I really appreciate the savage rant at 16:21. Was nice to see you get real and authentic about your goals, and I think more people should have this mindset.
As long as the frustration does not cause you to quit. Pickleball is popular now because you can learn it in a couple of hours and win big tournaments in six months if you are athletic . Tennis you have to give it three or four years just to round out your game.
Love how you explained your goals at 16:30 Trey. I’m literally in your same shoes it’s insane. I’m a former basketball player who is now playing tennis. I’ve been playing for about 5 months now and I’ve been playing alot of tournaments during this small time frame and 1 thing I would say is, of course we want to reach the 4.5, 5.0 level but we have to start at the 3.0 - 3.5 level to gain experience just playing matches in general and it can really bring your confidence up which is HUGE in tennis
The aspiration to get better is a great mindset to have. You can definitely go 4.0 and above. My main hobby is running but tennis comes second to that right now. I run with a bunch of guys who look at people above them and think that the workouts they are doing are crazy or their race performances are crazy and they already put a cap on the level they're going to get to when it's definitely achievable. Keep it up, looking forward to seeing the progression.
Trey on the short balls go the backhand everytime. What you will notice is if you set up to go the backhand you actually have a bit more options and can hit to the forehand if you see the person trying to anticipate it. You are doing well. Keep up the grind and always look to play stressless tennis
First of all, you analysis was spot on in the first match. Congrats on making him quit in the second match. And why the heck was he standing so far in on your serve when he obviously could not handle the pace of your serve???
You have all the right components to rise through the 4.0 ranks quickly and start to compete at 4.5 level once you hone that serve +1 strategy. First match: Don’t be too negative on yourself, for one year in (and a cold/windy miserable day) you showed some great pockets of tennis. Drill those short balls and volleys (specifically the footwork) and you’re right in that match. I like your aggressive style closing to the net but you may want focus on more control from the baseline before coming in while you’re working on the mechanics of your volley. Second match: dominant serve (again, this is a natural advantage you have, maximize it) Unfortunately you’ll play against plenty of losers like that in USTA. Great video! If you’re ever in NC hit me up!
You played well man. Obviously we always want the win what’s best from you is that you fought the whole time. Yes things could have been different but you take mental notes and put yourself in the situations you want to be. Big props and good luck !!
Tough two matches! Love your channel Trey. As others have said you're aiming high and I'm all for it. Objectively, you have made massive improvement over the last year and you should be very proud. That required a lot of hard work and commitment. There's a long way to go, but I do hope you aren't always so hard on yourself. Enjoy the journey, my brother
Wind was killer. You played really well considering the conditions and the time you have been playing. You are highly critical of yourself because you have set such a high goal for yourself, but you have done way better than most. Another thing is that results in matches are highly dependent on playing styles. One might play with 4.0s or 4.5s that play a style one likes and do well, but then comes a high level 3.5 with an "uncomfortable" style and beats you. We need to be ready for all styles. Playing 3.5 tournaments is not bad. Work hard on those volleys and short balls, and next time you might end up with a "W".
First great match for you overall, once you overcome these kinds of players you're on your way! These kinda guys you gotta bring your dropshot/slice game. Also rewatch your game, and reconsider the shots you approached as well as the ones you didn't. There were alot of times you could have closed the net, and vice versa you approached on some that you probably should have constructed a little more. Keep it going Trey we're all rooting for you man, 1 year is redonkulous for the amount that you've improved! Also just to note, there is no shame in earning your stripes in a 3.5 tourney. Being battle hardened gives you that match IQ for 4.0 and beyond. (ALSO 2nd player is a chump)
When you go to the net to volley, it’s easy to know where he’s gonna put the ball and to have your racquet there already waiting before he even hit the ball. What you’re doing is getting to the net with ur racquet on the ground. You wait for him to hit the ball, then you pick up your racquet and try to react to a shot you’ve never seen before. Ur racquet is like a catchers mit on the volley. Have it up already and give him a target to hit to almost.
I feel you in the first match. There was a time I used to lose to pushers/nudgers/moonballers. Lots of top spin, inconsistent depth to their shots, almost like they’re just trying to clear the net. Trick is to push them around and not allow the time to play like that. They will soon make errors and start playing into your hands. But to do this you need to keep working at your game and being offensive - accuracy and intent is more important than power. Love the emotion. Tennis is as tough a game as it gets mentally. You’ve got to forgive yourself constantly and forget the mistakes and errors of judgement- all whilst going for it each and every point! Crack on!
I’m not even half through the video sipping my morning coffee and I noticed “Coach” in the back of the other guy sweater. Well, 4-1 not too shabby against coach!!
Love that you're trying to be at the 4.5 level. One thing to consider here though is you need to learn to win. If you're battling, but losing, you have no pressure to win. Winning and closing games brings its own pressure. Most high level tennis coaches agree that you should be winning 70% of your games. This teaches you how to win, like you said. If you're losing most of your matches at the 4.0 level, there's something to be said about going back down to 3.5, cleaning up your mechanics, and learning to CRUSH the 3.5 players. I'd oscillate between playing 4.0 and 3.5 so you don't learn bad habits and learning the pressure of winning.
Hey Trey…I live in Austin too and play recreational tennis at the 3.0 level. Love the content especially… “I just crushed a thoroughly average salad”. 😂
Great run, man. Those conditions were brutal. I felt like you did out there in my second match. I vividly remember playing Max. I cramped in the second set and told him he could have the set and we can go straight into the 10pt. I had to serve and volley, return and volley ever point. I somehow eeked out the win against. He was very nice and made great calls. I kind of feel bad for him haha. BH is better and you have to be happy knowing you're getting short balls to rip. Keep getting set up with short balls and eventually you'll knock them down.
Have you won a 3.5 tournament yet?! I respect your goal of being a 4.5+ player and believe you can get there given your athleticism and dedication but remember to have some smaller and more attainable short-term goals, such as winning a 3.5 tournament, to help you build towards a higher level. Even Federer had to win a 250 before he won a Slam. 😜 Really bad from your second opponent; different situation if he'd been injured or ill but to say he has "more important matches" is really disrespectful and poor sportsmanship. Hope you win your next two matches! 🤞🏻 Thanks for continuing to share your tennis journey; you've become one of my favourite channels.
