How many losses have you had to a weaker opponent?

[wy2sl0]

Weaker is subjective in this case.

I played for the first time this year since October (snow just cleared, nets up) with my friend who plays maybe twice a month during the summer on average, whereas I play around 3 times a week.

I couldn't get a serve in it felt like. I was double faulting, not timing balls right, trying to change my swing to compensate. I am by no means a very good player. I do however find when you play people that don't really hit with spin it is very difficult for me to hit low balls with spin to get up and over consistently. I also play with a heavy racquet and I am a small guy so my RHS is not that high unless I have time to take my arm all the way back and take a big cut.

Anyways I am rambling. I lost 6-2 6-4, made alot of errors, where he just seemed to get everything it, hitting essentially totally flat. Am I just really that bad? Or is it a case of being rusty and him just hitting simple strokes...

For the record I would say I have an 80% winning percentage or higher against him since we both started playing.

 

[watungga]

I lost a lot of times from a weaker player.

Coz I'm not aiming to win but to execute my game/objectiv or at times trying to train my strokes or target a specific area in the court. Of course with lots of errors which makes my opponent wanting for more games.

I always make sure the points I earned are from my attacks not from opponents simple mistakes.

If my game gets better, I beat him at the next game.
Most of the time, I lose coz I get tired after.

 

[LuckyR]

Weaker is subjective in this case.

I played for the first time this year since October (snow just cleared, nets up) with my friend who plays maybe twice a month during the summer on average, whereas I play around 3 times a week.

I couldn't get a serve in it felt like. I was double faulting, not timing balls right, trying to change my swing to compensate. I am by no means a very good player. I do however find when you play people that don't really hit with spin it is very difficult for me to hit low balls with spin to get up and over consistently. I also play with a heavy racquet and I am a small guy so my RHS is not that high unless I have time to take my arm all the way back and take a big cut.

Anyways I am rambling. I lost 6-2 6-4, made alot of errors, where he just seemed to get everything it, hitting essentially totally flat. Am I just really that bad? Or is it a case of being rusty and him just hitting simple strokes...

For the record I would say I have an 80% winning percentage or higher against him since we both started playing.

Here's some great news!! You have never lost to a weaker player!!

whenever you lose, you're the weaker player...

 

[pvaudio]

The only people who have never lost to a weaker opponent are those who were not playing their own brand of tennis 100% of the time. Losing gracefully > winning pathetically.

 

[Tebow]

A billion...without any exaggeration.

 

[mikeler]

The only people who have never lost to a weaker opponent are those who were not playing their own brand of tennis 100% of the time. Losing gracefully > winning pathetically.

We agree on strings but not this. I like to win, pathetically if I have to. :twisted:

 

[wy2sl0]

Here's some great news!! You have never lost to a weaker player!!

whenever you lose, you're the weaker player...

I agree with you in the moment, I am the weaker player at that time. I meant overall. I have way more variety, spin, etc. I don't mind losing to anyone as long as I felt I played well. I left yesterday feeling terrible though because of how terrible I played.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Never! When I've lost it's because the opponent was a stronger player, on that day.

 

[kiteboard]

Whenver you lose to a weaker player, it's due to ue. Emotion. Mistakes. Stupid shot selection. Bad day serving/returning, etc. Physical reasons: work too hard, drive too much, etc.

 

[watungga]

Usually i have no other option to practice competitively if my partner is the weaker one. What I do is feed him onto his forehand and let him do the offence. Both on rally and serves. I don't do drop shots on him, I want him lob the ball behind me. If I like his serves, and the score is in my Ad, I'll attempt the hardest target and if I missed, he'll keep serving the way I want him.

So, if I loose the point or the game, how can I still be called the weaker player?

I call this method -- maximizing training.

 

[onehandbh]

The hulk has never lost to a weaker player.

 

[LeeD]

I lose to what I preceive as weaker players quite a bit.
Of course, I can't run at all, or jump for overheads.
Just lost 2 sets to a guy who's only been playing 4 years. 5 days a week for 4 years, but still 4 years. Our overall record is probably close to 4-70, but he did win the last two sets we've played.

 

[dizzlmcwizzl]

I am one of those guys who usually win the matches I should, but conversely I rarely pull out matches against what I feel are superior players. Perhaps it is my style, or perhaps I have a good gauge of my opponents, or maybe when I think I am better I play better .... hmmm?

Everybody loses matches they think they aught to win. This is what makes tennis interesting. However, a little part of me wonders what it would be like to be able to surprise some more folks, even if that meant I would drop a few I should not.

 

[Swissv2]

If they are a "weaker" player, and one consistently loses to them, are they really the weaker player? Reality is, if the match was truly controlled by your own game being good or not, then a reasonable goal is to win more than 90% of the time.

