Match play problems.

ichaseballs

Hall of Fame
I can’t manage to keep my play consistent from just hitting to match play. My play always goes downhill....fast...when I start playing a match. People I should easily beat will usually beat me. Most of the time it’s because I lose the points from miss-hits, long shots or net balls. It’s so frustrating! It especially happens with pushers. All they do is lob the ball back with zero pace or depth. When I do get it back with pace and spin, they just stick their racquet out and pop it up back over the net. Any advice on how to beat that? I end up getting angry and make more mistakes.

Playing a good pusher can be difficult. I would try to dictate the points, take some pace off, hit more spin, and come in on the short balls trying to finish with volleys or overheads.
Making less errors is key to winning at rec levels. There are only 4 points needed for a game. A win is a win. "People I should easily beat will usually beat me." is flawed logic, oxymoron?
Keep practicing match play and consistency.
 

sredna42

Hall of Fame
I can’t manage to keep my play consistent from just hitting to match play. My play always goes downhill....fast...when I start playing a match. People I should easily beat will usually beat me. Most of the time it’s because I lose the points from miss-hits, long shots or net balls. It’s so frustrating! It especially happens with pushers. All they do is lob the ball back with zero pace or depth. When I do get it back with pace and spin, they just stick their racquet out and pop it up back over the net. Any advice on how to beat that? I end up getting angry and make more mistakes.

I've been through this. Am still going through it actually. You have to accept that you are simply not as good as you think you are. It's all there is to it. If you work on shot tolerance, to the point you could do it all day at their speed, then in a match it will feel like a bludge against such a player, there won't be any nerves at all.
 
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