Losing to “Worse” Players

[TheHerpLord]

I just got back from a tournament, after losing in the first round to someone who is “worse” than me. He has worse technique and bunts the ball, and uses my pace instead of generating his own. However, he has good control of the ball and can hit it where he wants to when not pressured. I, on the other hand, have better technique, and hit through the ball. But when I play tournaments, I can’t seem to put the ball where I want to, and my shots keep heading towards the middle. Also, when I try to capitalize on opportunities like a short ball or a lob, my attempts to finish the point are in vain, as they go right to him even when I’m aiming at the corners. I lost, 7-5 7-5. Can someone tell me the possible reasons why I can’t finish points? Thanks.

 

[VacationTennis]

It happens to us all, even the pros do it.

It sounds like a close match so I'm guessing you made too many errors in general - if you made a few less you probably would have taken the match.

Hitting to the middle can be a very useful tactic at times so don't totally stop doing that. By picking a target ahead of time, on every shot, you have a higher chance of getting into the right body position to make that shot happen.

Just make it a safe target with plenty of margin for error.

Finishing the points and those short balls in a match situation takes practice. In a match you have to identify them super early and go for a controlled shot. It doesn't have to be a cold winner, it just needs to apply decent pressure. It takes some patience to be able to hit a couple more balls if needed to win that point instead of you generating the error.

Go out and drop feed yourself some short ball put aways. They are very easy once you get the feel. Do it from all areas of the court and practice having a target in mind on every single one.

Before your match and during, remember your training and how these balls should feel. If you blow a couple, don't sweat - you'll get it eventually!

 

[ptuanminh]

Here we go again. Guess who's the worse player? The one that lost.

 

[travlerajm]

5/10 troll post. Needs more detail on how your technique is better.

 

[giantschwinn]

How to beat a pusher without improving your own game:
1. Know that he is not going to hurt you. So what's the hurry to finish the point? This is a mind set change and is totally free.
2. Instead of moving him side to side, vary the depth of your shot. The closer he is to the net, the more likely you are going to hit through him.

 

[travlerajm]

How to beat a pusher without improving your own game:
1. Know that he is not going to hurt you. So what's the hurry to finish the point? This is a mind set change and is totally free.
2. Instead of moving him side to side, vary the depth of your shot. The closer he is to the net, the more likely you are going to hit through him.

But this guy “has good control of the ball and can hit it anywhere he wants to when not pressured.” Therefore not a pusher.

 

[giantschwinn]

But this guy “has good control of the ball and can hit it anywhere he wants to when not pressured.” Therefore not a pusher.

Hmmm... that's a tricky one. I have no answer then.

 

[Rosstour]

He's not a pusher, he's a counterpuncher.

Your match is my entire tennis life. Athleticism of a 5.0, brain of a 2.5. I can't help you lol.

 

[giantschwinn]

There are two players on my ladder that I don't match up well against. Every time I play them I get the same feeling of I can't place the ball where I want to against them. They hit with spins that I am not used to. One is a lefty and the other has very loopy shots. I avoid them even though I know the only way to get better against them is to play them.

 

[TheHerpLord]

5/10 troll post. Needs more detail on how your technique is better.

The guy I played has a very linear swing path. Swings like a beginner, but seems to have been playing long enough to have good control of the ball. I have a more advanced swing, more developed, but made too many errors.

 

[jm1980]

5/10 troll post. Needs more detail on how your technique is better.

To be fair OP puts "worse" in quotes

 

[TheHerpLord]

I had just practiced for 2.5 hours beforehand, and I was playing great, very relaxed, hitting with a lot of pace, accuracy and consistency. When I started playing the match, it all came falling apart. I think it is a confidence issue.

 

[Curious]

Maybe this? I usually go home after 2.5 hours of hitting.

I had just practiced for 2.5 hours beforehand,

 

[Dartagnan64]

Here we go again. Guess who's the worse player? The one that lost.

Need more than one match to determine a better player. All you can say is that "on that day" the opponent was better. Human performance is too variable to determine superiority on a single data set.

