Consider viewing Essential Tennis' analysis on this match: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bKuEf7ar3tGUoXk.html

MEP is so beloved by the KZfaq Tennis Community! He’s a celebrity around here. 🐐

I would like to start a petition to put MEP in the tennis hall of fame.

I highly recommend playing players like MEP, they will exploit your groundstroke weaknesses, if you are not technically sound on your strokes specially on the forehand and you can not dictate play in a consistent fashion you will never beat MEP. I mean there are other ways to beat him but he is a good barometer to see where your strokes are at. If you want to move to the next level you have to beat players like MEP consistently. Top Knot did not play bad at all, but it showed the limitations in his game. He should look at this and look at what he needs to improve. Just my two cents. Great job guys

Tired of MEP being seen as a lazy hacker with no technique. He just rarely hits topspin shots, which are the bread and butter of most players. But his strokes are very precise, and he runs to every ball. Not an easy thing to do. He earns all his wins.

I see MEP I click like.

Thank you for posting this complete match. Nice to see MEP working his magic.

Well done Mr Ben, liked the quicker serve experimentation, competitiveness switched up to 11 as always. Thanks TT.

"It's going in again." If that doesn't sum up playing Ben, I don't know what does.

Thanks TT for these videos and your work with Essential Tennis. I just played a guy in my league that is so similar to MEP; left handed, slicing and dicing, great athlete. I knew exactly what to do based your past videos. Got an easy win. Thanks again TT!!!

I’m laughing the the racquet throw from out of the shot.. and wondering why more people haven’t thrown their frame against Ben. Good stuff.

I've been inspired by MEP serve and want to mix that into my game vs the usual topspin-slice serve. It reminds me of Kerber's serve and how no one can consistently attack it. Very effective up to 5.0 level.

MEP is a perfect example of how tennis can, and is supposed to be, a simple game. With totally simple and unorthodox strokes, he practices 3 fundamentals of the game: early racket preparation for groundstrokes, watching the ball through contact, and has a talent for prudent shot selection. Most folks may think he is a basic player, I'd say he mostly wins in the 4.5-5.0 range (dont know his actual ranking) with that mastery of those fundamental principles. Well done!

Guy in the yellow has a very good and consistent serve, but 3.5 strokes.

Nice match from both players!

MEP's serve has improved, I saw him train with crunchtime coach channel. Overtime if he improve his mechanics, it will be a greatb addition as a weapon.

MEP goat of Tennis You Tube :)

Couple of thoughts. MEPs serve clearly has more zip on it. Nice work! If top knot was better at the net, he’d have probably won. There were so many points lost at the net that I’m sure he was kicking himself for.

Love this match. MEP is getting more E with a stronger first serve. And for the the rest of us who like to come to the net, have to stick those over heads. I just saw that analysis guy’s video and makes perfect sense. Also, In this case, same with the volleys.

Got beat by a Spanish MEP yesterday. Brutal game. Felt like I played well, just missed a few volleys / smashes late in the match along with my composure

@7:43 NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Proof that hitting level and match play, although very related, are two completely different things.

MEP - brilliant as always. I watched the lesson you took on the serve. I noticed in a BIG way your next match you utilized some of that, and your serve had a LOT more pop on it watching on video of course. You have more power than I thought after watching that lesson. Seriously dude, you had some server really popping during that lesson. You are now using a 'quick' serve and getting some of what he coached you on to get more pace on that serve. If you slow it down, and keep that racket head up, and then release with your speed it will work - I can see it, I can hear it too. Don't be bitter at people wanting to help. We are all rec players, we all want to improve 1% if we can. You are clearly improving and it makes us in the 'peanut gallery' cheer because you know, none of us are ex-Division 1 players either.

I like how the color of the score changed with his shirt change. V cute.

nice MEP i see the new serve creeping in!!! great job

I think the lack of any pace/power on Topknot's volleys were the deciding factor. He just couldn't put balls away at net. Also, it can be deceptively tiring to play net. Having to hit many approach shots, volleys, and overheads can take a major toll. If you attack MEP, it has to be with full force. Anything below that energy level will backfire. Overall, good match by both players! TopKnot did play better in the 2nd set. Nice tweener at 7:43. MEP is just too solid. His serve did seem to have a little bit more pop 👍

The smack talk .....wow...luv it

This is a great example of the importance of fitness in tennis. 80% of points were lost purely b/c topknot was gassed and put forth lazy shots or poor form (he clearly is a good player, just struggled). Would love to play MEP, he's a great defensive player and doesn't use the ticky tack shots a lot of guys with this style employ. Great match to learn from. Thanks for sharing! Also kudos to topknot for remaining engaged and not getting negative, great sportsmanship.

