Don't Push Back!
"I lost to a pusher." " This kid wasn't very good, all he did was push.” “I hate playing pushers.”
i hear this stuff all the time. When I was at the USTA I even got a phone call from a parent wanting to know when the USTA was going to outlaw pushing!
Hmmmm. The last time I checked there were not (nor should there be) any rules about kinds of shots. Simply stated, the requirement is to get the ball over the net and inside the lines one more time than your opponent. if you are able to outlast your opponent by consistently making them hit another ball until they miss, that makes you smart! And probably successful.
What is a pusher? A very consistent player. A player who makes very few unforced errors. One who takes little risk in the knowledge that their concentration and consistency will outperform your impatience and erratic performance. A pusher usually is someone who moves very well, gets to most everything, and plays something high and deep, usually at low pace, and invariably, frustratingly close to the baseline. Often, a pusher is a player with immaculate hand eye coordination who rarely if ever makes poor contact by taking her eye off the ball. She rarely comes to net and seemingly lacks an attacking game , or any “weapons”. Upon further review, that’s not so accurate. Isn’t consistency and ability to hang in the point a long time without errors a formidable weapon?. You bet it is. At every level of competitive tennis below the pro tours , or maybe top 50 D1 College tennis, the match winner is seldom decided by the player who makes the most winners. The match at these levels is usually decided by who makes the fewest errors. Therein lies the success of the pusher. You don’t see that many at the top level because top players aggressive weapons, in general , are also very consistent. (although back in the day there were successful players who achieved highly playing a pushy game- Gilbert, Solomon, etc ) Many have been deeply frustrated by players like this- usually struggling to settle on a game plan or tactic that moves us closer to victory. More often we found ourselves losing to a player we felt was consistently inferior, and embarrassingly soft. Someone we should beat!
So what do you do when you draw the dreaded pusher? How do you stop from falling into the trap of winning the race to the unforced error?
If there were an easy answer there would be no reason for this article. But, there are definitely some ideas and tactics that can help you handle this formidable and worthy game style.
Let's review a few strategies that should help when you find yourself in this predicament.
* Don’t push back! It is unlikely you will out-push a pusher, unless that happens to be your natural style - yet most juniors fall into this trap when playing pushers. Your best bet is to expose and
use your weapons in an aggressive way. If you try and hit bombs off the first ball, and irresponsibly go for lines, you will rack up the errors and fall into exactly the pattern your opponent wants. You will have to use your weapons patiently. Look for ways you can take time away from your opponent. The key to this tactic is taking balls early, increasing angles, and finishing points at the net. This will be taking you out of the endless rallies where you don’t seem to be be able to put the ball away. Try and get forward and finish points with volleys and overheads. You will be taking valuable time, to move and push, away from your opponent, and trying to finish points with emphatic aggressive shots. That doesn't mean you must hit hard or blast winners, but create opportunities that allow you to finish under control. Your opponent isn’t going to beat herself so you will need to take the fight to her. How can you get in?
1)attack short balls
2)attack behind your opponents serve- especially second serves
(chip and charge, crush and rush, rip and skip, etc)
3)serve and volley
or
4)sneak in behind a deep shape ball
*Maintain respect and patience- don’t get frustrated or angry at your opponent- keep calm and stick to your game plan. Show your opponent respect, in spite of your opinion of her game. Be willing to compete hard, and give your opponent your best, regardless of her style. By staying patient you can pick and choose the right times to attack and get aggressive. Base your game plan on your attacking opportunities and patiently seek them out, vs basing it on hating pushers and disrespecting their skill sets.
* Big targets and big margins will be critical to your success if this heightened aggression isn’t your natural style. Extra space over the net, extra room inside the lines, and heavier controlling spin will pay dividends as you increase your aggressive play. Remember, you aren’t trying to blast winners, you are trying to take time away to cut into your opponents ability to continue the rally.
The next time you draw a pusher, get excited about it. Think about and employ some or all of these strategies, vowing not to fall into the familiar trap of trying to out-rally her or making a crazy amount of unforced errors. Discover how to manage the "pushers" out there and you will soon "push " yourself further into the draw.
