I can't believe I lost this match...

FiddlerDog

Hall of Fame
I just love how dialed in #2 was to OP's pace.
Big bomb was just casually blocked back deep every time.
As someone else said, your pace is the perfect complement to his half swing
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
Even if I understand "this guy is better than you"-comment and admits there is some truth to it, it's also a wrong statement, depending on how you frame it. You are clearly a better tennis player, by a long margin. You can execute combos/patterns this guy's not even close to.

That being said, you lose these types of matches because you set yourself up for points and patterns that make you uncomfortable, as you've probably haven't practiced these enough. Yes, the pace of your serve fits his abbreviated style nicely, but his return is weak and not particularly deep. In the first few points, you punish those returns effectively, then you start lacking focus, perhaps bc you feel pressured to go for too much, too early? A common mistake, ime, is that you underestimate the intensity needed in the footwork and concentration, to maintain positional advantage on these type of weak returns. The advantage is yours, but if you fail to execute it properly, you either lose the points directly or the opponent gains the upper hand. In short: if you know you can force a weak return, you should be able to punish it - but not necessarily serve+1 (it could be serve+2). Identify your weaknesses: do you need to train your volley skills, overheads, BH approach? Do you make tactical approach mistakes?

Your serve is pretty solid, but you can't give away points with DFs. No matter how good you are, DFs is the path to defeat.
Your FH is pretty solid, but you need to recognize if you're in defense or offense, and play the right shot, going for bigger target. Your technique is not what is letting you down here.
Your need to be comfortable on the ad side, in a BH CC rally. It looks to me you're uncomfortable with anything past 2 shots. That puts pressure on every FH, as you feel, unconsciously or not, the need to upgrade a BH to FH bc your fear of making mistakes on the BH wing. Same goes for BH returns. You shouldn't play a FH bc your BH is weak, you should upgrade bc you have the time and you feel the risk is worth the reward.

Btw. my advice of going through the middle was directed towards the other guys, who thrived on the sides, using slices, and taking advantage of the court (CC) geometry. But going through the middle works here as well, but in both instances you need height, spin and pace. And most importantly, you need to be ready to punish the weak return.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Even if I understand "this guy is better than you"-comment and admits there is some truth to it, it's also a wrong statement, depending on how you frame it. You are clearly a better tennis player, by a long margin. You can execute combos/patterns this guy's not even close to.
I’m going to have to revoke your pusher analysis license.
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
I’m going to have to revoke your pusher analysis license.

Lol (I like your comment). The only way the second guy could get a legit 4.0 rating is that there are so many 3.5-4.0 willing to shot themselves in the foot ;-)
We're not talking Green Shirt Guy or the guy from the first video, that have movement and variety in their game. He (guy #2) would lose 0 and 0 against a legit 4.5. Against a 5.0 he wouldn't win a single point; dead serious.
 

TennisOTM

Professional
Lol (I like your comment). The only way the second guy could get a legit 4.0 rating is that there are so many 3.5-4.0 willing to shot themselves in the foot ;-)
We're not talking Green Shirt Guy or the guy from the first video, that have movement and variety in their game. He (guy #2) would lose 0 and 0 against a legit 4.5. Against a 5.0 he wouldn't win a single point; dead serious.

From 2014-2018, the second guy went 15-25 as a 4.5 singles player, winning over 40% of total games. He did suffer several thrashings among those losses, but he never once lost 0 and 0.

Perhaps now he would do much worse in 4.5, which he never plays anymore, but he has stayed consistently dominant in 4.0, going 48-13 since 2018 (all singles), and he is currently rated 3.94 on Tennisrecord.
 

Fintft

G.O.A.T.
After a routine win last weekend, here's todays result.

I swear. This next result is me attempting to incorporate some of the criticism and tips mentioned here. And I lost again in a TB. I don't even with this next guys serve. I don't even comprehend how it works. All I know is I couldn't buy a topspin backhand today more than ever before. My opponent did not hit a single winner the entire match. Something's changed with my nerves, I almost feel numb and detached. All of a sudden I have trouble seeing the ball at all. Idk, something's wrong with me. Maybe @Nostradamus was right.


