Slower ball against pushers?

[pico]

I play a pusher on a frequent basis and one thing I realised lately is that when I use my RF97 (which usually results in slower, heavier ball), it troubles my opponent more so than when I use a lighter racquet (Head Graphene Speed Pro) which lets me hit a shot with more pace. It seems that he is good at "blocking" my shots with pace than he is with the slower ball. Just wanted to get peoples take on this - does taking the pace off your shots trouble pushers more?

 

[LeeD]

Only if you want to outlast the pusher.

 

[user92626]

However you play, don't let pushers or anyone constantly get to your balls relatively comfortably. That's the #1 recipe for your disaster.

 

[socallefty]

It‘s easier for a counterpuncher who doesn’t generate his own pace to redirect or slice flatter shots even if they are slightly higher in pace. So, if you are able to hit more topspin (which is what I’m guessing you mean by heavier ball) with the RF97, the pusher will find it more difficult to redirect it precisely and he might have to aim at bigger targets or he will have more mishits/errors. If you can hit with more spin to better locations to make the pusher move, it should certainly be better than hitting flatter shots with slightly more pace. Flat pace is good if you have enough pace to blast a lot of winners, otherwise a heavier ball with more control and accuracy works well.

 

[5263]

I play a pusher on a frequent basis and one thing I realised lately is that when I use my RF97 (which usually results in slower, heavier ball), it troubles my opponent more so than when I use a lighter racquet (Head Graphene Speed Pro) which lets me hit a shot with more pace. It seems that he is good at "blocking" my shots with pace than he is with the slower ball. Just wanted to get peoples take on this - does taking the pace off your shots trouble pushers more?

well that makes some sense because you are making him create his own power instead of just using yours.....And just maybe you are playing a bit smarter by using your rolling topspin to move him around more instead of letting him just cut off and block your faster shots.

 

[Crazy Finn]

If the pusher regularly plays against topspin hitters, he doesn't have problems with it. It depends on the level and player.

 

[pencilcheck]

slower, heavier ball??? This doesn't compute.

 

[ChrisG]

Let’s hang all those damn pushers

 

[zaph]

It depends on how well your pusher handles topspin.

I'm a pusher and to be honest you sound like my dream opponent. I naturally hit with a lot of topspin and I am very comfortable playing against heavily spun shots. I'm a pusher, so I like long rallies.

So it would come down to which of us has the higher shot tolerance. It could be you but I doubt it.

 

[fuzz nation]

I'm generally leery of any strategy that sounds like trying to out-push a pusher. Recipe for disaster indeed.

I'd say either suck that pusher forward - away from the baseline where they're usually most at home - to see what that does to him. Otherwise hang in there in your rallies and wait for a short ball that lets you attack the net in good shape. Much tougher for pushers to get everything back when you can get to the net. You take away their time to recover and you'll also be able to pop the ball into bigger angles up there.

 

[pencilcheck]

It depends on how well your pusher handles topspin.

I'm a pusher and to be honest you sound like my dream opponent. I naturally hit with a lot of topspin and I am very comfortable playing against heavily spun shots. I'm a pusher, so I like long rallies.

So it would come down to which of us has the higher shot tolerance. It could be you but I doubt it.

In my definition, pusher and topspin are completely polar opposite. If you can hit topspin and rally, you are not a pusher

However i wouldn't call you right away a complete tennis player, it depends on how well you can volley, doing drop shots, doing slices, serves, serve returns, and other weird stuff like able to do vertical transition, able to do running forehand and backhand, etc.

Maybe a better title would be: "tennis player in training"