Quick! What Do I Say To This Player?

[sureshs]

Cindy, it's me.. Leanne..
Last night.. I'm sorry about last night... I couldn't control.... my mind went blank and I couldn't get a hold of it. I'm sorry.

Here's what happened. I knew the match wasn't going to be easy, but I was confident. I really couldn't get any rhythm on my groundstrokes. I had been working all weekend on perfecting my forehand (worked on the double bend) and my serves which needed some tweaking because I was having some difficulty with the back bend and the archer's bow. Before the match, I was sure that my strokes, (now improved), will be able to take down the competition (My pro told me this).

So as the match started, I won the toss, and elected to serve. I hit two unreturnable serves out wide and quicky got up to 30-love. We quickly went up 1-0 after some forced errors caused by my new and improved forehand. The other team couldn't even do anything about the sheer pace of my shots, it felt great!

Then... it happened. Beth, (my doubles partner, in case other people are reading this), did not know how to return a single ball on the deuce court. Since I was the stronger player, I chose to play the ad court to close out the games just in case the games got tight. And so... the story continues. She couldn't hit one return over the net. They kept serving to her forehand and she couldn't do a single thing. She tried blocking the serves, but the puff serves were so slow that her returns just dribble forward in front of her by about a foot. 15-0, then I hit a return winner up the middle of the court. 15-all, then followed by 30-15 (Beth tried to block the serve again). 30-all after I crushed an overhead over the fence. 40-30... (3 times in a row, she couldn't get it over the net. I was getting frustrated. As I went back to return the next serve, Beth whispered to me, "These girls aren't any good, just get the ball over the net and they will probably mess up."

Now, I'm thinking to myself, "What are you talking about, you can't even return their powderpuff girl serve"
As I was distracted by this "nonsense," pusher girl#1 (who was serving) on the other team, mishit a serve and it went in, but it took a weird bounce because of all the mixed up spins on the ball. Game count: 1-all.

Now it was Beth's turn to serve. I never played with her before last night, but
I heard her serving was less than perfect. And less than perfect it was, as she hit 3 double faults, one ace by accident (the ball was less than 5mph and the returner was at the baseline). We're down 15-40, and I was trying to calm myself down, you know.. try to stay in the match. At 15-40, Beth decides to hit her serve underhanded (Only God knows why) and the pusher hit a drop shot to our deuce court and Slow-Turtle Beth, could not reach it with her short arms.

1-2, now it was pusher girl#2's serving to us. The game went to 2 deuces because she double faulted some, but Beth couldn't return well enough for us to get the advantage twice.

1-3, it's my turn to finally show'em how to play tennis. I blast my serve up the T and the returner hit a sky high weak reply back on our side. As I went up to finish the point with a smash winner, here comes Beth with her, "I got it! I got it!" so I let her hit the ball.... Big mistake. I was stunned when she tried to hit a swinging volley with her "Ferrer Forehand." The ball wound up on Court 2 and it had hit Vanessa on her calf. (Email Vanessa and ask her about it, I haven't emailed her yet because I'm too embarrassed by this whole affair).

At this point, I just shook it off and said to Beth, "No problem, try again next time" I calmly walk back to the baseline on the ad side and served a kick serve out wide and forced an error off the lefty pusher. (Oh yes, I forgot to mention that pusher girl#2 was a lefty). 15-15. Everything was back on track... Suddenly, Beth decided to stand closer to the middle of the court so she can poach off the returns more easily. I saw her hit some volleys in the warm up, but her volleys were nonexistent during the match. I hope she gets some tapes of Pat Rafter matches before heading out onto the courts again. Sheesh. We quicky lost the game because of Beth's inability to volley OVER the net.

Wow, I'm getting heated as I'm writing this. 1-4, this set is over with the double break. As the match went on, I was just shocked that Beth was not playing at the 3.0 level, but she was an inconsistent 2.5. (We all know that 2.5 players are already inconsistent, but... even more so with Burly Beth).
Not to be gossipy, but Burly Beth weighs 190lbs and she is only 5'4''

(Beth, if you are reading this, honey... you need to shed some pounds).

And the rest of the match, we all know what happened. I started hitting harder and harder, but Beth just made me frustrated even more with her cheering. "Good try" "Nice try, Leanne, hit up more next time" "Leanne, remember, get under the ball, and 30 degrees, remember?" "Leanne, pull. Don't push the ball, try to pull the racquet handle and wrap it around your body" My anger exploded. Near the end of the second set, 0-5, I was trying to hit serves and overheads at Beth, but she ducked on some of them and it got close to the pushers on the other team. I guess that Beth thought I was trying to hit them? It's amazing that I missed Burly Beth when she is so HUGE.

