Playing up a level or two ..............

[DXS]

I've decided to play up a couple of levels this year. I'm coming off a 12 year layoff until this past year. I played in 6 3.0 tournaments and did pretty well, but I'm definitely not a 3.0 player. I got bumped to 3.5 this year.

I'm going to be playing 4.0/4.5 for the first few tournaments this year in order to get a feel as to where I will get the most benefit.

I currently hit with an ex-satellite pro and former Bollitari (sp) scholarship holder. I can hold my on hitting with him.

I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences of playing above your level and if it will really improve your game?

 

[goober]

yes it will improve your game. Higher level players make less mistakes and exploit your weaknesses more. They are more match tough and usually have a big weapon or two. That can only be a good thing to play with them. I rarely get anything out of playing people below me in level because I can get away with a lot of bad shots and lazy play in general and still win.

 

[SageOfDeath]

yes it will improve your game. Higher level players make less mistakes and exploit your weaknesses more. They are more match tough and usually have a big weapon or two. That can only be a good thing to play with them. I rarely get anything out of playing people below me in level because I can get away with a lot of bad shots and lazy play in general and still win.

You can practice your specialty shots on them, drop shots, drop volley, bh smash, and such.

 

[badmice2]

i wouldnt recommend playing against 4.5 player. I'm a decent 4.0 who can play against 4.5 (emphsis on PLAYING AGAINST...not beating consistantly). 4.5 players are very strong off the ground, crisp volleys, and a great sense of court coverage. You might get lucky in playing some high 4.0 in the early rounds, but an average 4.5 will cream you.

You'll have much better luck playing 4.0 players. In early rounds of 4.0, you'll definitely play high 3.5/low 4.0 players. Depending on your game, a 4.0 can and will move you around the courts with some ease. They're very very consistant, but sometimes lacks power. You'll have to hit a lot balls and have quick feet in order to keep up with them.

I would highly suggest you practice against and possiblily play 4.0 tourny at the most. You'll be wasting your money and will get discourage pretty quick in 4.5 match play.

 

[Cruzer]

I've decided to play up a couple of levels this year. I'm coming off a 12 year layoff until this past year. I played in 6 3.0 tournaments and did pretty well, but I'm definitely not a 3.0 player. I got bumped to 3.5 this year.
I'm going to be playing 4.0/4.5 for the first few tournaments this year in order to get a feel as to where I will get the most benefit.

Does "pretty well" mean you won them all? If you didn't win every tournament you entered without losing more than 2 games a set at 3.0 and now you are thinking of playing 4.5 you will get your head handed to you. A few years ago when I was rated 3.0 I entered a 3.0 tournament and got a guy in the first round who did not have a rating. At that time if you did not have a rating and you could play at whatever level you wanted to or thought was appropriate for you. He beat me 2 and 1. At the season end grand prix tournament I happened to see this guy was in the finals of the 4.0 singles and he won the grand prix tournament without losing a set.
A tennis acquantiance of mine who is a strong 3.5 player entered a couple of tournaments earlier this year at the 5.0 level not because he thought any chance to win but figured it was a comparitvely cheap hitting session/lesson compared to the cost of taking a private lesson with his club pro. He lost 0 and 0 but still figured he got his money's worth.

I currently hit with an ex-satellite pro and former Bollitari (sp) scholarship holder. I can hold my on hitting with him.
I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences of playing above your level and if it will really improve your game?

I can hold my own hitting with our club pro who is also an ex-satellite pro however hitting with someone and playing a match against them are two completely different things. Go ahead, try it and be prepared for a quick match.

 

[MasterTS]

Anyone .5-1.0 higher then you will usually squash you so fast you won't have time to practice many shots. Usually you spend more time running down balls and trying to get back into position.

I played a few 5.5 tournaments this year and that was usually the outcome.. 6-1, 6-1ish type scores with lots of running down balls and not being able to hit any shots I wanted to hit.

 

[Rickson]

Anyone .5-1.0 higher then you will usually squash you so fast you won't have time to practice many shots. Usually you spend more time running down balls and trying to get back into position.

I played a few 5.5 tournaments this year and that was usually the outcome.. 6-1, 6-1ish type scores with lots of running down balls and not being able to hit any shots I wanted to hit.