Plenty of recreational players reach high levels without winning tournaments. He just needs to win or keep the score close against good opponents and destroy weaker opponents.
@@Jon88 fair enough if that's the measure Trey wants to use to track his progress. 👍🏻 I'd recommend mastering a certain skill level before moving onto the next one to avoid disappointment and potentially losing motivation but we're all different.
Personally I 100% disagree here. Nobody cares about 3.5 titles if your goal is to be competitive in a higher level. We are not talking pro tennis here (and even there, there are cases where we have Grand Slam winners that never won a Masters title - Gaudio). If you are developing, climb up the ladder and improve. No need to learn the way a 3.5 plays, because truthfully, nobody gets better by learning how to beat 3.5s. But they can develop into a competitive 4.5 if they aim for that.
@@TenisAmador Think you are in the wrong here. Trey learned a lot from constantly losing to a way worse player in Jake. And he was not even a 3.5 I'd say.
thats one way to look at it. Another way is to build confidence and wins. Going through the ins and out and playing finals and close matches is priceless. He not magically going to be a 4.5 overnight. Also just so know, hitting hard and out still makes you a 3.5 or less. The ego of guys who think they can play 4.5 is astounding @@TenisAmador
To be fair your 1st opponent was WAY BETTER that the 2nd one and probably youre there in 4.0 solid, good matches and very fun to see. Your analysis of your match was very good, net play it will be easier if the approach is more effective and make little more damage to your opponent. Nice to see you improving.
I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!! This is Max from the tournament. Anyway, I didn't know I was playing a 3.5 - you played like a 4.0, especially your serve. Every game you served I had to bring my focus just to get the ball back. And after winning the consolation bracket, you deserve to be 4.0 once rate-bump time comes. However, you don't have to worry about the number to begin with - if you want to play 4.5, feel free to go wild. Hope to play you again someday.
You keep saying that you just kept hitting it right back at him, but that's exactly how you can beat this guy with ease. He doesn't have any weapons really, as far as I can tell all of your shots have more pace overall. What he does have over you is patience and consistency in his shots. The recipe to beat guys like this is to hit right to him with decent pace, past the service line, nothing crazy -- follow up one of your shots and go to net, keep volleying at him until you get easier, and easier balls and he will mess up; though you might need to work on your approach and volley game some ;). Also anyone below 4.5 I'd just pick on their backhand cause it's almost always a weakness at that level. Loved the video and content though, keep it up!
That guy in the first match is way better than he looks. Solid on both sides, good returns, and lots of variety. I bet he wins a ton of matches in the 4.0s and wouldn’t be surprised if he made the final in this one. Keep at it!
Trey, thanks for sharing all this stuff, I know that this was a frustrating weekend but it's worth remembering that this level of play after one year is extraordinary. Really, man, you're doing excellent. One thing I noticed during your commentary was that you're frequently berating yourself for "hitting the ball right back" to the opponent at certain pressure points. But oftentimes that wasn't a poor decision at all, there's just more work to be done in execution, with regards to things like court positioning and pace/placement. I think you might benefit from watching the old "wardlaw directionals" videos to help shift some of this mindset off of what the opponent is doing and back on to just knowing what the high-percentage play is with regards to what's happening on your side of the court. Unless you are trying to wrong-foot an opponent by hitting behind them it rarely matters what their position is on the court with regards to what the best shot selection for YOU to hit is at any given moment. One example with these frustrating short balls would be that you took some of these approach shots crosscourt in an apparent effort to keep your opponent moving. But it's usually high percentage tennis to take most of your approach shots down the line, because you have a shorter distance to travel forward to the matching service box to be ready to counter both angles of an attempted pass. When you approach cross court, you have a farther distance to travel in the same short amount of time to move diagonally into position to the other service box to be ready to cover a pass. If you don't get far enough in time the DTL pass is left very open, and if you hustle and get there but your momentum is still going forward, you also become easier to pass crosscourt behind you. When choices like this can move out of active decision-making and into habits/muscle memory you don't have to think so hard/worry so much during the actual point play. This can just come from experience over time but you can accelerate that learning by studying/understanding the directionals.
As a USTA player who is also trying to break through to the 4.0 level, I enjoyed this video to see how you did. I’d be livid if my opponent retired after traveling and waiting around all day, but at least you were absolutely waxing him on film! I’d recommend playing some competitive doubles, maybe 7.5 men’s or mixed combo. That will force you to get more comfortable putting those high balls away.
I've been playing tennis for 50 years recreationally, and I'm totally impressed with your forehand and serve improvement. In matches, especially, my forehand often devolves into a tentative push. Yours is really developing into that classic ATP forehand. Kudos. I'm in no position to give advice...though I'd say your backhand just needs time and repetition, but you really need to work on your volley fundamentals: both how to hit and how/when best to approach. Check out some vids. Hit lots of volley ralleys with your hitting partner each session. Anyway, I salute your struggle. When your losing and nothing is working, a tennis court can be the loneliest place on earth. Don't I know it. Keep bouncing back.
The volleys in the first set against max in the early games looked so good I was like “did Trey practice volleys finally!?!?” But then they went back to normal. You’ll be able to win at 4.0 once you can put those volleys away.
Trey, as someone else said, only playing 'up' seems like a no brainer for improvement; BUT it gives you unrealistic freedom from pressure, since you don't expect to win and are playing with house money. If you want to really compete under pressure, play USTA league 3.5, where both you AND YOUR TEAMMATES will be expecting/hoping for you to win. That's pressure. Once you start wracking up wins at that level, the USTA will take care of things for you and bump you to 4.0. You've come so far and improved so much, man. I still think you are somewhat missing the point of what wins matches. Implying the first guy 'only' was consistent underestimates how hard it is to be consistent! It's literally the hardest thing!
Your 1st oponent played really smart. He decided to play loopy balls with high margin and use the wind to his advantage. He played high percentage while letting you defeat yourself. Your backhand looked a lot better. You can really see it coming together from all the practice youve put in. For the volleys, you just need more reps to be comfortable at the net. Wind always make shortballs/volleys more challenging and really forces you to move the feet more than you want.