I have plenty of foes that I can beat more often than I lose to them. But I still occasionally lose to them.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I just got back from a tournament, after losing in the first round to someone who is “worse” than me. He has worse technique and bunts the ball, and uses my pace instead of generating his own. However, he has good control of the ball and can hit it where he wants to when not pressured. I, on the other hand, have better technique, and hit through the ball. But when I play tournaments, I can’t seem to put the ball where I want to, and my shots keep heading towards the middle. Also, when I try to capitalize on opportunities like a short ball or a lob, my attempts to finish the point are in vain, as they go right to him even when I’m aiming at the corners. I lost, 7-5 7-5. Can someone tell me the possible reasons why I can’t finish points? Thanks.

I, on the other hand, have better technique, and hit through the ball. But when I play tournaments, I can’t seem to put the ball where I want to, and my shots keep heading towards the middle.

That indicates there is a gap between your practice performance and your match performance. You need to either increase the pressure in your practices to simulate a match and/or ratchet down the pressure on yourself during a match to simulate practice. A combination might be optimal rather than all one or the other.

Also, when I try to capitalize on opportunities like a short ball or a lob, my attempts to finish the point are in vain, as they go right to him even when I’m aiming at the corners.

Don't aim for corners; that's a sucker's bet. Aim for large targets, not with the goal of hitting a winner but of him coughing up a short ball. Then attack intelligently and come into the net. Expect the lob. If you're horrible at OHs and volleys, you've got some work ahead of you.

The way to approach this type of opponent is to realize that, in general, they can't hurt you: they aren't hitting a lot of winners, right? He beats you by giving you the opportunity to make errors. Odds favor him. Instead of playing the game on his terms, try to change things: either come to the net, which forces him to hit passing shots and lobs, which aren't necessarily his strength [the lob might be which is why you need a good OH], or force him to come to the net, which also is not his strength. Get him out of his comfort zone, even if it means you having to leave yours as well. Chances are, he will be more uncomfortable than you.

it's also possible he's simply a better player than you, technique notwithstanding. But a 5-7 5-7 scoreline indicates you're definitely in the hunt. Drop the expectations due to technique; they aren't helping you. At that point, technique is irrelevant.

 

[Dartagnan64]

One thing I've been working on is just staying with the Wardlaws Directionals. It does help keep you from overhitting and trying for the stupid shot.

 

[golden chicken]

It's about mindful practice now. Don't go out there and just hit around aimlessly for 2.5 hours.

Try dividing the court in quarters from sideline to sideline. The middle two quarters earn you 0 points. The outer quarters are worth points. Also divide the court in half from the service line to the baseline. Balls that land in the half closer to the service line are worth 1 point and ones that are hit coser to the baseline are worth 2 points.

Now get someone to feed you a basket of balls and you pick a target and keep score.

Aim for the same target no matter the feed.

Pay attention to the particular scenarios you are most successful. For example, if you are great at hitting an inside out topspin forehand from the middle of the court deep to the opponent's backhand corner, make a mental note of that. If you're better at slicing that ball into the corner, note that.

Then have your feeder feed you so you can drill that specific scenario.

Then, during your next match, try to contain your aggression unless that specific scenario presents itself. Then hit away because you've practiced it.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

One thing I've been working on is just staying with the Wardlaws Directionals. It does help keep you from overhitting and trying for the stupid shot.

For me, that's as tough as figuring out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop: "One, two,...,crunch."

 

[pencilcheck]

Usually the one getting redirected is the one that is worser, if you asked your opponent what they think of you you might be getting a better picture. Perhaps in their mind you are also doing the same thing but even worse because you can't even place the ball to where you want to.

I would advice you train rallies and think about what is your comfort shot that you can reproduce it over and over again even in match scenario where ball might not always come in the right pace or the right height, see if you can still produce nice shot while running.

Get ball machine and get some drills in and simulate real match scenarios, such as serve return, running forehand and backhand etc.

 

[socallefty]

From your description of the match, you state that you are able to hit the ball only to the middle of the court while your opponent could control his shots and put them where he wanted. You also state that you could not put away short balls away from your opponent either because you can’t hit reliably into space or because your opponent has good footwork/mobility. All these seem to indicate that you were the ”worser” player.

To support your case that you were the better player, the only comment you make is your subjective evaluation that your technique is better while he bunts the ball. I take it to mean that you think you hit with more pace than your opponent. But, it sounds like you don’t hit with enough pace to force enough errors from him or hit winners into space that you open up on the court. If you can’t force errors with your pace and he has more accuracy/control, then you are the “worser” player by your description and on the scoreboard.

