with heavy topspin and direction, because a heavy pace ball sinks in my string bed, and I can manipulate it.

With low-3.5 and 3.0- players I get swatty, slicey and loopy balls. With lots of concentration, I can place and spin or slice those backs, but it is a day-and-night experience from 3.5+/4.0+.

Two issues I have:

1. My EZONE 98 is perfect for 3.5/4.0 play because it is maneuverable, can generate awesome spin, it has a control, and it can generate controllable power.
When I play with 3.0/3.5- players, the ball does not have a pace, it does not sink in the stringbed so my EZONE 98 is a very different experience. It is hard to control direction and spin unless I am super-ultra dialed in on every shot because EZONE is powerful and has a low SW.

2. It is hard to switch between these play experiences.


Asking for your opinion, if you are at this level (high 3.5/4.0+):

1. Should I or should I not continue to play with low-level players? Some say you should always try to play better players to advance your tennis. On the other hand, one should be able to handle these powder puff shots.
The question is - is it worth playing at a lower level?

2. Should I look for a frame with a heavier SW for 3.0s with more plow? I love EZONE 98, especially against high-level players, but with lower levels, it is a little bit of a liability.

 

[LeftySlice860]

Until about 4.5 I think every player should play against “lower level” players.

You’re probably losing to some of these “lower level” players and it’s because of one or more of the following

1) you’re having to generate all the pace when hitting their balls and your technique isn’t up to par enough to swing fast enough while keeping the ball in consistently

2) your footwork and intensity are lackadaisical when you see the slow balls they give you and you prepare late when you think you have all the time in the world.

3) You’re also not reading their loopy balls well enough to time your shot and punish them at the right contact level

4) Your shot selection is probably not optimal against lower level players as well. The temptation will be to clobber and cream every single ball for a winner but you’re not that good yet. You’ll have to learn to distinguish when to just get the ball over to set up the point and when the right time is to go aggressive

the reality is you’re gonna always see these types of players at all levels if you play competitively at all.

The racket won’t matter as much as the strings so what i found worked for me was having a tighter string set up against no pace hitters to reign in the control even more. But ultimately it will be about your footwork, ball recognition, and technique improving. It will take a ton of practice and getting used to.

 

[eb_tennis_247]

Until about 4.5 I think every player should play against “lower level” players.

…

The racket won’t matter as much as the strings so what i found worked for me was having a tighter string set up against no pace hitters to reign in the control even more. But ultimately it will be about your footwork, ball recognition, and technique improving. It will take a ton of practice and getting used to.

I agree with everything you said. I think you got it.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

There is another reason to play against lower level players.
Just as you benefit from playing 4+ players, 3s and 3.5 players will benefit from
playing against you.
Most of us can remember just starting out and not being able to find
people willing to hit with them.

But, also, as has been mentioned above, is is important to have a versatile game that
can adapt to different players with different strengths and weaknesses and not just people
who hit the ball in a way that you like.

 

[eb_tennis_247]

Just as you benefit from playing 4+ players, 3s and 3.5 players will benefit from
playing against you.
Most of us can remember just starting out and not being able to find
people willing to hit with them.

Agreed.

Interestingly, I went to the club this evening to play in the mixer and I played with all very advanced, ex. college players ... oh my ... unreturnable 120 mph+ serves, putaway laser topspins, baseline bombs, I barely had a chance to react.

Tennis can be such fun. Night and day from am to pm.

Seriously, though -- I appreciate both of your comments.

 

[LeftySlice860]

One other thing I forgot to mention is the importance of a good unit turn on the FH and BH.

Obviously, a good unit turn is key regardless of who you play but against big hitters (ie better players) they will give you enough pace that you can get away with not having a full shoulder turn and coil. When you play no pace players, if you‘re trying to hit the ball hard without your chest facing the side fence (on forehand) or the corner of the backfence (backhand) then you’re probably mishitting your swing.

If you’ve ever rallied with beginners where you‘re focusing on just giving them a hittable ball back, you’ll quickly learn that getting a good deep coil with knees bent, shoulders turned, etc. without even uncoiling all that fast is enough to control the ball, keep it deep, and give you the right shape you want. It‘s actually a good way of developing a solid rally ball that is 60% of your maximum pace.