That withdrawal in the second match sucks! I've had that happen to me too. USTA has got to do something about these people entering multiple divisions and defaulting or not even showing up to matches. At the very least you should get his entry fee, but his ranking should take a hit for sure too.
I think rank can differ in communities. My state is tennis central and our 3.0s are very good. That said, it does not matter how something looks only how effective at getting the w. I would focus less on the rank result and more on improving technically and the results will come.
I laughing hard at this comment section. This is such a relatable video for some many. Grind of tournaments, bad conditions, excuses. I love it. Keep up trey. 10K incoming
Gotta work on these short balls man. The secret is focus only on the ball and not where you want to put it. Swing fast and with shorter take back. Plus note: add drop shot every and then. Another tip is run around the ball to hit the forehand only if you sure can hit the ball in balanced position otherwise hit it with your backhand
honestly, i dont think that that guy was any better than you. the main difference was when he had a short ball he did more with it. mate your serve is great, really good service motion, you should be super proud of that, in fact its so much better than all other aspects of your game. keep it up mate
Why play a tournament if you cant commit to a whole weekend. Guy just couldn’t handle the ass whooping. It wont verify on UTR bc there were less than 6 games played. He did it out of spite knowing u are the better player. Great video! Keep up the grind man!🤝💪
from what I saw, on those short balls you need to place them more with spin, rather than hitting it as much. obviously easier said than done. on the approaches, you had too many indifferent approaches that the opponent easely got a passing shot on you. but with the wind like that, you need to be uber patient. not easy on those conditions. it is usually the most consistent player that gets up on top on those conditions
There is one critical thing you miss if you don't play matches against others at your rated level: the pressure to win a match that you SHOULD win. If you're always 'playing up' there is no pressure - - every win is a bonus because on paper, you weren't supposed to win anyway. Perhaps consider playing at least 1 tournament at 3.5 and see how it goes. It could be interesting to see what you learn. The higher you go, the more of a mental game it becomes. How many times has anyone walked off the court thinking, "I had no chance of winning that match"? Rarely. You almost always think you could've won that. But the thing is, you didn't, and there's usually a good reason: mentally, your opponent was better and found a way to win (again, this becomes truer the higher you go). It's chess, and you have to figure out how to win against a variety of game styles, including the pushers/moonballer/'people not as good as you' (which, of course, if they won, they were indeed better than you). So, again, go win a 3.5 tournament and see what strategies you need to put in play to get those w's. I guarantee it won't be time wasted.
Man this is an EXCELLENT post. Playing up is playing with house money. Yes, it's very valuable in terms of experience and pushing your level up - it will do that. But you are playing with unrealistic freedom because you're not 'supposed' to win. I've been at 3.5 for 3 years with a very strong W-L record, something like 38-8. I'm also playing 4.0 this season, because I want to get the bump up to 4.0. I feel WAY more pressure at 3.5 now. You can also run into 'harder' opponents at 3.5, because they hit junk and give you no pace to work with, etc. I think a mix of playing your actual level and one level up is a good way to go.
Not that it really matters, but if he's computer rated 3.5 (which apparently he is), and he's playing in a 4.0 tournament (he did), he's playing up. No subjectivity there, just facts.@@stevenjm12
Yeah. Playing more formal matches is what will help you the most IMO. In my experience, USTA team leagues and tournaments are more competitive than UTR or any flex leagues. You are physically and technically good for 4.0, but experiences with the pressure, decision makings (and "tricky" opponents) are also indispensable
Just because it's less formal doesn't mean you can't cultivate the ability to play like you'd play a USTA league or tournament. Get the reps. Get the routines down.
You definitely could compete at 4.5. I’m in Houston. I coach high school tennis. I played college tennis and use to play a lot of tournaments. Been thinking about getting back into tournaments myself. I was rated at a 5.0 but I probably play against more 4.5 players, you can hang.
Trey totally plays like 4.0 and I’m rally loving the spirit of wanting to be better. Unlike some 4.0 dude or above will plays at 3.5 league just so they can win some lol
8:51 second time you must've only because you didn't split step. Don't feel like you have to rush like a mad man after an approach shot make sure you split step
Nice match bro, just work on placement, seems every shot went down the middle while he moved you around a lot! Definetly keep playing on 4.0 level bro it's a matter of time
Based on this video Trey’s def not 3.5. According to USTA the score difference between the top and the low 3.5 should be 6-0, 6-0. So if both of these guys are 4.0C then Treys def 4.0 now. Btw, it was cool to meet you at the tournament Trey! This is Joe btw 😄
losen up your wrists and stop when your hitting an approach to get into the right position and make approach shots easier also improve your foot work you are too tense when getting ready for a shot you have to be more relaxed
Definitely look to join a USTA league team, if you don’t already. I found 3.5 and 4.0 usta in Austin to be very competitive (singles and dubs). And actually very few people seem to play USTA ntrp tournaments. They can be kinda odd or small. Leagues are the way to go for great competition.
The tennis levels are there for a reason, you should really try to win a league or ultimate at 3.5 before moving up. I think you are a little harsh on 3.5. In Florida, we have lots of 3.0 teams and they are pretty good, 3.5 is solid intermediate tennis. You have a natural big serve , which is a huge advantage and gets you some free points but you need to need a few more years to round out the game . I have seen a couple other you tubers with the same mentality , they want to get to 4.5 within a few years or they quit or get married and the wife makes them hang up the sticks. Tennis can be played for a lifetime at any level and when you are ready to move up it will just happen if the fundamentals are there. 45 degrees with wind is no weather for tennis.
Dude, your game has come a long way. Keep working on those backhands and volleys, but you have a solid foundation in your serve and forehand. Also, lame excuse from the second guy, but as someone that has played 5.0 tennis for the last 10 years I can tell you the ego and excuses from opponents never go away as you get better lol
Solid work, ...for your vollies, you need to learn how to volley with your feet. I see you punching at the ball. You're so fast, maintain your structure that's going to be key for you
I understand that you want to be a higher level player, but the things that make a 4.0 a 4.0 is the ability to hit shots on a consistent basis. Hitting good approach shots at a higher level will be harder because of the pressure. When you can start winning 3.5 tournaments regularly, then that's when you should go up a level. I have a friend with your mindset and he's never gone past the second round of a 4.0 draw in the last 10 years.
