What separates the top players from the rest?

[Haiffaman64]

I played a match today against a top 15 player with the same stats as me and lost 6-0 6-0 6-0... never even held a game point.

What do I need to do to take my game to the next level? Are control shots the trick? I felt as if I was pounding ground stroke after ground stroke over, but he just retuned them all with no issue... he also seemed as if he could crank a winner whenever he wanted.

I'm not asking for any secret tactics, just a bit of advice to help make myself more competetive.

[tonedawg1]

what separates top players from beginners is Variety , a beginner may be able to pound it but what an experienced player would do is move you around until they see an opening. and yes many top players hit control shots to move you around(trust me there more effective than they look) then if the court is open they will pound it.

[Sure Shank2]

what separates top players from beginners is Variety , a beginner may be able to pound it but what an experienced player would do is move you around until they see an opening. and yes many top players hit control shots to move you around(trust me there more effective than they look) then if the court is open they will pound it.

To this day I have no idea how to hit an effective control shot (with any consistency). I have beaten top 50 players, top 30 players, and top 10 players. I use only power shots and they are VERY effective for me. To each his own. One is not better than another. But power shots become rather useless with less than 90 power (my player has 96 power).

[king113]

If powerful player is the only way to win then I better quit the game....no one will appreciate such way to win....

[Indiantonike]

But power shots become rather useless with less than 90 power (my player has 96 power).

Are you really serious ?

[Andy Johnson 8]

If powerful player is the only way to win then I better quit the game....no one will appreciate such way to win....

absolutely agree.

[Sure Shank2]

If powerful player is the only way to win then I better quit the game....no one will appreciate such way to win....

no one said power is the only way to win. i've been beaten by finesse players, and run through by good s & v (which i think is the most effective player build if mastered).

I'd also like to say that I think other power players are the easiest to beat. I'd definently rather play a good power player than a good S & V or a great Finesse player. for others tho, power is the hardest thing to play against, to each his own i suppose...

[Sure Shank2]

But power shots become rather useless with less than 90 power (my player has 96 power).

Are you really serious ?

If you use mainly power shots and ur power is below 90, ur shots will eventually fall shorter and shorter in the court, rendering them attack-able for the opponent. For me, a total defense player is impossible (as I've spent most of my time mastering perfect timing with power shots and not with control shots), but a good all-rounder able to slice the short ball and tactfully attack the net, can be very effective. Then you can keep the opponent off balance with some S&V, which is pretty cool too.

Again tho, im just giving advice from my point of view, I imagine there are players who do things the exact opposite way that i do and have achieved far better results, im just giving my opinion on the topic.

[tonedawg1]

If powerful player is the only way to win then I better quit the game....no one will appreciate such way to win....

What are u talking about? I have absolutely no problem returning power shots with control shots

[zaka]

A bad player: Cannot consistently hit good/perfect timing and has bad judgment of incoming speed and height(with the exception of Shanghai court, it's black and impossible to see the shadow which messes me up!). Does not know which shot to use in different situations. Does not know the counters to various playstyles used against him.

A decent player: Hits Good timing consistently, uses only power shots, WILL use cheesing like slice serve if down in a game, uses a setup that he has been beaten with because he knows it can work, has about 1 or 2 main strategies and will lose if both his strategies are countered. Might abuse power.

A super epic top 10 pro with a salad on the side would you like some fries with that: Hits perfect timing almost every stroke. Knows counters to almost every strategy. Has his own fine-tuned setup to his preference. Uses the loading screen to study opponents stats and comes up with several different game plans. Isn't afraid to take risks and knows how to balance risk and reward. Uses control shots to move his opponent. Doesn't cheese even if his opponent is. Picks up his opponent's tendencies and punishes him for not mixing it up. Mixes it up. Answers questions on tennis game forum about what separates pros from regular people.

[RainingAmoeba79]

LOL I wish I could tell you.....

[jayl0ve]

well, zaka said it pretty well.

One thing I guess I can add, is that 'pro' players in any game, have mastered the basic mechanics of the game and thus no longer have to consciously think about what they are doing, they do it almost 'by instinct'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7olFcYvU ... re=related

watch from 3:17 on.

BTW that Asian guy is Tomo Ohira, long regarded as the greatest SF2 (WW through Hyper Fighting) player of all time.

[DennieFR1908]

well, zaka said it pretty well.

One thing I guess I can add, is that 'pro' players in any game, have mastered the basic mechanics of the game and thus no longer have to consciously think about what they are doing, they do it almost 'by instinct'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7olFcYvU ... re=related

watch from 3:17 on.

BTW that Asian guy is Tomo Ohira, long regarded as the greatest SF2 (WW through Hyper Fighting) player of all time.

Yea this is definetely it. It's precisely how I play my game. The key of being really good is don't think, but know what you have to do.

[RainingAmoeba79]

so, practice enough that you can hit a dropper when you opp is wayyyyy behind the baseline without thinking, be able t hit perfect control shots without thinking, and be able to know when your opp is vernerable to wrongfooting without thinking.

[tonedawg1]

well, zaka said it pretty well.

One thing I guess I can add, is that 'pro' players in any game, have mastered the basic mechanics of the game and thus no longer have to consciously think about what they are doing, they do it almost 'by instinct'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7olFcYvU ... re=related

watch from 3:17 on.

BTW that Asian guy is Tomo Ohira, long regarded as the greatest SF2 (WW through Hyper Fighting) player of all time.

Yea this is definetely it. It's precisely how I play my game. The key of being really good is don't think, but know what you have to do.

I agree