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The "Who plays tennis?" thread

31K views 169 replies 100 participants last post by  NextGenKing 
#1 ·
I know there is a thread about introductions, etc, however, it'd be great to have one where everyone can share how often they play the game, how good (they/others think) they are, etc - their tennis resume of sorts.

Many have argued in GM about posters' technical knowledge and their lack of playing experience which prevents them from understanding the game. By laying out your tennis CV, you'd be able to make a valid claim for a proper, acknowledged pundit (by reasonable posters). Of course, you can still be very well acquainted with the game and totally disregard this thread but I hope you don't and it can become a success.

Finally, the thread is not only limited to just tennis history intros but also about analysis and sharing some opinions on how to play the game for the tennis noobs of this world.

I'll start off. I don't play tennis at all. The only time I played was when I was 5 on some clay courts but I do not remember much about it except I had to jump to hit a ball.

I then rediscovered tennis when I played a video game and actually learned the scoring system of the game. It may sound stupid but once I knew the rules I really wanted to watch and have been following properly ever since. I play quite a lot of table tennis when I have the time but I am not sure if that helps me with tennis itself (pretty sure they are not that similar at all).

The floor is yours ladies/gentlemen.
 
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#2 ·
My game?

Fucking awesome forehand.

Good one handed backhand.

Decent serve.

Good movement and speed.

Mentally very strong.

Shit overheads.

Below average volleys.

Average endurance and fitness.

Average returns.
 
#5 ·
Better than Mugray's game. I hope you win a GS soon :).
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the replies, guys (I presume). I hope others decide to join in. Johnny, your game seems tailor-made for the modern conditions. You just need to run a few more miles every day and eat more steaks :p. I'm sure you'll do well :yeah:.

Jimnik, you should start playing again :p. I plan to start playing as soon as I have a somewhat continuous stream of income and have assured I have a place to stay for more than a month.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I'm a mix of Santoro, Ferrer without the agression (so lazy on court) and Murray. Nonchalant like The Fog, but I can't really blast winners like he does because I have crappy stamina and a lack of power.

I used to choke a lot when I was younger, but the last couple of years I stopped training and caring about winning and it gets better. Just looked up a couple of those choking results :lol:: 7-6 6-7 0-6 (5-2 40-15 up in the second), 3-6 6-2 5-7 (5-3 with two matchpoints in the third), 6-2 4-6 1-6 (4-2 up in the second). Only thing that annoys me about my game at the moment is my lack of stamina, I used to win nine out of ten three set matches in my youth, but of my last 15 three set matches in tournaments I've lost 12. But it won't change, I'm simply too lazy.

My rating is an American 5.0 in both singles as doubles, has been this way since I was 15 (22 now) and never went up or down.
 
#8 ·
I hardly play tennis.. I am a Big Outdoor Sports Freak.. And play almost all other games.. I play its cousin game Badminton a lot and am pretty good at it..

But the rare few times i played Tennis..I realized i have a Very good First Serve and a Forehand.. Also my Anticipation is good..


On the Downside, Volleying is awful. Non Existent Slice.. But i can get better at it
 
#9 ·
I'm basically the Asian version of Marin Cilic.
 
#12 ·
:haha:

I have Wozniacki's forehand. :hearts: My backhand is my best shot. I can hit decent forehand volleys but not backhand volleys. My serve sucks. My overhead is non-existent. My slice goes over the net when I'm lucky; it goes past the baseline on the rare miraculous occasion. My drop shot is dead on when I mishit my slice.

All in all, I'm totally poised to be the new Asian #1. :hearts:
 
#18 ·
T-Doc embraces that all-natural goodness. Just ask him yourself :cool:
 
#22 · (Edited)
4.0, high school #2 (controvercially 2, I was pretty clearly better than the 1 when I was put there, but coach hates me)
I´m 5´7, have terrible form on my serve (I face the court) but nonetheless my 1st serve is a weapon. 2nd serve isn´t great, but not awful
I´m an offensive baseliner I guess, reformed pusher. Inside-out forehand my best shot, I switched to a 1-handed backhand pretty recently but usually just slice it.
Mental toughness is a strange mix of epic comebacks and huge chokes. I´m considered one of the better ones mentally in singles, not so much doubles.
Volleys suck, overhead is worse. I´m a bit Federerish in that I get big serves back well, but struggle with getting neutral on easy ones.

Biggest strength is forehand, variety, adapting. weakness is return, net play, backhand, overhead for sure.
 
#23 ·
Although my true talent lies in football (soccer for Americans), I'm a pretty decent recreational tennis player.

+ Pretty strong first serve, not a high first percentage though.
+ Topspin forehand, pretty steady.
+ Rock solid and powerful backhand.
+ Good stamina and court positioning / retrieving skills are superb.
+ Mentally it's okay, I don't panic when facing BP / SP / MP

- Net play is terrible.
- Refuses to adapt my tactics to the opponent.
- Hardcourt skills not great.
- Problem digging low (slice) balls.
 
#24 ·
I'm always told that my technique looks very nice and stuff, but that I can't put pace on the freaking yellow thingie (undercooked shots, too much wirst movement, too much topspin but lacking pace)... hopefully one day I'll get it done... preferably before I turn 40.
 