😂Good try. You look better than a few months ago. I would say your rating is a solid 3.5. Honestly, the amount of time you've played you are doing well. The only way to get better is playing up. 4.0s tends to have these qualities: 1. Higher tennis iq than 3.5. 2. Better placement and consistency. 3. Haven't met a 4.0 that couldn't volly well. 4. Most stronger 4.0s will have one good weapon: super fast, a strong forehand, strong serves, etc. Work on these issues: 1. Stop running around to your forehand. 2. Improve your backhand and vollies. 3. Hit on your toes more. 4. Split step before the volly. 5. Hit deeper balls. I would destroy those short balls. You have a major technical flaw on your forehand. You are arming the ball too much and you tend to hit on your heel. Work with a coach at this point. Go back to the basics to improve on your form and footwork. If you want to be a legit 4.0 or higher, you have to improve on your form and footwork. I can see you be a 4.5. Take it back to the basics. I rotate between practice sets, official sets, point play, coaching, drills, etc. Learn to change your groundstrokes from a combination of flat and spin. It's highly useful to buy time and take time away from your opponent. Good things I am seeing. With your youth, motivation and height the only way to go for you is to be an all courter. Keep going in that direction. Construct points around your serve, forehand (your future weapon), and finish at the net more. I'm not tall as you are but I'm 6ft 1. Taller people will tend to mishit at the net due to not getting low enough. Bend those knees more. Lower your field of view by bending your knees. Try that. It might work. Also learn to coil your legs. Imagine a spring board when you set up. Kind of like a side lunge, when you hit the ball, un coil, and transfer weight forward. That did wonders for my forehand. You don't need to necessarily hit crazy pace but if you are consistent at 45 to 60mph range, you can do a lot of damage and create a lot of mistakes from your opponents. Good luck. I am subscribed now. I like your motivation. Oh one more tip. Play doubles too. Great way to strengthen volly skills. 😮
Good points. What helped me at the net was having a partner hammer shots at me at the net. Helps with reaction. Also doing forehand volleys against the wall is great which helped a lot. My volleys are above 4.0 but strokes 3-3.5..😅
You're overselling 4.0s. He just needs to get more consistent, and he'll be better than most. I mean, he went 3-1 in this 4.0 tournament, so he may already be better than most.
@@AdamLischinsky Where did it say he went 3-1? Were those wins the caliber of the last guy he played in this video who is allegedly “4.0”? This is all subjective man..😆
@@AdamLischinsky oh no problem. Bottom line based on his videos he’s a solid 3.5 as most have agreed. He has potential but most 4.0 players would smoke him easily in my area and perhaps other areas. Haven’t seen those other matches and the area is apparently different than my own so yes there is subjectivity but I digress. 😆
People still underrate your game I think. You might be a high 3.5 as-is, but if you want to improve, I agree you should only play 4.0. Will you lose some? Yes. But there is such a thing as “good loss” which helps your rating. If you have an off day when playing 3.5, it will tank your rating. Honestly usta you can kinda game ratings like that, I know 4.0 guys who only played 4.5 and lost every match, only to be rated 4.5 the next year.
In the first match, you literally have better strokes than him. He just arms the ball, particularly on the backhand. But, as long as he get the balls over the net, it doesn't matter what he looks like. One thing he does have is better net play than you. Much better at putting a ball away at the net. The second guy, I don't know what to say about him. I suppose your serve overwhelmed him so he didn't see any point to continue... I can't respect him for not finishing the match, though. That sucks, but it does advance you, I assume, in the tournament, so that is good. Not getting the match experience sucks, though...
I used to be in your shoes where I believed I was a higher level then I was but the truth is you have to learn how to beat people at the 3.5 level easily do you can advance to the 4.0 and higher level
I really appreciate the savage rant at 16:21. Was nice to see you get real and authentic about your goals, and I think more people should have this mindset.
As long as the frustration does not cause you to quit. Pickleball is popular now because you can learn it in a couple of hours and win big tournaments in six months if you are athletic . Tennis you have to give it three or four years just to round out your game.
Have you thought about joining a USTA league? You can get a lot of competitive reps. Dudes in USTA leagues act like winning will put food on the table
LOL. But true.
+1 to this. At least in my area, I have found a lot of competitive folks play in Leagues and not Tournaments.
Helps alot with nerve management too. I find that I'm way tighter in league matches than tournaments because I've got 7 other guys counting on me.
Very funny because its very true
Love how you explained your goals at 16:30 Trey. I’m literally in your same shoes it’s insane. I’m a former basketball player who is now playing tennis. I’ve been playing for about 5 months now and I’ve been playing alot of tournaments during this small time frame and 1 thing I would say is, of course we want to reach the 4.5, 5.0 level but we have to start at the 3.0 - 3.5 level to gain experience just playing matches in general and it can really bring your confidence up which is HUGE in tennis
I cannot believe that was the second dudes excuse! "I have more important matches to play." What a sore loser!
i’ve heard of people not showing up to consolation matches but if you show up, you should finish so yeah, sore loser for sure.
Some real loser shit
Yeah at least blame an injury or something, but straight up saying the match isn't worth your time is gross. You paid for this shit dude!!
Heart of a champion. Warrior mentality
The aspiration to get better is a great mindset to have. You can definitely go 4.0 and above. My main hobby is running but tennis comes second to that right now. I run with a bunch of guys who look at people above them and think that the workouts they are doing are crazy or their race performances are crazy and they already put a cap on the level they're going to get to when it's definitely achievable. Keep it up, looking forward to seeing the progression.
Great video. It's tough competing. Don't be so hard on yourself and keep working on the things you mentioned.
Trey on the short balls go the backhand everytime. What you will notice is if you set up to go the backhand you actually have a bit more options and can hit to the forehand if you see the person trying to anticipate it. You are doing well. Keep up the grind and always look to play stressless tennis
First of all, you analysis was spot on in the first match. Congrats on making him quit in the second match. And why the heck was he standing so far in on your serve when he obviously could not handle the pace of your serve???