Anyways, we lost 1-6, 0-6. It was the worst match I had ever played and the worst partner that I've ever paired up with. Please do not pair me up with Beth ever again. I have had enough of her.

So.. I'm sorry if I went a little overboard, but now that you know my side of the story, I hope that I can still play for your team. You are a great captain, Cindy, and it makes me proud to be able to play under you. Thanks again.

P.S. You make great threads on this forum, I enjoy them very much. Keep at it! Go...... Penn Pals!!! (That's our team name for those of you know doesn't know).

Leanne, you go girl. That Cindy needs to be kicked out - who made her captain, may I ask? Didn't even show up for the match and she thinks she can talk down to us. And what's with that outfit of hers? Does she think she is still 20?

-Beth

 

[Supernatural_Serve]

Exactly, Javier.

When I play one of these pusher/dinker/blooper types, I dust off the serve and volley. I have my partner stand farther back (service line) to help with any lobs, and I come in on every single ball. This is the only way to take away their timing space so they can't reach your ball or they mis-hit due to their poor technique. It works just fine.

As a captain, a conversation such as that might be useful to your 3.0-3.5 friend who hates playing 2.0-2.5 pushers even though she loses to them.

Giving her some actionable tactics and strategies instead of her melting down over their style.

Bottom line: the pushers strategy is working and her strategy to beat them isn't working.

I hate playing pushers too (and they exist at all levels), but I am long past dissing them for their game style.

I've said this before, if someone can't beat the pushers at their own level or below them, they are nowhere near ready to move up. At the next level, the pushers are even better.

 

[Raiden.Kaminari]

Honestly, I could see why someone might think I was making this stuff up completely!! And this is on a team without any crazy people where everyone is usually mature and nice.

Kevhen, I don't attend matches where I don't play. Ever. We have 17 matches over our 12-week season, plus I have my mixed team matches to play. Tennis matches/practice cut into family time enough without going to matches to watch. Not to mention that several of our venues don't have viewing areas so you couldn't see anything anyway.

Drama. Yuck. I really hate it. . . .

I used to go to every match whenever I was captain of a team. So I stopped being a captain so I wouldn't have to go to every match

I think you've already found balance, but you also found the issue of not being present as well.

As many people have already posted, I would just let the incident go. I would joke with her about the incident, find out if there was any potential stress issue (besides playing against "pong") that could have caused the problem.

I really don't know why at the 3.0 / 3.5 level players disrespect the "pong" players so much. You have to overcome these types of players in order to advance as a tennis player, and will encounter them up to 4.5. At 4.5, I haven't seen any pusher types of players any more, because everyone hits the ball cleanly. The funny thing is, you encounter 3.0 players thinking they're 4.5 because they can hit the ball cleanly, but only one out of twenty balls or so.

 

[Cindysphinx]

Speaking as a 3.0, it is hard to believe that people with hideous technique exist at the higher levels like 4.5. I have been told repeatedly that this is so, but it is awfully hard to believe. That's why 3.0s tend to disrespect these people. We figure they'll never advance, but they do, don't they?

Cindy -- who lost to a pusher/lob queen in 6.5 combo earlier this year and was astounded to learn the pusher/lob queen was the 3.5 player and the player with groundstrokes was the 3.0

 

[Raiden.Kaminari]

Funny thing is, most of the 3.0 who show disrespect towards these players don't realize how much racquet head control these players have. Once the pusher figures out how to hit a drop shot, those 3.0 will be left behind.

It is also funny when I hear 3.0 and 3.5 players complain about a moonballer. I tell them that usually it's the start of topspin, so it's best to learn how to moonball and advance in ability, than hit balls into the net.

If they're a golden retriever, well, even I find them extremely frustrating especially if they can move forward and backward as well as they move horizontally. It usually means a very long day since I have to be more patient than normal, and take more time to figure out which shot (spin, angle, pace, placement) to use at a particular moment.

 

[Sakkijarvi]

I wouldn't get too hung up on the emotional end of things. We're people, not robots. No one got hurt and I'm sure it wasn't as dramatic as the hearsay you were provided made it sound.

On the tennis side, I'm 2+ years into being 'back' into tennis. I'm now playing in a league with 4.0 - 4.5 players, started out 4 leagues ago in a 3.0 league. It took me 1+ years to get by the pushers at my previous levels, to figure out how to deal with them, create the needed strokes. The same couple of guys I used to play, pushers both, that could and would beat me, are now meat, easily beaten every time out. I think I've actually flipped it, because instead of getting in MY head, I think I've taken up residence in THEIRS. I've scaled back on playing these two, but only after some 50-60 matches over the last 1 and couple of years.