@FiddlerDog @smalahove @Curtennis @S&V-not_dead_yet I'm so sorry. I tried. I don't blame you if the camera view prevents you from making it through another video but you guys in particular I wholeheartedly thank for trying to help me. I really tried to keep the ball out of the middle unless I was trying to tee off on it. And umm, at least I came to the net a lot... and it was close score wise. But there's no excuse for not getting the win today. I feel like 2 months ago this guy goes down 2 and 2 to me. Not a 3/6, 6/4, 0-1 loss.

That's depressing lol. Tennis is such an idiotic sport and that guy is a cheater.
 

smalahove

Hall of Fame
From 2014-2018, the second guy went 15-25 as a 4.5 singles player, winning over 40% of total games. He did suffer several thrashings among those losses, but he never once lost 0 and 0.

Perhaps now he would do much worse in 4.5, which he never plays anymore, but he has stayed consistently dominant in 4.0, going 48-13 since 2018 (all singles), and he is currently rated 3.94 on Tennisrecord.
Either he’s suffered some kind of injury along the way, making it difficult to assess his prior self based ok his current form OR the NTRP ratings in the league in question is way off.

Not sure if you watch matches on f.inst. Essential/Real tennis, but there is no way any of the legit 4.5’ers that play there would lose a set to #2 guy.
 

kevin qmto

Hall of Fame
I'd like to cap off this thread with todays match. I really was in the zone today, played some of my best tennis in months. I think my serve was on fire for 90% of the match. If you've stuck it out in this thread I appreciate it. I feel like a better tennis player, or like my old self before a couple human backboards made me lose my marbles. I really take all tips and critisism to heart, heck I even copy pasted a BUNCH of them into my phone to consult between sets like Maxime Cressy and his notepad.


You know what's funny, is before these last few matches, I pretty much never came to the net except to finish off an easy lob. And now I'm doing it all the time lol. It really is the way to get ahead in these 4.0 matches.
 

Pass750

Professional
I'd like to cap off this thread with todays match. I really was in the zone today, played some of my best tennis in months. I think my serve was on fire for 90% of the match. If you've stuck it out in this thread I appreciate it. I feel like a better tennis player, or like my old self before a couple human backboards made me lose my marbles. I really take all tips and critisism to heart, heck I even copy pasted a BUNCH of them into my phone to consult between sets like Maxime Cressy and his notepad.


You know what's funny, is before these last few matches, I pretty much never came to the net except to finish off an easy lob. And now I'm doing it all the time lol. It really is the way to get ahead in these 4.0 matches.
Very nice match! Some observations as I have watched the last 3 you posted.
  • Serve was great
  • Much improved net play, you volleyed with purpose and hit the ball AWAY from and against the grain of your opponent, unlike some previous matches.
  • You crushed his second serve, stepping deep into court is a great move. It wins points, puts pressure on first serve and demoralizes opponents when they know they are giving away easy points.
  • Big reduction in unforced errors.
  • And one negative, your backhand while it does keep ball in play is painful to watch. You need to fix it. Imagine if you could hit winners off of backhand too.
 

Jst21121

Rookie
I know I’m not a 4.0, but if I had to verse a player like you I would just push the ball back in and let you make the mistakes.

There are a lot of rallies where even I felt like I would of gone for broke - his second serve. In addition, he has no movement, why didn’t you move him up down and laterally- a lot of the rallies were you hitting nice forehands… but they were literally right at him. He didn’t even have to move. Just block and push back the ball.

Serve is nice but no variety. Everyone will adjust to a flat serve if it becomes predictable. Unless you are John Isner.

Either way, this match wasn’t a waste of time and not to beat yourself up on. I match against lower ntrps for set sessions and focus on areas to crush. If this were my opponent, I would prob work on slice serves out wide with a plus one finisher. Mixing shots up and down to move him vertically. And then going for broke on his second serve.

Although I don wonder what my opponents think when going for broke on a friendly match second serve crush. Or when you are practicing an out wide serve on a guy who physically can’t move. Slice serve plus one on deuce side and then kick on ad plus one. I doubt he would of gotten it. Alternate with flats in between to keep him guessing. Oh well that’s tennis.
 
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kevin qmto

Hall of Fame
I know I’m not a 4.0, but if I had to verse a player like you I would just push the ball back in and let you make the mistakes.

There are a lot of rallies where even I felt like I would of gone for broke - his second serve. In addition, he has no movement, why didn’t you move him up down and laterally- a lot of the rallies were you hitting nice forehands… but they were literally right at him. He didn’t even have to move. Just block and push back the ball.

Serve is nice but no variety. Everyone will adjust to a flat serve if it becomes predictable. Unless you are John Isner.