You have all the right components to rise through the 4.0 ranks quickly and start to compete at 4.5 level once you hone that serve +1 strategy.
First match: Don’t be too negative on yourself, for one year in (and a cold/windy miserable day) you showed some great pockets of tennis. Drill those short balls and volleys (specifically the footwork) and you’re right in that match. I like your aggressive style closing to the net but you may want focus on more control from the baseline before coming in while you’re working on the mechanics of your volley.
Second match: dominant serve (again, this is a natural advantage you have, maximize it) Unfortunately you’ll play against plenty of losers like that in USTA. Great video! If you’re ever in NC hit me up!
You got this my guy! The strokes honestly looked great. Keep up competing and you'll be winning 4.0 tourneys in no time.
It's amazing how much better you've gotten in a year! I would not have guessed you'd be at this quality of play today a year ago.
Maybe it's time for a new classic: 1,000 short balls video :)
You played well man. Obviously we always want the win what’s best from you is that you fought the whole time. Yes things could have been different but you take mental notes and put yourself in the situations you want to be. Big props and good luck !!
Tough two matches! Love your channel Trey. As others have said you're aiming high and I'm all for it. Objectively, you have made massive improvement over the last year and you should be very proud. That required a lot of hard work and commitment. There's a long way to go, but I do hope you aren't always so hard on yourself. Enjoy the journey, my brother
Wind was killer. You played really well considering the conditions and the time you have been playing.
You are highly critical of yourself because you have set such a high goal for yourself, but you have done way better than most.
Another thing is that results in matches are highly dependent on playing styles. One might play with 4.0s or 4.5s that play a style one likes and do well, but then comes a high level 3.5 with an "uncomfortable" style and beats you. We need to be ready for all styles. Playing 3.5 tournaments is not bad.
Work hard on those volleys and short balls, and next time you might end up with a "W".
First great match for you overall, once you overcome these kinds of players you're on your way! These kinda guys you gotta bring your dropshot/slice game. Also rewatch your game, and reconsider the shots you approached as well as the ones you didn't. There were alot of times you could have closed the net, and vice versa you approached on some that you probably should have constructed a little more. Keep it going Trey we're all rooting for you man, 1 year is redonkulous for the amount that you've improved! Also just to note, there is no shame in earning your stripes in a 3.5 tourney. Being battle hardened gives you that match IQ for 4.0 and beyond. (ALSO 2nd player is a chump)
lmao that dude that just suddenly quit
When you go to the net to volley, it’s easy to know where he’s gonna put the ball and to have your racquet there already waiting before he even hit the ball. What you’re doing is getting to the net with ur racquet on the ground. You wait for him to hit the ball, then you pick up your racquet and try to react to a shot you’ve never seen before. Ur racquet is like a catchers mit on the volley. Have it up already and give him a target to hit to almost.
This was super entertaining to watch, my hands were sweating watching this haha.
I feel you in the first match. There was a time I used to lose to pushers/nudgers/moonballers. Lots of top spin, inconsistent depth to their shots, almost like they’re just trying to clear the net.
Trick is to push them around and not allow the time to play like that. They will soon make errors and start playing into your hands. But to do this you need to keep working at your game and being offensive - accuracy and intent is more important than power.
Love the emotion. Tennis is as tough a game as it gets mentally. You’ve got to forgive yourself constantly and forget the mistakes and errors of judgement- all whilst going for it each and every point!
Crack on!
I’m not even half through the video sipping my morning coffee and I noticed “Coach” in the back of the other guy sweater. Well, 4-1 not too shabby against coach!!
Love that you're trying to be at the 4.5 level. One thing to consider here though is you need to learn to win. If you're battling, but losing, you have no pressure to win. Winning and closing games brings its own pressure. Most high level tennis coaches agree that you should be winning 70% of your games. This teaches you how to win, like you said. If you're losing most of your matches at the 4.0 level, there's something to be said about going back down to 3.5, cleaning up your mechanics, and learning to CRUSH the 3.5 players.
I'd oscillate between playing 4.0 and 3.5 so you don't learn bad habits and learning the pressure of winning.
Fantastic growth mindset! Keep up the great work Trey.
Trey - man great tennis. Great groundiez, monster serves, love the fist bumping and positive attitude. Looking forward to the second round.
Hey Trey…I live in Austin too and play recreational tennis at the 3.0 level. Love the content especially… “I just crushed a thoroughly average salad”. 😂
Great run, man. Those conditions were brutal. I felt like you did out there in my second match.
I vividly remember playing Max. I cramped in the second set and told him he could have the set and we can go straight into the 10pt. I had to serve and volley, return and volley ever point. I somehow eeked out the win against. He was very nice and made great calls. I kind of feel bad for him haha.
BH is better and you have to be happy knowing you're getting short balls to rip. Keep getting set up with short balls and eventually you'll knock them down.
Have you won a 3.5 tournament yet?! I respect your goal of being a 4.5+ player and believe you can get there given your athleticism and dedication but remember to have some smaller and more attainable short-term goals, such as winning a 3.5 tournament, to help you build towards a higher level. Even Federer had to win a 250 before he won a Slam. 😜
Really bad from your second opponent; different situation if he'd been injured or ill but to say he has "more important matches" is really disrespectful and poor sportsmanship. Hope you win your next two matches! 🤞🏻
Thanks for continuing to share your tennis journey; you've become one of my favourite channels.
Plenty of recreational players reach high levels without winning tournaments. He just needs to win or keep the score close against good opponents and destroy weaker opponents.
@@Jon88 fair enough if that's the measure Trey wants to use to track his progress. 👍🏻 I'd recommend mastering a certain skill level before moving onto the next one to avoid disappointment and potentially losing motivation but we're all different.
Personally I 100% disagree here. Nobody cares about 3.5 titles if your goal is to be competitive in a higher level. We are not talking pro tennis here (and even there, there are cases where we have Grand Slam winners that never won a Masters title - Gaudio). If you are developing, climb up the ladder and improve. No need to learn the way a 3.5 plays, because truthfully, nobody gets better by learning how to beat 3.5s. But they can develop into a competitive 4.5 if they aim for that.
