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[Diamond]

It seems like everyone I play is a pusher/too afraid to do anything other than hit the ball right back to me.

I'd say most amateur matches will be won by the guy who manages to keep the ball in the court and make less errors so it's not that surprising.

I'm thinking that I might try using my weird grip for volleys and my regular grip for everything else. I dunno. I'll experiment with that a little. You're supposed to change your grip for volleys anyway, right?

Like Faith said, for volleys you should have the hammer grip, same with serve. One of the main advantages is that it's the only grip that allows you to quickly switch between forehand and backhand and hit clean volleys from both sides.


Saw the semi-finals in Paris saturday, was the first time I (finally) saw Roger play in an arena and it's amazing the speed he can give to the ball almost effortlessly. A thing of beauty.
Rafa is amazing too, the noise when he hits the ball with his forehand is crazy. Wasn't expecting him to lose without at least making the beginning of a comeback but Ferrer played really well. He doesn't hit as fast as Rafa, Roger or Novak but it seems like he gives 100% on every stroke.

Novak played a few balls with Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his win, it was fun !

 

[MIMIC]

I'd say most amateur matches will be won by the guy who manages to keep the ball in the court and make less errors so it's not that surprising.

Most of my errors DID come from going for a slick winner/trying to force an error. But just trying to keep the ball in court is soooo boring! lol I can do that in spades.

Like Faith said, for volleys you should have the hammer grip, same with serve. One of the main advantages is that it's the only grip that allows you to quickly switch between forehand and backhand and hit clean volleys from both sides.

Hmmmm....well I need MAJOR practice with that. But I'm a little curious to see if my weird grip would help me with my volleys. It's how I came upon the grip in the first place (volleying against the wall and experimenting with different grips).

Saw the semi-finals in Paris saturday, was the first time I (finally) saw Roger play in an arena and it's amazing the speed he can give to the ball almost effortlessly. A thing of beauty.
Rafa is amazing too, the noise when he hits the ball with his forehand is crazy.

???

 

[perfectchaos007]

???

There's nothing like hearing the sound of your shots in an indoor court. Here 99% of tennis courts are outdoors so its a rare treat to hit indoors, but you're probably used to them up north.

 

[MIMIC]

There's nothing like hearing the sound of your shots in an indoor court. Here 99% of tennis courts are outdoors so its a rare treat to hit indoors, but you're probably used to them up north.

oh yeah! ^_^

Me and a friend used to play indoors when I was at OSU

 

[MIMIC]

I Googled "how to deal with pushers (in tennis)" and came to a link from Tennis Warehouse (where I post a lot), and a post made me lol. I response to a post suggesting to "push back":

That would take a long time. Think how long one point could take and games. So many dueces. I've actually seen a pusher play a pusher. It was the most boring match I ever seen. The only way you win a point after 20 shot rallie is to hit a drop shot and hit a lob or gets tired and hits it into the net. Winning 4-5 games took almost 2 hours.

When I think of pusher vs. pusher, I am reminded of that Monfils/Simon rally where there was like a 400-stroke rally or something ridiculous like that. No fucking way am I gonna push back. I'd rather lose 6-0, 6-0 than win a 4-hour push fest. I just have to get better.

Came across another post:

The best strategies against pushers are:

1. Attack the net! Their shots usually don’t have any pace (that’s why they are called pushers&#8230 so you’ll have lots of chances at the net. They know that too so expect many lobs…

2. Get them out of their comfort zone! Bring them to the net and serve them their own medicine. And even when you play a short ball to bring them in they usually can’t hit a winner of that short shot.

3. Play short cross court shots and make them run! They enjoy deep shots with no direction which they can just “push” back. Play slower and short and open up the court to attack the net.

4. Take the ball earlier and reduce their recovery time even though you don’t hit harder. Eventually you’ll get a really short ball for a putaway shot.

5. Most pushers are really fast around the court. Use that to your advantage and play behind their back.

Good power approach shot on the weak side, go to the net, either play in the open court or wrong-foot him. If it's not your game, play the percentages and let him create the game and pace, he will fall apart after a while. Takes more time though. Good luck.

That's what I was thinking...which is why I TRIED to attack the new. Plain and simple, I need to work on my volleying.

And I came across a post that described my dilemma perfectly:

I have the belief that if you can't put the ball away, then you can't beat a pusher. Thats it. AMEN! And I cannot put the ball away, therefore I cannot beat a pusher. If you don't put the ball away, then the pusher will always be a step ahead of you because he is better at just keeping the ball in play. I have tried playing aggressively at the net, at the baseline, hitting deep, and the only way I seem to have success is by crushing those floaters off to the corner. I just can't do it consistently enough to win. Thats why I believe that a pusher dominates the 3.5 level. This is just my opinion so no need to flame. I figure if this thread is still alive then nobody has solved the dilemma yet.

