Three Secrets for Destroying Pushers

[johnyandell]

Well said! Your remarks about the short angled ball are well taken and I saw Andy do exactly as you said, mix in a little pushing when he won his first challenger in California!

[stotty]

Pushers

This article is a great one for amateur players. Pushing as a game-style maybe at the bottom of the hierarchy in terms of respect, but it's important that players, and especially upcoming juniors, respect pushers for the tough-to-beat opponents they really are. I have great respect for pushers. I've often employed pushing as a the tactic myself. Well, why not? In some scenarios it works well....

I think the mirror tactic is a good one. Actually, once all the other options have been exhausted and nothing else has worked, games often descend in to a mirror game anyway. It's just the smart thing to do if it means you'll lose the match if you don't.

It's very difficult to generate pace of a dead ball. It takes good technique to do it, technique many club players don't have. This is why the pusher can be a living nightmare to play for club players who aspire to be shotmakers.

Drop shots are a great tactic for breaking up rhythm. An angled short ball can work just as well too. Pushers are often uncomfortable at the net so it's a tactic with a double effect. 1) breaks up rhythm. 2) puts them in a a place they don't like to be.

I always tell students that being a pusher is a legitimate game-style, so don't slag pushers off, deal with them instead. I do drills in my squads where players must take it in turns to be a pusher. No winners allowed. Pushers must loop or float balls deep while to other tries to deal with it. I like drills like these because they teach my players that pushing can be a valid option for themselves in matchplay. All game-styles are valid and players MUST realise this a respect pushers as much other players.

Andy Murray as a junior was smart. He moved very well and could blanket the baseline and would push and cajole against players who hadn't the guns to hit through him. He'd bide his time until opportunities came up to seize the point. This is probably how he came to be a counter puncher with superb defensive skills.

[adrien]

I have followed all your technical articles but this one was just fun. The description of the pyschology clicked and made a lot of sense. I have been working on my drop shot as I am not sure I am ready for the pain of the mirror.

[johnyandell]

Would love to get your thoughts on my latest - "Three Secrets for Destroying Pushers"