@@TenisAmador Think you are in the wrong here. Trey learned a lot from constantly losing to a way worse player in Jake. And he was not even a 3.5 I'd say.
thats one way to look at it. Another way is to build confidence and wins. Going through the ins and out and playing finals and close matches is priceless. He not magically going to be a 4.5 overnight. Also just so know, hitting hard and out still makes you a 3.5 or less. The ego of guys who think they can play 4.5 is astounding @@TenisAmador
To be fair your 1st opponent was WAY BETTER that the 2nd one and probably youre there in 4.0 solid, good matches and very fun to see. Your analysis of your match was very good, net play it will be easier if the approach is more effective and make little more damage to your opponent. Nice to see you improving.
I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!! This is Max from the tournament. Anyway, I didn't know I was playing a 3.5 - you played like a 4.0, especially your serve. Every game you served I had to bring my focus just to get the ball back.
And after winning the consolation bracket, you deserve to be 4.0 once rate-bump time comes. However, you don't have to worry about the number to begin with - if you want to play 4.5, feel free to go wild.
Hope to play you again someday.
Max! Great playing man! Definitely hope to see you again out there someday.
You keep saying that you just kept hitting it right back at him, but that's exactly how you can beat this guy with ease. He doesn't have any weapons really, as far as I can tell all of your shots have more pace overall. What he does have over you is patience and consistency in his shots. The recipe to beat guys like this is to hit right to him with decent pace, past the service line, nothing crazy -- follow up one of your shots and go to net, keep volleying at him until you get easier, and easier balls and he will mess up; though you might need to work on your approach and volley game some ;). Also anyone below 4.5 I'd just pick on their backhand cause it's almost always a weakness at that level. Loved the video and content though, keep it up!
That guy in the first match is way better than he looks. Solid on both sides, good returns, and lots of variety. I bet he wins a ton of matches in the 4.0s and wouldn’t be surprised if he made the final in this one. Keep at it!
Trey, thanks for sharing all this stuff, I know that this was a frustrating weekend but it's worth remembering that this level of play after one year is extraordinary. Really, man, you're doing excellent.
One thing I noticed during your commentary was that you're frequently berating yourself for "hitting the ball right back" to the opponent at certain pressure points. But oftentimes that wasn't a poor decision at all, there's just more work to be done in execution, with regards to things like court positioning and pace/placement.
I think you might benefit from watching the old "wardlaw directionals" videos to help shift some of this mindset off of what the opponent is doing and back on to just knowing what the high-percentage play is with regards to what's happening on your side of the court. Unless you are trying to wrong-foot an opponent by hitting behind them it rarely matters what their position is on the court with regards to what the best shot selection for YOU to hit is at any given moment.
One example with these frustrating short balls would be that you took some of these approach shots crosscourt in an apparent effort to keep your opponent moving. But it's usually high percentage tennis to take most of your approach shots down the line, because you have a shorter distance to travel forward to the matching service box to be ready to counter both angles of an attempted pass. When you approach cross court, you have a farther distance to travel in the same short amount of time to move diagonally into position to the other service box to be ready to cover a pass. If you don't get far enough in time the DTL pass is left very open, and if you hustle and get there but your momentum is still going forward, you also become easier to pass crosscourt behind you.
When choices like this can move out of active decision-making and into habits/muscle memory you don't have to think so hard/worry so much during the actual point play. This can just come from experience over time but you can accelerate that learning by studying/understanding the directionals.
Top comment right here. Excellent feedback.
Wow Trey! Have enjoyed your content. This switch up was a nice change. Great to hear your feedback point by point.
As a USTA player who is also trying to break through to the 4.0 level, I enjoyed this video to see how you did. I’d be livid if my opponent retired after traveling and waiting around all day, but at least you were absolutely waxing him on film!
I’d recommend playing some competitive doubles, maybe 7.5 men’s or mixed combo. That will force you to get more comfortable putting those high balls away.
Been waiting for this video. I haven’t watched it yet so good luck! I’m playing a tournament the 23rd.
I've been playing tennis for 50 years recreationally, and I'm totally impressed with your forehand and serve improvement. In matches, especially, my forehand often devolves into a tentative push. Yours is really developing into that classic ATP forehand. Kudos. I'm in no position to give advice...though I'd say your backhand just needs time and repetition, but you really need to work on your volley fundamentals: both how to hit and how/when best to approach. Check out some vids. Hit lots of volley ralleys with your hitting partner each session. Anyway, I salute your struggle. When your losing and nothing is working, a tennis court can be the loneliest place on earth. Don't I know it. Keep bouncing back.
The volleys in the first set against max in the early games looked so good I was like “did Trey practice volleys finally!?!?”
But then they went back to normal. You’ll be able to win at 4.0 once you can put those volleys away.
good effort trey !!
Trey, as someone else said, only playing 'up' seems like a no brainer for improvement; BUT it gives you unrealistic freedom from pressure, since you don't expect to win and are playing with house money. If you want to really compete under pressure, play USTA league 3.5, where both you AND YOUR TEAMMATES will be expecting/hoping for you to win. That's pressure. Once you start wracking up wins at that level, the USTA will take care of things for you and bump you to 4.0.
You've come so far and improved so much, man. I still think you are somewhat missing the point of what wins matches. Implying the first guy 'only' was consistent underestimates how hard it is to be consistent! It's literally the hardest thing!
Not a fan of the 2nd guy... but props to you man, great playing, great improvements!! Keep going big guy :)
Congrats man. Big fan from the Bay Area
the 2nd match guy doing medvedev things LMAO, nice video keep it up
You totally had that 1st match w/ finishes at the net. The rest of your game was bang on at 4.0
Your 1st oponent played really smart. He decided to play loopy balls with high margin and use the wind to his advantage. He played high percentage while letting you defeat yourself.
Your backhand looked a lot better. You can really see it coming together from all the practice youve put in. For the volleys, you just need more reps to be comfortable at the net. Wind always make shortballs/volleys more challenging and really forces you to move the feet more than you want.
First dude was a solid 4.0 and he appeared to be toying with him honestly..
Congratulations on both matches!
That withdrawal in the second match sucks! I've had that happen to me too. USTA has got to do something about these people entering multiple divisions and defaulting or not even showing up to matches. At the very least you should get his entry fee, but his ranking should take a hit for sure too.