Having the power and movility of TopKnot the only way to beat MEP is by also having a decent net game; just by comming to the net regularly and effectively I think MEP would have no chance against a consistent player with some power. But you know, it is easier said than done.

Ben is the TTC super star! Congrats for Ben!

MEP is a playa! Pusher no more. Mep is hitting passing shots.

MEP strikes again. I love watching this guy grind his opponents to the ground. Haha!

Hsieh Su-Wei, female MEP, will be playing Osaka in the AO quarters. Hsieh Su-wei is an amazing talent. All self-taught with no formal training because of family was poor. Hsieh is the role model and champion for all club players.

Prematch thoughts. MEP is the favorite, as I remember Topknot to have a somewhat unstable game. It'll be interesting to see if MEP gets in a lot of drop shot & lob combos and if there's a first effect of the video on the 5 common mistakes at the 4.5 level. Stats Topknot W 14 | 28 b4 f4 f3 a s v7 v3 O3 s v5 s f3 f8 O8 |f3 f7 a f5 f11 v7 v7 b3 b2 f13 s s v11 s f3 v8 v3 v7 f3 v9 b5 b2 b6 f6 a b5 b4 b2 E 19 | 36 fp4 b6 f8 f3 b8 v5 b3 b5 b5 v4 v4 f3 v5 f3 df v5 v3 f4 b2 |df O9 df v7 f3 df f3 f3 f2 O7 b5 O5 b3 f7 f6 v5 f5 df b2 f2 b2 f3 b3 f3 O9 f2 b2 v3 v7 b3 O5 v3 O9 b2 f6 b6 MEP W 13 | 13 L9 s L6 s s fp5 s s fp7 L8 d4 f3 d5 |fp8 f5 b7 L9 s d3 fp7 s s f3 s L5 s E 3 | 14 f5 L4 d10 | f6 b2 d4 f14 b4 f3 f6 d2 f14 b2 df f8 d3 f11 Interpretation MEP has definitely added something to his game, namely that serve on which he has been working with Crunch Tennis youtube coach. Previously we have seen his serve was difficult to attack but not to defend against. In this match he hit 10 winners with it. To do that, at this age, bringing a newly acquired technique into match play, shows to me that MEP is probably a 4.5 player regardless of his unorthodox game and could easily take an orthodox game even higher, being so talented and apt at learning. As for Topknot, my almost namesake but not look- or soundalike, strong serving today and overall play. Here are some W/E stats to think about: serve 9/5; forehand 12/19; backhand 9/14; volley 10/10; overheads: 2/5. As mentioned last time, technically you have an early take back on the forehand, which may affect its reliability. OTOH, 8 of those 19 errors are 3rd ball forehands, so it's probably also a matter of intention (still also a matter of timing, there's less time after the serve).

I'm surprised TopKnot won a single game let alone do as well as he did in the second set. I knew he'd lose after the second point in the match. MEP's serve definitely has improved.

Can't wait for the Tennis troll cinematic universe fights vs the essential tennis cinematic universe in Georgia. Please set up up Mep, Tennis troll and wanna be pro vs, Mark, Scott and Ian respectively. It would be epic!!

One of the parts of MEP's game that I havn't seen talked about much is his ready position and how it relates to his groundstrokes. Although he doesn't grip his racquet with two hands, he still keeps it forward and low. So he is ready for practically any ball he'll get. Plus, on top of this, he doesn't have a huge swing, so he doesn't need to worry as much about being late or off balance. Problem with having a more modern technique, is we add so much more movement. So much more can go wrong. If we are off on our balance/body position, our shot is affected more, our timing is affected more. I actually think topknot has great groundstrokes. He hit some incredible shots and was able to add pace to a lot of balls without losing control. I think it's mostly his prep, which coincides with what he said about a lighter racquet and the difference in his game we saw when he switched. When you are moving into the court so much it just makes it that much more important. I know there is a lot of people that give advice on here and I honestly do not feel like I am a better player than him, the only reason I was able to bring this out is because it kind of hit home when he was talking about racquet weight. I was having wrist pain and trouble with being late on my strokes and wondered if it was related. So I compared video of my strokes to the pros to see why. And, I noticed their prep is so much simpler and they use their non hitting hand to grip the racquet and rotate their body until the racquet is pretty much 90 degrees to the side. I tried that and I couldn't believe the difference. There is so much extra force you put on your wrist if you swing your racquet back quickly with just one hand. It is actually ridiculous. I made the adjustment and my racquet feels so much lighter, and my wrist pain has started going away. It's also become much easier for me to get my racquet lower and hit on balance when I'm prepping more with both hands. Stupid how something seemingly small can make such a big difference. I feel like the same is happening to him. And in different way, he was not prepping by holding the racquet forward enough when he closed the net. Was just too close to the body and the contact point on the volley ended up being farther back than he was expecting. Honestly think he could fix those issues in no time at all and be an incredibly strong player. That serve is so meaty compared to his older videos. I think he could really upset some tennis troll players. ;)

Another opponent, another soul harvested. 💀MEP💀

🙋🏼‍♀️ Reading the front and back sweat stains, I predict a fun match and a MEP victory in two sets. 😁

Wow MEP's serve lookin real spicy

MEP's serve does pack a punch and he has really good touch and feel.