#25 ·
I have a good forehand (but I hit it with a lot of topsin sometimes, should hit it flatter). I can hit some great angles but I lack power. A very mediocre serve (my main weakness, by far). The backhand is my best shot, I can hit great cross-court and create a lot of angles with good power but I should hit it better DTL and improve my slice. Average net skills. Great return, but I should go for it more, sometimes I just block the serve. Nice dropshots. I have a great defence, I'm not fast but I have good movement and defensive shots (hit with depth and effect and great passing shots).

So basically, nice shotmaking skills but I need more power.
 
#26 ·
What a nice 3d.
So I've played for 2 years after a very very long stop.
Befor I only hitted the yellow one, now I'm improving all the shots.

I've always had the 2HB as best shot. Now the good news for me is that the FH is becoming more powerfull and more consistent.
The serve is too slow but it's becoming a little bit more powerful thean before. But I serve with too good % and no DF - expetially at the tournaments. The good is that I can finde the directions and I never give reference points to the oponent.

I like the net play but my bad smash doesn't permete me to a play on the net but if I need to play a volley I self the game many times.

Mentally I'm very strong excluding a few occasions where I felt and payed the pressure.
The most important key to play well is to be able to stay focussed all the time and in a tournament it's easier but in a friend mathch I make too much UE or FE which can be not done.

I love play agressive tennis in few shots and winners but of cource if it's not possible I use to take out the rally pace with both FH and BH slice.
I've always loved the fake shots. My coutch tells me that I try anytime to do a strange thing.
To be a girl I move quite well in all directions and if I need to defence I do it while possible.

I'm very aggressive on the return and often I try and do the winner.

I LOVE this game even it's so crazy.
 
#27 ·
Played a match on Monday against a classmate from uni on Artificial Grass.


Crushed him 6-0 6-1 6-1.
 
#28 ·
Great!
Do you plan to play official matches?
If you have the time you can get a good rancking.
How are the categories in Spain like?
 
#29 · (Edited)
I've played tennis since I was a young kid.

I switched to one handed backhand quite a long time ago. I hit more winners but also more errors with my forehand, while my backhand is less likely to break down but also less of a weapon.

My serve is poor. I don't serve many double faults, but it is quite weak and easily attackable. The less said about my pathetic overhead smashes the better, and I think that my volleying ability has deteriorated over the past few years.

My main strengths are my fitness and speed, as I have done a lot of long distance running and marathons and half marathons over the years.

Often I win matches against opponents who are considerably more talented than me, just because they become tired in the final set while I feel fresher. When I lose it tends to occur more in straight sets. If I can take my opponent to a third set and keep the rallies long then I feel like I have the big advantage.

In addition to developing a one handed backhand, one satisfying achievement for me was learning how to hit dropshots. I have to admit that I get a sort of sadistic pleasure out of torturing slower opponents with them.
 
#30 ·
I,ve been playing just over a year , I am a serious hothead, seems to of carried over from football. I have a very similar topspin forehand to Nadal . I am just no ware near as strong. I hit bullet flat forehands. But I am a very up and down player. Backhand is two handed but I only really hit it with my wright , ( I am a leftie ) . Pretty strong serve . Block with spin well ( Table tennis taught me that) . And slice. . Good returner. Table tennis has given me rock solid flat and spin volley,s. I spin the ball to people's feet as well . Backhand can be flat or spin but it needs work as I am increasingly running around it to hit winners on forehand .
 
#31 ·
my greatest weapons is my return because i can hit outright winners. i have a wicked backhand slice, my forehand is for ball bashing. backhand can be a weakness but can also be a strength because i can put a lot of junk on it. dependable second serves and can not be easily attacked because my serves are not for power but for placement and setting up points ( i once played a match and had 16 aces and all i did was slice serves with massive movement). my approach shots are awesome but my volley sucks big time. overhead is dependable but it can break down. i tend to kill my strings in 2 hours or less so i need to change stings often but due to financial contraints i just adjust my game according to the string condition. i have a tendency to break down mentally. my fitness is questionable. signature shots running one hand backhand
 
#32 ·
I held a racquet perhaps like 7-8 times in my life, total playing experience of like 10 hours.

I can hit a forehand. :devil: Nadal-style, lasso over my head. :haha:

Backhand (two-handed somehow felt 'natural' to me).... hmm, I succeed in getting it over the net, maybe once in ten attempts.

I can hit a slice backhand IF I'm really really lucky. Otherwise I just swing the racquet below the approaching ball.

I actually manage to serve, double-faulting only like 30% of the time.

I guess I can 'move' around the field, but I think Karlovic definitely moves way better.

Seeing the ball can be a challenge, sometimes, so if a ball travels right at my feet, chances for me to actually get a racquet on it are extremely low. It has to hit the ground at least 5 metres in front of me, then I can swing at it with some success.
 
#34 ·
I play 3 years, obviously Fed fan but so far I can just cry like him and dress like him :)
I can hit good topspin and flat forehand, have pretty good serve (60% in) and weak 2nd serve (just working on my kick serve). Playing lot of doubles lately so I can improve my volleys to use more net play in singles. My worst shot is definitelly backhand, I started with one-handed, could not improve so I tried DH backhand but it was even worse and I did not feel comfortable so I got back to OH backhand. Slice works pretty well though.
 
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