 

[user92626]

Asking for your opinion, if you are at this level (high 3.5/4.0+):

1. Should I or should I not continue to play with low-level players?

The low-level players at my site are alot more relaxing and more often than not they are funny. Like, they leap really high to smash an OH and miss the ball completely.

I enjoy playing with them but my level really suffers.

The higher level players are intense. Almost zero laughs during their games. Occasionally I play with them to test my shots and level and whatnot but generally not fun.

Good tennis is usually not fun. It's hard work that supposedly comes with rewards. But there's no rewards in rec tennis so it's very hard to maintain a good level.

Pick your poison.

 

[Dragy]

It’s very easy to feel good playing better players, unless they are actually wiping you off the court because they need a W and fast. But you still lose. And you lose same against lower level players, but in pain and agony.

The trick is, you are not a better player unless you beat 3.0 crowd comfortably. You are not getting better in tennis if anyone at 4.0 can switch to moonballs and junk and be 2 and 2 past you. And there are plenty who can.

And you don’t need different racquet to beat lower level players, like you don’t need different racquet to finish points against anyone else when you manage to push them and stretch them and get back a bunt/slice/whatever.

Find a way to hit “empty” and “junk” balls with quality shots. Learn to dominate lower levels with footwork and shots. That will be the best thing for your actual tennis improvement.

Or hang out with better hitters, but your tennis will be limited mostly to:
- Playing friendly matches with guys and gals you like, where you both hit hard and miss enough for it to be “competitive”
- Loosing to better players a lot, but sometimes feeling like “I played well”
- Occasionally getting beat by an absolute hack with 3.0 computer ranking

We’ve all been there, and stay there to a degree!

 

[travlerajm]

Play more matches. It might feel like you are a higher level than you really are if you can win points on clinics against good players. Level isnt about strokes. It’s about knowing what **** to hit when.

If you play against 3.5c players and always lose, then the reality is that you are a 3.0 player. Learn to dominate the 3.0 level if you want to advance to 3.5. Once you are comfortably beating other 3.5s, you won’t be afraid of 3.0s anymore.

 

[LuckyR]

Asking for your opinion, if you are at this level (high 3.5/4.0+):

1. Should I or should I not continue to play with low-level players? Some say you should always try to play better players to advance your tennis. On the other hand, one should be able to handle these powder puff shots.
The question is - is it worth playing at a lower level?

2. Should I look for a frame with a heavier SW for 3.0s with more plow? I love EZONE 98, especially against high-level players, but with lower levels, it is a little bit of a liability.

Well first of all you don't get better (much) from matchplay, you get better from drills.

Second, playing folks who are inconsistent is extremely frustrating for most personalities additionally they can't (really) participate in drilling.

If you derive enjoyment (?) from playing folks more than a half level below you, go for it, for that enjoyment, but expecting to improve your game while doing so is a bridge too far.

 

[Fintft]

4) Your shot selection is probably not optimal against lower level players as well. The temptation will be to clobber and cream every single ball for a winner but you’re not that good yet. You’ll have to learn to distinguish when to just get the ball over to set up the point and when the right time is to go aggressive

One thing to add is you may need to adjust how to go aggressive: do you need to hit away from them? Or can you hit thru them?

Lastly you may want to call them to the net.

 

[eb_tennis_247]

OK, first — this thread and answers have been the most helpful for me. I really appreciate it.
Your suggestions been to the point, accurate, specific, non-presumptuous and non-patronizing.

I took all your words to heart and I put them to practice today.

I setup for every easy shot as if I was returning the match point shot.

I was fast in getting to it, but I was setting up carefully, while being calm.

I went for safe but good targets (e.g., down the middle, or high cross court)

I hit with just the right amount of spin and pace.

It worked beautifully.

 

[Roforot]

Have you won any 3.5 tournaments? Or do you have league wins over 4.0s?

If yes, I think you should drop the free clinics and purely do the social 3.0 matches for social reasons like a potluck or to have drinks afterwards. You’re not going to improve and it can stymie movement or things like unit turns because you can get away with not doing it.

But if you haven’t had those wins (winning a clinic or drill is nothing) you can learn. Try to split step each time. Dont get there in time to hit the ball. But get to your spot early and adjust. These players hit slow and off pace so theres no reason to be out oc position