I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject!...

Currently playing in a league (part of Park Tennis promoted by LTA here in UK) and I played this amazing guy, obviously a pusher. It was my first tennis game for a while and lost but not disappointed with myself or dissatisfied with how I played. Our score: 6 - 1, Not so happy even if I won the set because I felt that I was holding back and not swinging freely (I don't mean over-hitting or bullying the ball) and at times, copying my opponent's game style. 4 - 6, 5 - 7. Much happier even if I lost the 2nd and 3rd and obviously the match. I was much more relaxed and not tentative to go for my shots. He commented that it was clear that I was enjoying our battle and didn't get frustrated with his game style. Again apologizing that he had thrown his racket on one occasion (in spite being ahead). Told him, "It wasn't a problem, you deserve the win as you stuck to your guns. Me, I'm too old to still feel frustrated with my tennis. If I pulled off my game plan and win, great! If not, I would still be very satisfied knowing that I stuck with what I know." In short - trust your skills, enjoy the process, enjoy this beautiful game, and remember what Rafa said to Iga, 'It's only a tennis game, sometimes you win, sometimes you loss.'

Great insights. A few personal observations: 1) Don't judge a pusher or grinders (aso) based on the quality of their best shots. Their strength is the low variance to their shot quality, meaning they're going to be able to repeat the same shot with great reliability, over and over. 2) Even if you plan on closing points at the net, a solid pusher will be able to find your weak point, be that low volleys, overheads, poor positioning (lobs) aso. You need to address all these pain points. 3) Even if you try to cause trouble by slicing, some pushers adore this, often because they come from other racket sports like squash, and this is familiar territory. Add to that, they love the balls going out wide, as it let's them use their squash technique. Here you need to drive the ball, right at them, in the middle. Top spin with height, making sure their contact point is high and tight to the body, requiring more conventional tennis technique.

I always love the Tom/Slav talks. This was great. My thought is that moonballers are like everyone else - they have shots they like to hit and shots they don't like to hit. So you gotta make them hit the shots they don't like to hit, because those are their worst moonballs. For example, a guy might be able to hit a high, deep topspin shot that I can't attack 99 times out of 100...as long as I give him time to hit his forehand. But if I hit a short slice crosscourt to his backhand, he'll pop up a weak short flat backhand, and that's a shitty moonball. I can attack that one. And like you say, I can wait and pick my spot because a moonballer can't hurt me.

guru 😂 well played

Pushers and moonballers are rights of passage.

High level discussion. SUBBED

moonballers in combination with good fitness and running abilities on slow courts are really dangerous players to play against. One cannot stress this enough, very much underestimated (because it looks like sh*t). You need really a good forehand or/and good chip and charge game as mentioned. If not that guy drags you on his level and pushes you literally from the court.

Tend to agree that's it's easy to get sucked into playing at their tempo. I must actively continue to hit deep with heavy top spin instead of just passing it back over the net. If I do that I am likely to get a short ball and I can attack. My other option is to give them a slightly tricky short ball, they get dragged off the baseline and don't do enough with the ball, at which point they are out of position and I can attack again.

Great discussion Tom and Slav, enjoyable. Being comfortable with an uncomfortable playing style, adapting and putting them in an uncomfortable situation - to me it's The Magic of Tennis. Thanks again

This is an excellent discussion. Thank you for your insights.

These pushers and moonballers can be SO frustrating!! They usually bring my worst tennis to the court. Never underestimate them, they can be pretty dangerous….

The one key mindset I always try to get into is that moonballers cannot hurt you. They usually have zero winning shots. My usual strategy is to slow down and make sure I hit clean deep groundstokes first and get into rhythm. Never try to attack too early and wait for the right balls to attack. The tough opponent is not on the other side of the net, the real opponent is in your head. If you have a great slice that's also a great option, but sometimes hard to play a good slice off a high bouncing shot

"To be scientifically literate is to empower yourself to know when someone else is full of bullshit."

I wouldn't use the terms "pusher" and "moonballer" interchangeably. High level "pushers" pass well, and the best also volley well.