Either way, this match wasn’t a waste of time and not to beat yourself up on. I match against lower ntrps for set sessions and focus on areas to crush. If this were my opponent, I would prob work on slice serves out wide with a plus one finisher. Mixing shots up and down to move him vertically. And then going for broke on his second serve.

Although I don wonder what my opponents think when going for broke on a friendly match second serve crush. Or when you are practicing an out wide serve on a guy who physically can’t move. Slice serve plus one on deuce side and then kick on ad plus one. I doubt he would of gotten it. Alternate with flats in between to keep him guessing. Oh well that’s tennis.
I guess at this point there’s 3 different matches I posted, which one is this comment referring to?
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
Believe it!

Don't underestimate the opponent in your first video. I think many here are minimizing his skill, anticipation and movement (which isn't terrible.) Playing you, he's got good shot selection and his shot accuracy is excellent when he's stationary. He got a perfect read on your tendencies and patterns.

You lost this match by being too predictable with your BH, over-hitting and spraying errors on your FH, and hitting too central which gave your opponent the ability to control the court center and consequently hit those accurate groundstrokes which kept you on defense.

It's ironic, but most people lose from their strongest side because of unforced errors caused by over-hitting. In this case, it's the FH. It's your biggest weapon and your Achilles heel. You need to control it with either less pace or more spin (preferable.)

IMO, your BH is not great but solid. You made few errors off that side. But, you must learn to hit up the line - especially on short balls moving forward. Your opponent never had to cover the line because you never went there. He hit a short ball to your BH and every time you went CC on both TS and slice. Then, you had to rush to center in order to have a chance covering the volley. That's what happens when you approach cross-court. Always keep the ball in front of you when hitting an approach shot.

As others stated, use the drop shot and lob individually and in combination with one another. You need to keep this opponent moving and off balance without compromising your own game.

With some minor adjustments you can beat this opponent.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
I'd like to cap off this thread with todays match. I really was in the zone today, played some of my best tennis in months. I think my serve was on fire for 90% of the match. If you've stuck it out in this thread I appreciate it. I feel like a better tennis player, or like my old self before a couple human backboards made me lose my marbles. I really take all tips and critisism to heart, heck I even copy pasted a BUNCH of them into my phone to consult between sets like Maxime Cressy and his notepad.


You know what's funny, is before these last few matches, I pretty much never came to the net except to finish off an easy lob. And now I'm doing it all the time lol. It really is the way to get ahead in these 4.0 matches.

IMO, this player isn't as good overall as the older guy in your first video. Many more points were won off his UE's in this match. You prefer this type of opponent.
 

kevin qmto

Hall of Fame
You prefer this type of opponent.
Darn right I do lol. This guy kinda plays like a worse version of me so I know how to get him into situations where he’ll make lots of errors.

I edited out a lot of his double faults. Since I was standing so far in, he felt forced to go for a harder 2nd serve occasionally, and missed most of them. But then he’d go back to his pattycake 2nd serve and I’d go back to teeing off on it.

In unrelated news, I played a guy today (middle aged African American dude that could probably stand to lose 40lbs) that probably got bumped up from 3.0 just because he could technically smack the cover off the ball, and scared them. But he could not keep it in the court to save his life. One forehand he decided to tee off on actually cleared the indoor tarp fence and bounced off the brick wall of the building. So yeah, recorded my first ever USTA double bagel today, the footage really isn’t worth posting though.
 
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derick232

Rookie
This is the type of match you have to go in with a game plan and stick to it. For me, the game plan should be this, scrap the hard first serves and hit all slice wide serves. The slower pace is more than made up for by putting your opponent off into bad court position because of his poor movement. Then pepper one side, preferably the weaker side. Getting more and more aggressive as they get further out of position and give increasingly shorter balls. Often finishing at the net with an easy put away volley.

Here is an example of a match I played against someone who does a good job of getting the ball back in play, and that's generally how he wins, He even has pretty good movement and a few years ago I would have lost pretty easily. But because I focused on being more consistent and waiting for the right ball I pulled it out somewhat comfortably. If you watch any of my other videos, I usually play much more aggressively. But that's why you need a plan going into the match. I knew I wouldn't be able to play aggressive, he would run everything down until I made a mistake. I had to force him to make the mistakes with incremental aggression. Overall good strokes, the only reason you lost was game plan IMO
 
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