Dude, when are you coming to NYC? Raul wants to play you.

 

[sureshs]

I was wondering if anyone has had similar experiences of playing above your level and if it will really improve your game?

I played a set with an ex-satellite pro and lost 6-0. (I am a 3.5/4.0). Playing a level above may help but not 2 levels above. I have hit with many 4.5 and a few 5.0 players, and it is a great way to get used to fast serves. Other than that, I am not sure what I gained (though I enjoyed the experience). Most players you will meet at the 3.5 or 4.0 level are long-time pushers of one type or the other and they have developed some exasperating mini-weapons - like a poor drop shot or a high lob to your backhand or just pushing the ball away from where you are. Till you master handling these players and develop the stamina to run around for ever (because of lack of power shots to put away the ball), playing with a higher ranked player will not help you that much. Those guys hit with lots of pace and getting the ball back is in some way easier and gives you pseudo-confidence. When you are faced with someone who just scoops the ball high to your backhand and waits for you to screw up, it can be very frustrating not being able to apply all those things you did with the pro.

 

[Tennis_Monk]

One should play a healthy mix of all sorts of players. I believe there is always something to be learnt from any "reasonable" player. Against low ranked players, its time to practice your specialty shots and may be try few diff serves (Eg:I learnt my Ad court slider by playing ONLY that serve against a friend for few weeks. He has a weak backhand and i taxed him then. Today he whips me pretty good with his potent backhand)

Against Higher ranked players , we can see how our strategies work and how our game holds when under pressure.

At a much higher level,I can see how my so called weapons are really doing and if they worthy to be called weapons per se!

Finally I believe Playing someone is far better than NOT playing at all.

 

[DXS]

Well considering I had a tennis scholorship (small school) when I was a kid. And was once rated a 5.0 player when you had to be verified by a pro (12 years ago). I don't think I'm gonna get killed to bad. I still have the strokes, but I'm not as quick or athletic as I once was now at age 35. When I PLAYED our club pro (fomer tour player), I lose, but I can get at least three games off of him most of the time.

I mainly played 3.0 to get back in shape and help me mentally to get back into the game. I didn't hit hard or go for winners every shot. I just played to make the point to go as long as possible.

-ds

 

[MasterTS]

Dude, when are you coming to NYC? Raul wants to play you.

I don't feel like play two levels down.

 

[goober]

Well considering I had a tennis scholorship (small school) when I was a kid. And was once rated a 5.0 player when you had to be verified by a pro (12 years ago). I don't think I'm gonna get killed to bad. I still have the strokes, but I'm not as quick or athletic as I once was now at age 35. When I PLAYED our club pro (fomer tour player), I lose, but I can get at least three games off of him most of the time.

I mainly played 3.0 to get back in shape and help me mentally to get back into the game. I didn't hit hard or go for winners every shot. I just played to make the point to go as long as possible.

-ds

you probably started out way too low. If you were once a 5.0 player you should be able to get back to 4.5 once you are in shape especially since you are not that old.

 

[DXS]

you probably started out way too low. If you were once a 5.0 player you should be able to get back to 4.5 once you are in shape especially since you are not that old.

I know 35 is not that old , but some days it feels pretty darn old. Like when my 14 year old asked me who John Lennon was the other day

-ds

 

[spot]

Anyone in atlanta who understands alta ratings can commiserate with my story. I have been playing less than 5 months. Probably a 3.5 player now so I have made steady improvement. I tend to think that I just improve much faster by playing against better players and don't get frustrated so I joined up to an A-9 mixed doubles team to play the lower lines. But someone messed up their registration and we have been placed at AA-3 for this season. Not quite sure what levels this would equate to for USTA ratings but I am in line for some serious asskickings. Now I just need to work on getting a decent second serve so I don't get my partner killed.

 

[DXS]

I feel for you. I'm an ALTA guy as well. With alta you get such a wide varity of players at different levels. It doesn't make as much of a difference. Our men's team played C-8 this year, which is probably around 2.5-3.0 in terms if USTA level, but we more than half of our team is 3.5 and above USTA. We were not the only team like this. Our club's A-3 team had players that we could regularly beat as well. It doesn't make much sence, but it's also not as competetive as USTA is either. It supposed to be social/competative tennis.

-ds