Toughest Opponents

[djarvik]

....I was browsing thru some videos on ATP site and came across this section in a link below, it gave me inspiration for this thread.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Media/Video ... +Opponents

Name your 3 toughest opponents and explain why. It doesn't have to be opponents you always lose to, but it could be. It is basically 3 players you have toughest time playing at the moment, for various reasons.


I'll start:

My toughest opponent by far is Picachu. I am simply amazed at how great he times the ball, his shot selections and ability to take the ball early on every shot, including an all out risk. We always have close matches, but truth is, I never feel like I will end up winning.

Another opponent that I simply fail to "break down" is Lonamer. He turned TS3 into mathematics, carefully calculating the timing and adds for each shot. He basically wrote the "winning formula" and is applied it with great success. I can see whats coming, but I also know that I most times don't have an answer.

My third toughest opponent is Baghdad. He simply doesn't give you free points and is able to turn defense into offense and hit winners while in defensive position. He also seems to be the most composed mentally on the court and knows when to lift the foot of the gas pedal and when to press. I never get the feeling of being out played, yet I always loose.

Much respect guys!

[willjonesjrSUSPENDED]

Maximo- His timing is just annoying to me. He opens the court really well and just seems to know what I'm going to do.

Sonic-He plays with lots of power and takes the ball early all the time with enough power to knock my racket out of my hand, if I even get to it. I won our most recent encounter but I never look forward to playing him.

Murda Mindstate-I don't play X-box anymore but I still have nightmares about this guy. Absolutely unforgiving in every way. You feel like you're being run over by a planet. Gigantic game and though I have improved a bit, I never ever want to see him across the net on PS3.

[Mack2300]

Puttuu puttu - We used to be on the same level for a while and our matches were always close but now he has pulled away from me and I just can't keep up in our matches any more. I'm not sure he has even stopped improving yet which is scary lol.

Murda - His game is the worst kind of match up for my game.

Baghdad (sim) - I just don't have a clue how to play him in sim. Even his supposed weak wing is a devastating weapon so I feel hopeless in our matches. Like Djarvik said, I never get the feeling I am being overwhelmed but he just knows when to step it up in key games. I guess mentally he is probably is one of the very best in ITST and while I am one of the mentally weakest so I guess that is one main reason why our sim matches are so one-sided in his favour.

[Coolhand Texas]

Norberto- A nightmare to play, when we play it always close. His out wide serve is the best ive seen. Never seen someone who can constantly hit double risk like he does.

Anteros- I thought I was consistent, then I played him. He times his shots perfectly and doesnt make errors. Returns are deadly.

Picachu- well I think enough is said here. Just a great all arounder

[emate007]

Norberto and his clones.

[Baghdad Baghdatis]

Nice thread

Illuvbillval - There is something about his style that stops me from playing my game. In SIM my style is all about having time to take my shot - I play the ball late as this is where I create my angles. However with Illuv I cannot seem to do that and therefore I honestly never feel in complete control - when I play a shot with unbelievable precision and it comes back AND with venom that is when I can say I am playing against someone really special.

Puttu Puttuu - His sheer resilience and stamina both physically and mentally is what makes this guy "iron man". He turns up to play every points like its championship point in a grand slam final. His game is very direct and although I feel I can slightly pip him if I am on my A game, only a momentary lapse will have the match pulled from under me.

EPOX FR - If I am superman, than he is my kryptonite. He saps the very life out of me on the court. He absolutely has my number. He returns my serve like its a ping pong serve, he is very clever out there on the court and can mix up his risk very well, drop shots, serve & volley - you name it, he can do it. However one of the biggest reasons he is my toughest opponent is that he can read my game like a book.

Foot note: However my 3 favourite players on the tour, if I could only ever play 3 players again, would be Illuv, Puttu & Djarvik.

Baghdad

[Otlichno]

Everyone can be a tough opponent for me. But the three players who I simply cannot get a hold of are- (given I don't play that many exhibitions anymore)

Maximo- I've won 2 or 3 sets off him, we've played about 15 times. That should say enough.

Djarvik- Every single shot he plays has purpose to it. You feel you're in a neutral rally with him, but he's playing you right into his hands. He keeps on experimenting during points, trying to find out what way he should play to beat you. Unless you can come up with a plan B quickly, he will get into a rhythm and I believe when that happens he is the best player in ITST. He is definitely the best thinker.

ToneDawg1- I used to play him every single day, he always beat me and gave me a bagel. Now we don't play as often, but the gap has narrowed quite a bit, I regularly take sets off him and have beaten him a few times already. Still my biggest rival on tour, one of the smartest players too. He often moves around when you serve (not linedancing) it gets into you're head and you lose focus on you're serve. He is the best at varying his serve. I can't simply get in a rhythm and return on instinct like I do to everyone else, I have to find some habits of where he serves and when, something I dislike doing.

[Coolhand Texas]

Nice thread

Illuvbillval - There is something about his style that stops me from playing my game. In SIM my style is all about having time to take my shot - I play the ball late as this is where I create my angles. However with Illuv I cannot seem to do that and therefore I honestly never feel in complete control - when I play a shot with unbelievable precision and it comes back AND with venom that is when I can say I am playing against someone really special.

Puttu Puttuu - His sheer resilience and stamina both physically and mentally is what makes this guy "iron man". He turns up to play every points like its championship point in a grand slam final. His game is very direct and although I feel I can slightly pip him if I am on my A game, only a momentary lapse will have the match pulled from under me.

EPOX FR - If I am superman, than he is my kryptonite. He saps the very life out of me on the court. He absolutely has my number. He returns my serve like its a ping pong serve, he is very clever out there on the court and can mix up his risk very well, drop shots, serve & volley - you name it, he can do it. However one of the biggest reasons he is my toughest opponent is that he can read my game like a book.

Foot note: However my 3 favourite players on the tour, if I could only ever play 3 players again, would be Illuv, Puttu & Djarvik.

Baghdad

I was a bit disappointed I didnt make that list.

[stoichkov92160]

I should say all the players having 90 on forehand backhand serve return power and 40 everywhere else.. Playing against them is so boring and difficult because they serve and return easily and after that they can easily just press X or O and put the ball on the other side of the court.. In my opinion it should be considered as cheesy..

I would say Corrbuster because he plays really good without using a terminator.

Patko because he serves well with only 80 on serve

Lonamer11 because he returns like hell with an average stat on return

[Puttu puttuu]

Norberto


Illuvbival


Murda Mindstate

[Andymachine]

I dont play a lot of SIM so they all are hard on that score

But on MS my toughest opponents are defentily Rubenz, Corrbuster and The Hoff and Patko !

[tonedawg1]

lonamer his timing is great i feel we have very similar styles however his cross court shots feel like risks LOL

maximo- his serve gives him free points when he wants them i can never really return his serve as its all ways out of reach then theres hes down the line forehand

djarvik- idk he plays are weird style by tapping the button but our games are always close but he usually wins most of them. his timing is great too

[maximo]

there are more, but i'll say djarvik, alex and lonamer, the reason is the same, there aren't free points against them, when u think that u have the control of the point, they hit an amazing shot, they usually beat me, but i enjoy and learn playing with them.