Also, you leave out who has the better serve and who has the better return - those are the two most important shots in tennis which dictate the point patterns and the likely winner of each point. If your opponent had a higher 1st-serve %, better serve accuracy and less return errors, then that would make him the better player also. I don’t know if it was the case, but I just wanted to point out that in most of these posts about losing to a “pusher“ or “worse” opponent, posters leave out all descriptions of who has the better serves, returns and ability to end points at the net and those have a much greater impact on tennis matches than the pace of groundstrokes. The aesthetics of technique have nothing to do with who wins a match either. Most rallies at the rec level and a high-% at even the pro level end within four shots (two by each player including serves and returns) and the winner of those short points usually wins the match rather the winner of the few long rallies. It would be interesting to know what level of tennis this match is at also as at lower levels, the pace of shots has even less to do with the the outcome as no one can hit winners consistently when given the opportunity.

 

[Bender]

One thing I've been working on is just staying with the Wardlaws Directionals. It does help keep you from overhitting and trying for the stupid shot.

+1 here, unless you have an opportunity to change direction or hit a forcing shot.

 

[WYK]

I had just practiced for 2.5 hours beforehand, and I was playing great, very relaxed, hitting with a lot of pace, accuracy and consistency. When I started playing the match, it all came falling apart. I think it is a confidence issue.

At my local club, when someone says they lost to a worse player it usually means the other person played more consistent tennis; less errors, and appearing less offensive, but getting the ball back.
Consistency is a major part of being a better player.

 

[HuusHould]

Maybe this? I usually go home after 2.5 hours of hitting.

Yeah this is too much before playing anyone, let alone a counterpuncher/pusher.

 

[TagUrIt]

On paper you might the better player, but when it comes time to step up you don’t finish. I see a few mistakes with what you posted about your match. You judged your opponent’s skill level/ability based on their ugly technique, therefore underestimating them. Never underestimate any opponent. You seem to overthink things when playing and pressure seems to get to you a bit. No doubt, tennis is a complex sport, but we make it more complicated than it needs to be. Practice under pressure, create scenarios that get you nerves going so you can deal with them in a match setting. You're over hitting! The court doesn’t move, the ball does. Read the writing on the ball before you swing and aim for bigger targets instead of the “paint the line” winner. Everything I said I’m sure you already know, so I’m just stating the obvious, but you asked and we answered. I hope this helps, even just a little and it’s meant as constructive criticism not to troll your post. Good luck out there on the courts.

 

[user92626]

At my local club, when someone says they lost to a worse player it usually means the other person played more consistent tennis; less errors, and appearing less offensive, but getting the ball back.
Consistency is a major part of being a better player.

But that's way too many words.

Much easier to say "worse player" "pusher"


Our goal in life is to become lazier.

 

[chic]

I had just practiced for 2.5 hours beforehand, and I was playing great, very relaxed, hitting with a lot of pace, accuracy and consistency. When I started playing the match, it all came falling apart. I think it is a confidence issue.

Dittoing what others said about the better player being the one who puts the ball in play one more time than the other guy. But you were at least acknowledging that with the " "

Getting out of the 'hitting a certain way means I should win' mentality was pretty helpful for me. Need to look past their technique and get to looking for their weaknesses/where they're exploiting you. In warm up usually the ball is more or less going to land to you unless you and your wu partner are doing point construction games.

Bad technique that puts the ball in play is only bad if you can find a way to exploit it.
What strikezones did you try hitting to? Did they get to everyball on balance or was there patterns that you were finding success with that you couldn't finish off. Likely if they put every ball where they wanted (or you felt like they did) then you were letting them hit balanced balls from a position they liked while they were placing and bunting in ways that didn't pop up into your preferred strike zone or let you get your feet set.

Hard to tell exactly what happened from your post though, I'm just extrapolating from the times I've felt similarly and my analysis of what was really losing me those points.

 

[WYK]

But that's way too many words.

Much easier to say "worse player" "pusher"


Our goal in life is to become lazier.