9:05 is why MEP is legend.

Topknot, When coming in for a volley you must never let the ball drop below the net cord you go from an offensive shot to a defensive shot

7:43 awesome!!!

Definitely draw MEP to the net with some drops and short angle slices if you have those shots. His tendency is to always drift back so he can run side to side. Also keep upper body up when hitting overhead. Kinda hunches shoulder down when hitting over head. I do that when I get tired. I get tired easily though. LOL. Nice match.

This knife serve 😳

I really like the mechanics of Top Knot’s ground strokes! One of the most mechanically sound and simple looking forehand techniques I’ve seen on this channel. You can tell he likes to hit a lot of balls. That being said the rest of his game needs some help. His overhead technique is good but he looks very uncomfortable. His net game got a bit exposed. But man I’d sure like to have that forehand!

Love the Collab with PewDiePie!

Top Knot was in the position exactly where MEP wanted him. Make him play in no man’s land. If you try to hit hard the balls will go long so you try to take the pace off and give MEP more in control and let him do his magic. Just my opinion Top knot can hit a little bit flatter on ground strokes and maybe can work on the depth also . Easier said than done so kudo to both players and great match none the less. MEP continue his legacy as usual.

MEP, watch the foot faults bro. I also just realized that you have McEnroe's forehand (I'm guessing that's because of the grip, but it's unique). Well played!

Bring him forward..drop shots.short balls to wide ad side of service line, or short balls wide deuce side of service line. By definition, pushers don’t want to move their feet! Bring them forward to get them out of their pushy comfort zone! Bring them forward to pass them via lobs or via open angles. Bring them forward to make them work.

MEP how do you feel being so talented and yet a beast?

It's always hard to play against a pusher. Best thing to do is to be patient and return balls in the same way and wait for a clear opening.

It's literally like watching a boa constrictor squeeze the life out of a larger and seemingly more dangerous animal for hours. There was a point right at the beginning of the second set when top knot literally looked back at the camera with that "seriously this is really being recorded" look on his face.

I find these games really interesting. Is there any chance of you indicating whether the serves are 1st or 2nd serves? There don't seem to be many aces, yet I am guessing that MEP's opponents must be capable of big serves. Perhaps they are playing safe?

I rarely see people at Rose Park. Strange to see this filmed there.

It would be interesting to see a match between MEP and the last guy who played against Troll

A very entertaining match. TK played well but too many unforced errors and needs to work on his overheads. MEPs lobs are exquisite and his serves do look a lot stronger now. Well played guys!

Mep is the human backboard,

I find myself always cheering for Ben.

Man I'd loved to play against Ben but since I'm based in Europe, no dice! But at least we got a copy of him in our club, I was 1:6 3:4 down when I got my self injured. You need to earn every point and it's like looking into a looking glass, every weakness of yours is exposed. Thumps up to Ian @essentialtennis, he made me change my view about players like Ben.

Did I just see Topknot hit a tweener? It was a nice shot, too! Ha ha ha! W onders is a good never cease... I spent some time trying to put myself in Topknot’s place wondering how I would handle MEP, answer: not well. Honestly, it felt suffocating. I’m glad I’m not in that situation often.

Topknot did do well with the new racquet in set 2, but he didn't land a sweet tweener like in set 1 with it! Whose to say which is better 👀

If you would like to be entered into a drawing for a free, signed MEP shirt, consider subscribing. We’ll share a community post with info by end of February and those that respond to it will be entered into the drawing.

I've now watched Ben play six or seven matches. Ben's play is really solid, he's in great shape, almost always in good position and makes very few unforced errors, and hits surprisingly good passing shots, especially off the forehand side. After the first game it was clear that Ben was going to handle TopKnot. TopKnot made way too many unforced errors, continued charging the net despite his poor volleying and weak overheads. I would have liked to see him change tactics. TopKnot couldn't consistently return Ben's much improved serve. As we've seen, to defeat Ben, you need deep, crisp approach shots and crisp, accurate volleys, and a strong overhead, and most importantly, few unforced errors. TopKnot's backhand volley was awful, and poor footwork on his overheads set him up for defeat. Thanks for another fun match. Don't think I agree with TopKnot's 4.5 rating, he would be a 4.0 here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Just a great example of how MEP's game frustrates. This was the first time I've seen Topknot play, and for about a set and a half I'm sitting here thinking "no way this guy is a 4.5"... but the realization later was that most of those unforced errors in the first set were a result of footwork and the expectation of how a ball normally comes back from players of that level. But then he started to figure things out and looked exactly like you'd expect a 4.5 to look, hitting tons of sharp winners off short balls and setting up points better. I definitely get the feeling that if there were a rematch, MEP would have a much tougher time of it. Still, a really fun match to watch and some great playing from both players!

