Beating a pusher by becoming a pusher? Is this a valid strategy or just bad sportmanship?
Versed everyone's favorable archetype- the pusher. Hit heavy and was met with "blocks and lobs". Dropped the first three games and was getting tired. He didn't do much, just blocked back and waited for my error. It was usually 30/40 or game point.
Decided to switch up gears, and see where he didn't punish me. Didn't punish me on serve or short balls. So I said ok- decided to stop doing all first serves and do primarily second serves, dinks, or underhand serves.
Every rally was basically moving side to side with minimal pace, junk, loopy spin, heavy spin, lobs, with the occasional winner blasted. We are talking about ceiling high lobs/topspin that makes you run to the back fence to get a hand on it.
Won 6-3 6-0. Towards the end, he gave up and tried to hit balls with pace, but I responded with moonballs and the above, flat, junk, loopy, heavy, drop, over and over.
It was an ugly win, but I feel like this is really the only way to play pushers. You beat them by beating them at their own game.