How do I beat a “pusher”?
“How can I lose to this guy? He hasn’t really got any shots!”.
That’s what you’re thinking, huh? Well, let’s get one thing
straight to start with – the patient baseliner definitely demands
respect. But not too much respect! Avoid feeling that there’s nothing you can
do against this type of player.
Conversely, it’s no use feeling superior because you hit the ball harder and take more chances. Don’t sneer! He’s beaten you, right? He plays within the rules and makes you dance to his tune and you can’t handle it. Agreed? Good now we can move on and address the problem.
Many people prefer playing hard-hitters. After all, you can redirect their power without having to generate any of your own. When you come up against someone who does not hit with pace, uncharacteristic errors can result from loss of patience. You start hitting the ball harder and harder and closer to the lines than normal. Errors can also result from you taking it too easy. You don’t need to rush to the ball and you get lackadaisical with your footwork.
So those are the problems. What can we do about them?
You don’t want to soften up your own shots so much that you end up trapped into playing your opponent’s game. There are two things you need to focus on. One is controlling your impatience and the other is to work your feet. Resolve to play your game and your style without over-hitting or becoming too aggressive. And then, work those feet! Avoid just waiting for the ball. You’ll end up becoming uncoordinated and making faster swings to compensate for poor positioning.
Stay focused, work your feet and play your own game (but play it patiently!) And remember that his tactic is legitimate and often successful. But remember also that it’s probably the only one he’s got!!!
Players often ask if they should use a racquet strung with a different tension when they play big-hitters.
In general terms, lower tensions create more of a pocket on impact and the consequent “trampoline effect” throws energy into the ball, producing a more powerful stroke. Higher tensions enable greater “brushing effect” when you apply spin to the ball, so topspin players get more control. But you have to be careful, because changing string tension can affect your serve. You have to outweigh the pros and cons. Better to leave your racquet alone and take a bit of time to get accustomed to the pace by doing the following:
Adjust your court position (stand further back) for a while to get a longer look at the ball, but start moving again as soon as you’re comfortable.
Reduce your backswing (maybe just a shoulder/hip turn) and be prepared to block a few balls back while you get the feel of the weight of the ball on the racquet, then start leaning in on the shots more.
Play high-percentage defense to frustrate your opponent into making errors.
Stop your opponent getting into a rhythm by mixing up the pace, mixing up the spin, mixing in a few drop shots.
Float some slow balls back (big hitters often hate this!)
Well that’s the fascination of the sport isn’t it? In the same way as a sailing boat needs the wind to make progress, so you need opponents. Different winds and different opponents provide different challenges, but they offer you a route to your destination. Without them, you go nowhere and achieve nothing. If you trim your sails correctly, you can go where you want and as far as you want. Get it wrong and you can go round in circles (or backwards).
The phrasing of the question contains a suggestion that your game is somehow immutable and fixed something that happens to work against some players and not others. If that’s the case, my advice to you is to become a bit more “savy” and adapt your skills to the challenges posed by each different opponent.
If your usual style is to rush the net, beware of the opponent who likes a target – you could capsize! If your usual style is to hit groundstrokes, beware of the opponent who enjoys pace and patiently lures you towards the rocks! In short, your strengths can become weaknesses if you fail to take your opponent into account.
You don’t need to change your technique, but you do need to develop a repertoire of tactics. Plan A will sometimes work, but different opponents are like different winds. You can’t change the direction or the strength of the wind, but you can trim your sails accordingly and reach your destination!