Gotta tidy up that volleying! ^_^

EDIT: And regarding volleying, came across this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdhrnWV26F0

I have no idea if I'm employing the "wristy mistake" when I go for volleying, but I'm gonna definitely keep this in mind

 

[szaromir]

Stan the Man shot down the Birdie and won his first Masters Cup match!

 

[MIMIC]

There are only 2 matches a day?

 

[szaromir]

There are only 2 matches a day?

And 2 doubles matches.

I'm watching the coverage on SkySports, I never knew thre's so much chemistry between Becker and Rusedsky lol.

 

[MIMIC]

And 2 doubles matches.

I'm watching the coverage on SkySports, I never knew thre's so much chemistry between Becker and Rusedsky lol.

Does not count =p

 

[szaromir]

del Potro didn't lose a point in his first 3 service games only to be broken in the fourth one.
edit: what a choker this Gasquet >.<

 

[Akito]

Dem Gasquet backhands.

 

[John Dunbar]

Gasquet produced some nice tennis in the first set.

 

[Niraj]

Caught a bit of Wawrinka's first set, glad to see he ended up winning

 

[szaromir]

Gasquet got broken from 40:0 up. JMDP hit one good passing shot and one flashy winner, but it doesn't excuse Gasquet's 3 unforced errors. >.<

 

[Sax Russel]

delpo wut u doin

 

[John Dunbar]

and i thought i could go to bed.

 

[szaromir]

delpo wut u doin

Returning the favor. edit: Gasquet back in clown mode again :/

 

[Deleted member 231381]

What is this match. I mean, seriously.

EDIT: watching Gasquet thinking he's Nadal is embarrassing.

 

[Sax Russel]

What is this match. I mean, seriously.

EDIT: watching Gasquet thinking he's Nadal is embarrassing.

One cup sadness, two cups smh

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Godsquet hit.

EDIT: Annoying they didn't let him have that. Del Potro was not returning it.

 

[John Dunbar]

gasquet was robbed of a deuce.

 

[Reyne]

Nadal vs Ferrer encore about to start.

 

[szaromir]

It's rare to see the exact rematch of a Saturday's semifinals in another tournament three days later. Vamos David & allez Roger.

edit: Ferrer in awful form today. :/

 

[Niraj]

Hopefully the Federer-Djokovic match also has the opposite result of its Paris counterpart.

 

[Niraj]

Pretty solid match so far.

 

[John Dunbar]

i can already see federer get broken when serving the next time and losing the set 6-4.

 

[szaromir]

Pretty solid match so far.

Solid but not spectacular... and I'm getting the feeling Roger is going to choke anytime now.

And please take Raonic off-air for fucks sake.

 

[ghstwrld]

NAWT Fed still flopping on the easiest shots.

;__;

 

[John Dunbar]

that was federer's chance. the set is now gone.

 

[Deadman]

And please take Raonic off-air for fucks sake.

He's so bad it's painful.

 

[zero_suit]

Sounds like Fed is going to lose.

 

[Niraj]

i can already see federer get broken when serving the next time and losing the set 6-4.

You just can't help yourself

 

[szaromir]

Never in doubt

 

[Sax Russel]

Never in doubt

^^

 

[John Dunbar]

fucking rusedski still calling federer's errors "rather surprising".

 

[zero_suit]

fucking rusedski still calling federer's errors "rather surprising".

Is it still 2007?

 

[Niraj]

Surprised he held.

Edit: that was a sweet shot

Edit2: Novak in full Gumby mode

 

[szaromir]

Come on Roger, at least hold on to this advantage in the set.

 

[Akito]

Shocking development.
I'm still expecting Djokovic in 2 though.

 

[Faith]

Something is wrong, Djokovic completly out of balance.

 

[Reyne]

Something is wrong, Djokovic completly out of balance.

Nope. Completely normal.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Something is wrong, Djokovic completly out of balance.

edit: beat like Ferrer

 

[Niraj]

Don't forget the US Open vs Murray. He looked like a Putty from Power Rangers.

 

[John Dunbar]

federer doing his best to try and gift the break back, but djokovic's not taking it (yet).

 

[Deadman]

Sigh

 

[ghstwrld]

lol

 

[Akito]

Oh Fed

 

[Niraj]

What a fucking djoke

 

[szaromir]

What a disappointment.

 

[John Dunbar]

i mean, why

why