At the beginning of my USTA experience, I was 50/50 to those who I felt I should beat on a regular basis. Why did I lose? I would lose the match due to my mistakes and not my opponents game play. As time went on, and I matured, I have gotten that stat up to 70%. I look to keep improving.

 

[LeeD]

I'm the usual hot headed lefty athlete player, maybe too stupid for my own good, but exuberant and stoked.
I"ve got wins over current(then) Div1 college players back in the '70's, but also losses to top high school players.
I've beaten A/Open Men at GoldenGatePark, then the next week, lost to 17 year old girls.
I guess it's sorta like "expanding horizons". My skill set could vary maybe 2 full points, depending on the day, my thoughts, my moods.
Basically, I"m a mess mentally.

 

[TTMR]

I can quite honestly say I have never lost to a better player.

 

[LeeD]

Me, I've lost to better players.
I've allowed better players to beat me.
I've even been beaten by better players.
And yes, once in a green moon, I've actually won a match over a better player.

 

[jayoub95]

I've had some losses to weaker opponents mainly because i tend to play safe because i don't want to lose to them and as a result i end up losing. What i have learnt from experience is that you just have to play the same way you would against someone stronger or at the same level.

 

[Swissv2]

I can quite honestly say I have never lost to a better player.

Was that because you ran out of people to play in your area? :twisted:

 

[ramos77]

Hi all!

I've only just started playing again after a 10 year break, but when I played comp tennis, the reason why I lost to "lesser" players was all to do with mental weakness.

I thought I was the better player, so I perhaps didn't try as hard, or go for my shots like I would against a better player. I would be hesitant to make a mistake, and therefore make unforced errors. I would also have to make my own pace in my shots, which for me is harder than playing against a bigger hitter.

You have to go into every game with the same mentality. ie. if you don't play you're best and concentrate, you can lose to any player.

Also, when you play against someone better than you, I always play better. There's more motivation to do so.

It's all about concentration and respecting your opponents IMO.

 

[OTMPut]

if you are developing do not worry about win-loss at all. go in with a positive and experimental attitude. i have been working on s&v these days and i play 100% s&v in my league matches these days. i lose to guys i can whoop from baseline and playing what i am most comfy with. but if i stick to winning i will never develop.

in a month or two i will have better s&v tool up my sleeve and i can whoop more pusher ***.

 

[SoBad]

I have never really lost, because there was always a valid reason.

 

[kiteboard]

If they are a "weaker" player, and one consistently loses to them, are they really the weaker player? Reality is, if the match was truly controlled by your own game being good or not, then a reasonable goal is to win more than 90% of the time.

At the beginning of my USTA experience, I was 50/50 to those who I felt I should beat on a regular basis. Why did I lose? I would lose the match due to my mistakes and not my opponents game play. As time went on, and I matured, I have gotten that stat up to 70%. I look to keep improving.

Listen to this guy. Decide to clear the net by 2-3' on every groundie. Decide to find their least liked shot. Decide to make them do what they don't want to do: lose.

 

[Fuji]

I have lost to many lower ranked players then myself and it's because of them playing well! I'm glad when lower ranked players beat me, it normally helps them out in some way!

-Fuji

 

[Mick]

i can only think of losing to a weaker player(s) when playing doubles when i teamed with an even weaker partner. I share the opinions of those who say players who have beaten me in singles are not weaker opponents.

 

[Larrysümmers]

^i agree with mick

 

[tennismonkey]

+1. if you lose to another player in singles. they are better in some way than you on that day anyway. simple as that. learn, improve, get em the next time.

 

[watungga]

Bet on a 2 sets of balls as a winner's prize. See who's weaker.

 

[T1000]

Here's some great news!! You have never lost to a weaker player!!

whenever you lose, you're the weaker player...

close the thread now lol. this is the only right answer

 

[BumperJeep]

I have no problem losing when I think I played well. The worst feeling is losing when you played awful!

 

[TTMR]

Was that because you ran out of people to play in your area? :twisted:

Yes, but I never played my best during any of those losses. There is one guy against whom I am 0-10; although I am the better player, for some reason I never play my best against him. I have never been beaten when playing my best.

 

[vil]

Yes, but I never played my best during any of those losses. There is one guy against whom I am 0-10; although I am the better player, for some reason I never play my best against him. I have never been beaten when playing my best.

Have you ever thought about the possibility that the reason why you can't play your best against the guy who constantly beats you, is actually his playing style that doesn't allow you to get in the rythm of the game?
You here a lot about pushers beating hard hitters. Why? 'Cos they give you nothing. No pace and you have to create your own.
Anyway, my advice to you is, get off the high horse and start thinking tactics.