Bombs in second match. Noticed he played up trying to take it early vs having them be head height at baseline!
I think rank can differ in communities. My state is tennis central and our 3.0s are very good. That said, it does not matter how something looks only how effective at getting the w. I would focus less on the rank result and more on improving technically and the results will come.
Who quits at 2-5 in the first set?
A loser
I laughing hard at this comment section. This is such a relatable video for some many. Grind of tournaments, bad conditions, excuses. I love it. Keep up trey. 10K incoming
20:51 That very attitude is why he has to 'conserve his energy' in the first place.
Dude you crushed that 2nd guys ego that’s why he withdrew! Well done!
What camera do you use? Keep up the right work! Hope to see you on the court one day….
Don’t stop! Keep going 👊🏻
Hey Black Ice, great video as always.
Gotta work on these short balls man. The secret is focus only on the ball and not where you want to put it. Swing fast and with shorter take back.
Plus note: add drop shot every and then.
Another tip is run around the ball to hit the forehand only if you sure can hit the ball in balanced position otherwise hit it with your backhand
honestly, i dont think that that guy was any better than you. the main difference was when he had a short ball he did more with it. mate your serve is great, really good service motion, you should be super proud of that, in fact its so much better than all other aspects of your game. keep it up mate
Why play a tournament if you cant commit to a whole weekend. Guy just couldn’t handle the ass whooping. It wont verify on UTR bc there were less than 6 games played. He did it out of spite knowing u are the better player. Great video! Keep up the grind man!🤝💪
That last guy looked to be a 3-3.5. No where near a 4.😂
Metalwood is a dope band.
from what I saw, on those short balls you need to place them more with spin, rather than hitting it as much. obviously easier said than done. on the approaches, you had too many indifferent approaches that the opponent easely got a passing shot on you. but with the wind like that, you need to be uber patient. not easy on those conditions. it is usually the most consistent player that gets up on top on those conditions
There is one critical thing you miss if you don't play matches against others at your rated level: the pressure to win a match that you SHOULD win. If you're always 'playing up' there is no pressure - - every win is a bonus because on paper, you weren't supposed to win anyway. Perhaps consider playing at least 1 tournament at 3.5 and see how it goes. It could be interesting to see what you learn.
The higher you go, the more of a mental game it becomes. How many times has anyone walked off the court thinking, "I had no chance of winning that match"? Rarely. You almost always think you could've won that. But the thing is, you didn't, and there's usually a good reason: mentally, your opponent was better and found a way to win (again, this becomes truer the higher you go). It's chess, and you have to figure out how to win against a variety of game styles, including the pushers/moonballer/'people not as good as you' (which, of course, if they won, they were indeed better than you). So, again, go win a 3.5 tournament and see what strategies you need to put in play to get those w's. I guarantee it won't be time wasted.
Man this is an EXCELLENT post. Playing up is playing with house money. Yes, it's very valuable in terms of experience and pushing your level up - it will do that. But you are playing with unrealistic freedom because you're not 'supposed' to win. I've been at 3.5 for 3 years with a very strong W-L record, something like 38-8. I'm also playing 4.0 this season, because I want to get the bump up to 4.0. I feel WAY more pressure at 3.5 now. You can also run into 'harder' opponents at 3.5, because they hit junk and give you no pace to work with, etc. I think a mix of playing your actual level and one level up is a good way to go.
Hes not "playing up." He's a 4.0 level player. If he werent, he would not be able to get 6 games off the first opponent
Not that it really matters, but if he's computer rated 3.5 (which apparently he is), and he's playing in a 4.0 tournament (he did), he's playing up. No subjectivity there, just facts.@@stevenjm12
Curious to know how Trey feels with the Ezone vs the ProStaff. he has been using the Ezone quite a bit.
Hi Trey, after watching the first match, yeah, you lost but you were not blown out the court. So, this level is a good one for you, keep fighting!
Yeah. Playing more formal matches is what will help you the most IMO. In my experience, USTA team leagues and tournaments are more competitive than UTR or any flex leagues. You are physically and technically good for 4.0, but experiences with the pressure, decision makings (and "tricky" opponents) are also indispensable
Just because it's less formal doesn't mean you can't cultivate the ability to play like you'd play a USTA league or tournament. Get the reps. Get the routines down.
You definitely could compete at 4.5. I’m in Houston. I coach high school tennis. I played college tennis and use to play a lot of tournaments. Been thinking about getting back into tournaments myself. I was rated at a 5.0 but I probably play against more 4.5 players, you can hang.
definitely could’ve beaten that first guy, your best points were miles better than his best points, just need to get more match play in, keep it up.
Trey totally plays like 4.0 and I’m rally loving the spirit of wanting to be better. Unlike some 4.0 dude or above will plays at 3.5 league just so they can win some lol
Trey, the goat
hey dude, noticed you play so much better when you follow thu instead of stabs. what do you string at?
8:51 second time you must've only because you didn't split step. Don't feel like you have to rush like a mad man after an approach shot make sure you split step
That Juan pal threw in the towel. Made him quit good 💪 👍🏻
Nice match bro, just work on placement, seems every shot went down the middle while he moved you around a lot! Definetly keep playing on 4.0 level bro it's a matter of time
Based on this video Trey’s def not 3.5. According to USTA the score difference between the top and the low 3.5 should be 6-0, 6-0. So if both of these guys are 4.0C then Treys def 4.0 now.
Btw, it was cool to meet you at the tournament Trey! This is Joe btw 😄
Great to meet you too Joe! Hope the rest of the tournament went well!
@@Winners-Only thanks! I won the consolation for my division as well~
losen up your wrists and stop when your hitting an approach to get into the right position and make approach shots easier also improve your foot work you are too tense when getting ready for a shot you have to be more relaxed
More important matches! Yeah sure, he might have forgot that but it came right back to him running at 5-2.
Karue Sell sighting!
What does black ice smell like?
Definitely look to join a USTA league team, if you don’t already. I found 3.5 and 4.0 usta in Austin to be very competitive (singles and dubs). And actually very few people seem to play USTA ntrp tournaments. They can be kinda odd or small. Leagues are the way to go for great competition.