Point is, dealing with pushers is a right of passage -- I accepted that I could not consider myself at a new level until I could hammer the 3.0 - 3.5 pusher. I can and do fully understand the frustration -- I also took them too lightly, the one pusher in his cargo pants, sweaty old tee, brown socks -- and snickering every time I made an unforced error. And if they would come in too far on my serve, stand in too close -- I have no problem with sending a 100+ mph serve right at them, to move them back.

Now I have to deal with the 4.0 - 4.5 retriever, some in the 'golden' category. A new problem.

I wouldn't drill someone on purpose, say if they were standing near the net and I had an easy put-away. Once had an annoying league retriever, first time we ever played...a lawyer no less...dive to the ground in the fetal position and yelp...as I sent an overhead the other way. I hit these with a lot of emphasis...he must have thought I didn't like lawyers....he hit the dirt (clay).

 

[Serve em Up]

Seems like this gal made a fool of herself and that's about it. If it happened again I'd say something to the Captain to the effect that you can't believe someone so childish is playing on their team.

Their teammates probably have a good idea wht she's like. I'm sure their players are embarrased by her actions. They will take care of their business.

If the whole team is like that, I'd file a complaint.

 

[Sakkijarvi]

<I wouldn't get too hung up on the emotional end of things.>

Who needs to hang somebody over one bad night. Who doesn't have a bad day/night. Let it slide.

 

[SB]

Speaking as a 3.0, it is hard to believe that people with hideous technique exist at the higher levels like 4.5. I have been told repeatedly that this is so, but it is awfully hard to believe. That's why 3.0s tend to disrespect these people. We figure they'll never advance, but they do, don't they?

Yes, and until you get to 5.0 in women's, they will be there. The only players I know who don't have some push or lob to their games are the recent college players. But they learn, too!

I have 5.0 friends who don't want to play 4.5s who "push." Now, 4.5 pushing is different than 3.0 pushing, but it's always an issue. It isn't necessarily hideous technique, but it's taking the pace off the ball or putting it into a place that the big hitter doesn't like.

My friends who have been to 4.5 nationals (women's) say that it can be a huge lobfest. This goes for regular AND seniors.

Since most of us aren't going to improve into the 5.0 category, we might as well learn that there will be pushers at EVERY level, and not just hope that the next level up will not contain them. The sooner that we learn that little nugget, the better.

 

[Landshark]

Looks like you got it resolved. I was just going to say that you should reserve judgement until you see her behavior yourself. There are always two sides to every story.

 

[Raiden.Kaminari]

Yes, and until you get to 5.0 in women's, they will be there. The only players I know who don't have some push or lob to their games are the recent college players. But they learn, too!

I have 5.0 friends who don't want to play 4.5s who "push." Now, 4.5 pushing is different than 3.0 pushing, but it's always an issue. It isn't necessarily hideous technique, but it's taking the pace off the ball or putting it into a place that the big hitter doesn't like.

My friends who have been to 4.5 nationals (women's) say that it can be a huge lobfest. This goes for regular AND seniors.

Since most of us aren't going to improve into the 5.0 category, we might as well learn that there will be pushers at EVERY level, and not just hope that the next level up will not contain them. The sooner that we learn that little nugget, the better.

Your post made me just realize that some female players I saw in an Open tournament and thought were 3.5 with really good footwork may have actually been 4.5 players.

 

[blakesq]

I think its clear that this lady was a sore loser. If its a one time occurence let it slide. However, the other doubles team should have stood up for themselves (if such antics were bothering them) and said something like "6-1, 6-0....hmmm...maybe you should try playing 2.5?),unless of course, they realized this player was simply a sore loser, and her words and actions were of no consequence.

blakesq

 

[ironicqueery]

I would let it go. And I do agree with the double standard for men vs. women. So she got overly competitive...it happens. If it's only happened once, as well, I think you are being way too harsh.

 

[raiden031]

I think that pushers are easy to beat in doubles and I love playing them. In doubles you just have to anticipate the lob more and you shouldn't lose. In singles they should be more troublesome. I'd rather lose to a pusher in singles playing my offensive game than get pinned at the baseline the whole time by a baseline basher and lose that way.

 

[kingdaddy41788]

I wouldn't contact her or talk to her about it unless it was an ongoing pattern of behavior.

It could be something as simple as a bad day or PMS.

Agreed. Anyone can have a total meltdown on a given day... It does seem odd that she didn't apologize, but she may be embarassed and not even want to bring it up or talk about it.

 

[AndrewD]

Should I call my player, and if so, what should I say?

Should I just shoot her an e-mail, and if so, what should it say?

Advice?

You're both adults, ask her what happened. If she doesn't think anything she did anything wrong then let her know there were comments made regarding her behaviour. Tactfully suggest that, as it could be something future opponents might try to exploit, she should, perhaps, sit out a few matches until she has her head on straight. Oh, and do it in person.