And i wpuld say for MEP's opponent, his is name a bad player, but is not in adequate shape for singles in Atlanta. Doubles might be a better game for him while he improves his cardio.

Diadem commercial. Topknot those Yonex are light.. not nearly as heavy as my 95burnfst. And then I added lead tape to a whopping 371swing weight.

Imagine playing a match against MEP with the sound of pickleball from the other court.

Based on what I've seen on this channel, 4.5 seems to be somewhat elastic. Virtually everyone has a decent serve, but aside from that the quality varies a lot. Btw, 1:52, that's clearly in (inside the line). Play it at x0,5 speed.

I've got a pretty good idea where the serve from MEP is going on the deuce side. Like every time.

This is entertainment MEP is a barometer

haha, MEP (Most Enjoyable Person) continues to amaze. The one key about MEP is he hardly ever hits the ball long, he'll hit the net but hardly ever long. TopKnot had a good serve, 1st serve % was high, had to be over 80%, but his game otherwise lacked. MEP's serve was very good as well, 80% 1st serve in probably. It's MEP's craftiness, you want to make popcorn and watch MEP.

Ben is using slice and makes you hit up on the ball, you have to bring him into the net.

TopKnot was losing 90% of the points at the net but he persisted with that strategy. Plus his lack of fitness showed because he was completely gassed like 4 games in.

The guy in yellow had a very nice serve but it was unfortunate he couldn't back it up at the net or he would of won the match.

You need a SABR type return for the MEP serve

I think MEP is improving

MEP: the 36th chamber of Tennis-Shaolin. You will be tested to your limits and beyond.

MEP got some good pace on some of those new serves.....it might look funky, but it's effective. He doesn't seem to extend his arm all the way when he serves...seems to be hitting it with a bent arm...Toss it higher and jump up to meet it, if you want to create more pace...but it's pretty effective just the way it is....

I used to despise MEP's game, but I understood that it is an efficient game at this 4.5 level, as I myself have lost to similar players because I didn't have the tactical understanding of the game that MEP has. One thing that catches my attention is that he runs A LOT and catches balls at angles, so playing his game with soft balls is asking for a loss.

TK has really great serve and sexy tweener, but he should work really hard on both the half-volley at the net and the backhand high volley put away, coz these two shots seem to be his weakest.

tennistroll, what are you using to film this? Where I play has playsight and the quality is much worse with that and the court is fisheyed from the cameras

What boggles me is that most players, aside from MEP, are not really solid in their ground play. Yet, someone as TopKnot has a great serve and all... Curious how tennis is being tought in the US. In the Netherlands (and Europe mostly) we have a lot of clay courts which would help I guess.

Has anyone seen two turtles play tennis? How hare-rie was that.

Topknot pre match interview kinda looks like he doesn’t have any horizontal strings.

I’m no physicist, but I don’t see how injecting foam into a racquet handle would have any effect on the racquet twisting.

Another soul crushed

.. " I played really welll... " :) :)

The body snatcher strikes again!

The modern game is all about hitting from the baseline, but it doesn't work against MEPs. You must be able to volley and smash overheads consistently.

Continuing theme of people playing MEP having poor volleys.

MEP should be renamed, Most Frustrating Player! He makes all opponents throw their racquets in despair. Lol!

Take a look at My Tennis HQ and how to handle that nothing ball up the middle.

My experience is if you can't beat them from the baseline, you have to draw them to the net and try to pass or lob them. I have had success with unorthodox players.

Green shirt's right arm makes me cringe so bad XD

You can't beat Mep without a good net working young padawan ^^

TopKnot - first thought after watching every single point. Topknot - you are a little LATE on almost 90% of your contact points and hear me out---- ***once you pass the service line***. for a short shot, slice, volley, overhead, doesn't seem to matter the shot. Once you pass the service line, your contact point is late - and the ball goes long. You are not hitting it too hard. It is a timing thing. You have a great game. Keep your stroke preparation more compact if you can. Blade your body more on all strokes, especially the overhead. Turn that core more in prep, and keep your racket takeback compact. Great match dude.

Hm... I wondering what ball are they playing with...

MEP com seu jeitão esquisito passando o rodo na galera