You should try taking a basket of balls and self feeding around the services. It helped my short balls so much.
The tennis levels are there for a reason, you should really try to win a league or ultimate at 3.5 before moving up. I think you are a little harsh on 3.5. In Florida, we have lots of 3.0 teams and they are pretty good, 3.5 is solid intermediate tennis. You have a natural big serve , which is a huge advantage and gets you some free points but you need to need a few more years to round out the game . I have seen a couple other you tubers with the same mentality , they want to get to 4.5 within a few years or they quit or get married and the wife makes them hang up the sticks. Tennis can be played for a lifetime at any level and when you are ready to move up it will just happen if the fundamentals are there. 45 degrees with wind is no weather for tennis.
Why would a usta tourney not use singles sticks? Is this a real tourney?
Alright, I will tell you this much, even your legs don’t like wind 😂
Dude, your game has come a long way. Keep working on those backhands and volleys, but you have a solid foundation in your serve and forehand.
Also, lame excuse from the second guy, but as someone that has played 5.0 tennis for the last 10 years I can tell you the ego and excuses from opponents never go away as you get better lol
Solid work, ...for your vollies, you need to learn how to volley with your feet. I see you punching at the ball. You're so fast, maintain your structure that's going to be key for you
I understand that you want to be a higher level player, but the things that make a 4.0 a 4.0 is the ability to hit shots on a consistent basis. Hitting good approach shots at a higher level will be harder because of the pressure. When you can start winning 3.5 tournaments regularly, then that's when you should go up a level. I have a friend with your mindset and he's never gone past the second round of a 4.0 draw in the last 10 years.
😂Good try. You look better than a few months ago. I would say your rating is a solid 3.5.
Honestly, the amount of time you've played you are doing well. The only way to get better is playing up. 4.0s tends to have these qualities: 1. Higher tennis iq than 3.5. 2. Better placement and consistency. 3. Haven't met a 4.0 that couldn't volly well. 4. Most stronger 4.0s will have one good weapon: super fast, a strong forehand, strong serves, etc.
Work on these issues: 1. Stop running around to your forehand. 2. Improve your backhand and vollies. 3. Hit on your toes more. 4. Split step before the volly. 5. Hit deeper balls. I would destroy those short balls.
You have a major technical flaw on your forehand. You are arming the ball too much and you tend to hit on your heel.
Work with a coach at this point. Go back to the basics to improve on your form and footwork. If you want to be a legit 4.0 or higher, you have to improve on your form and footwork.
I can see you be a 4.5. Take it back to the basics. I rotate between practice sets, official sets, point play, coaching, drills, etc. Learn to change your groundstrokes from a combination of flat and spin. It's highly useful to buy time and take time away from your opponent.
Good things I am seeing. With your youth, motivation and height the only way to go for you is to be an all courter. Keep going in that direction. Construct points around your serve, forehand (your future weapon), and finish at the net more.
I'm not tall as you are but I'm 6ft 1. Taller people will tend to mishit at the net due to not getting low enough. Bend those knees more. Lower your field of view by bending your knees. Try that. It might work. Also learn to coil your legs. Imagine a spring board when you set up. Kind of like a side lunge, when you hit the ball, un coil, and transfer weight forward. That did wonders for my forehand. You don't need to necessarily hit crazy pace but if you are consistent at 45 to 60mph range, you can do a lot of damage and create a lot of mistakes from your opponents. Good luck.
I am subscribed now. I like your motivation.
Oh one more tip. Play doubles too. Great way to strengthen volly skills.
😮
Good points. What helped me at the net was having a partner hammer shots at me at the net. Helps with reaction. Also doing forehand volleys against the wall is great which helped a lot. My volleys are above 4.0 but strokes 3-3.5..😅
You're overselling 4.0s. He just needs to get more consistent, and he'll be better than most. I mean, he went 3-1 in this 4.0 tournament, so he may already be better than most.
@@AdamLischinsky Where did it say he went 3-1? Were those wins the caliber of the last guy he played in this video who is allegedly “4.0”? This is all subjective man..😆
@@bmanbusee3812 Sorry, shoulda been a spoiler alert. He won his next two matches in this tournament against 4.0 C players, so anything but subjective.
@@AdamLischinsky oh no problem. Bottom line based on his videos he’s a solid 3.5 as most have agreed. He has potential but most 4.0 players would smoke him easily in my area and perhaps other areas. Haven’t seen those other matches and the area is apparently different than my own so yes there is subjectivity but I digress. 😆
Fine fellow Very Cool
People still underrate your game I think. You might be a high 3.5 as-is, but if you want to improve, I agree you should only play 4.0. Will you lose some? Yes. But there is such a thing as “good loss” which helps your rating. If you have an off day when playing 3.5, it will tank your rating.
Honestly usta you can kinda game ratings like that, I know 4.0 guys who only played 4.5 and lost every match, only to be rated 4.5 the next year.
If the losses are competitive, the computer will decide they belong at that level.
Have you thought about switching to golf content?
there’s enough good golf content out there
👏👏👏
You're in the right. You want to play above your level, i.e. never be the smartest in the room
That first guy kinda hits like Mannarino
That guy just quit. Served him right for disrespecting Trey's first serves 😂
Lol that second guy was so dumb for trying to return your serve from 5 feet inside the baseline.
In the first match, you literally have better strokes than him. He just arms the ball, particularly on the backhand. But, as long as he get the balls over the net, it doesn't matter what he looks like. One thing he does have is better net play than you. Much better at putting a ball away at the net.
The second guy, I don't know what to say about him. I suppose your serve overwhelmed him so he didn't see any point to continue... I can't respect him for not finishing the match, though. That sucks, but it does advance you, I assume, in the tournament, so that is good. Not getting the match experience sucks, though...
Damn
best youtube channel!
Second guy was such a tool, lmao
Need to really work on the backhand. Looks like you end the motion short looks weird has no pace. Really hit all the way through and up
You should complain to the tourney coordinator and hopefully get a refund or something if you paid. Sorry to hear that!
I used to be in your shoes where I believed I was a higher level then I was but the truth is you have to learn how to beat people at the 3.5 level easily do you can advance to the 4.0 and higher level