A friend of mine asked me how a match went when we played a warm up against one of our senior ladies teams. I took it easy, not just because you look stupid hammering balls at 70 year old ladies, but I was honestly trying to warm up. I said, 'She beat us with her consistency', and wow did she take offense
I wouldn't call her the better player, but she sure as hell bunts the balls back if you get them anywhere near her. So, I guess, she IS better.

 

[chic]

'She beat us with her consistency'

Someone took offence to this?!?!?

That's high praise in my book.

Granted I have accidentally become a power player. So I'm always desperately working on upping my shot tolerance.

 

[user92626]

A friend of mine asked me how a match went when we played a warm up against one of our senior ladies teams. I took it easy, not just because you look stupid hammering balls at 70 year old ladies, but I was honestly trying to warm up. I said, 'She beat us with her consistency', and wow did she take offense
I wouldn't call her the better player, but she sure as hell bunts the balls back if you get them anywhere near her. So, I guess, she IS better.

Oh gosh... in all likelihood you're deep into your 60s!

Last year when our 70ish elderly were ...younger and carefree from the covid, we played matches frequently. I was in my early 40s and would offer to play against them with my non dominant hand. It wasn't bad. I certainly didn't lose

Playing with the elderly is pretty interesting. I mean, there's horsing mode and there's "elderly mode" LOL.

 

[socallefty]

It depends who the elderly player is. We have a 77-year old at my club who is not only a national doubles champion for his age group, but he represented the US at an ITF championship in Croatia last year and won there too. He has a 4.5 USTA computer rating from all the tournaments he plays and plays like a true 4.5 - solid power, athletic net game and runs around the court like someone twenty years younger. He does I-formation and Australian-formation a lot when his partner is serving, signals intentional poaches a majority of the time and has no problem covering the opposite side of the court quickly jumping up from a crouching position. He is truly an inspiration for the rest of us.

 

[Dartagnan64]

+1 here, unless you have an opportunity to change direction or hit a forcing shot.

I typically follow Wardlaw's for shots at or behind the baseline and consider forcing shots only when stepping inside the baseline.

 

[zaph]

Anyone can have a bad day but if you consistently lose to a so called "worse" player, I hate to break it to you, you're not better than them.

I play defensively, shots hit well below max power, lots of slice, moonballs, big net clearance on topspin shots and squash shots to get wide balls back. The strategy works because most club level players don't have any real weapons. If I you can't hit your winner past me, it ain't a winner. Eventually you're going to give me a short ball I can punish or make a mistake.

Trying to play tennis without a proper rally ball and defensive skills is building your game without a foundation. Sure you can't get to higher levels without attacking shots but how far do you think you'ill get without defensive skills and decent shot tolerance?

 

[zaph]

On paper you might the better player, but when it comes time to step up you don’t finish. I see a few mistakes with what you posted about your match. You judged your opponent’s skill level/ability based on their ugly technique, therefore underestimating them. Never underestimate any opponent. You seem to overthink things when playing and pressure seems to get to you a bit. No doubt, tennis is a complex sport, but we make it more complicated than it needs to be. Practice under pressure, create scenarios that get you nerves going so you can deal with them in a match setting. You're over hitting! The court doesn’t move, the ball does. Read the writing on the ball before you swing and aim for bigger targets instead of the “paint the line” winner. Everything I said I’m sure you already know, so I’m just stating the obvious, but you asked and we answered. I hope this helps, even just a little and it’s meant as constructive criticism not to troll your post. Good luck out there on the courts.

I wouldn't assume a pusher can't hit the ball hard, just because they don't do it. I play defensively but I have a more powerful forehand than the average 3.5 ball basher. I don't use it because it isn't a high percentage shot. Can be fun to smack a few balls if I have built up a big enough lead to indulge myself.

 

[Bender]

I typically follow Wardlaw's for shots at or behind the baseline and consider forcing shots only when stepping inside the baseline.

I'm an aggressive baseliner who's trying to become more of an all-courter, so I quite often go against directionals from behind the baseline so that I can find a way to get to the net. It's difficult to explain when I decide to go DTL because there are balls that beg to be hit DTL even when it lands close to the baseline. Sometimes it's a (relative) dip in pace of the incoming ball, other times it's when I've developed a great rhythm on my groundstrokes so throw in a DTL out of the blue.

It's one of those things I guess you just acquire a feel for after a while.