Hello everyone! video is a few days old so I don't know if anyone will see this comment but I am MEP's opponent in this video. And yes, I am in fact a real 4.0/low 4.5 haha. Like I said it's harder than it looks. Thanks for all the comments, definitely picked up some tips regarding movement and serve from y'all. My footwork has gotten a lot worse and lazier the last few years which I need to unlearn. Some context regarding the match: I hadn't played for two months leading up to it (was busy with exams and graduating from college) so I wasn't in the best form or fitness, which when playing MEP in the Atlanta heat is killer! But since the channel texted me I jumped at the chance. My decision so I bear the consequences haha. Even if I was in top form I wouldn't have beaten MEP, he is a better player. Honestly more than fitness I think nerves killed me, I'm usually a consistent counterpuncher with a decent (but certainly not great) net game that grinds people down and plays a lot of cat and mouse points, but I made an insane amount of uncharacteristic UE's (especially off of gimme volleys and returns) and DF's. Being on camera and knowing people would be judging my game got to me to some extent. MEP is also just a much better version of me with less attacking intent. Like some people have noted, my serve and FH are big weaknesses in my game. I usually only make 2-3 DF's in a match but my serve is not a weapon and it's something I'll be working on. FH is a bit of a lost cause as a dominant shot, it's consistent enough and I use it to set up balls onto my backhand. My doublehander has always been my best shot. Like I said I usually end a lot of points at net which is why I was so disappointed with how poorly I finished short balls, but my footwork is poor there sometimes and MEP always makes you play an extra shot (or three!). If I were to play MEP again I don't know what I'd do tactics wise. Assuming I was in my best form physically and mentally, I'd probably keep trying to set up points at net and hope my volleys are on that day. I definitely got impatient in some points and either went for too much or bumrushed the net when it wasn't time, especially since MEP was tiring me out and I was feeling the heat early on. I definitely fell into playing MEP's game too much but it's also my game so I'd have to adapt. Margins are so tight when playing MEP and I would have to take chances at game points and not get into a hole early, and especially not by missing easy returns. That is all! Thanks again everyone and especially the people running the channel for setting this up and MEP for taking the time out of his day to slap me around for an hour. As much as I'd love to play some of y'all (especially those who think I'm not even a 3.5) I won't be back in the USA until July. Working abroad as an English teacher for a year. But if you're in the Atlanta area message me if you want to play a match and maybe we can set something up when I'm back :) Hopefully I'll get a chance for redemption on the channel sometime.
Hey Emil, I remember playing you in the Spring of 2020 for USTA I think, I thought you looked familiar haha. You beat me pretty bad that day! Hope all is going well in school and good to see you getting back on the court between the busy schedule.
it seems like MEP has a tougher time vs. opponents who are comfortable at net. You missed some crucial easy putaways and also let a lot of good chances to close into the net slip away. Groundstrokes are good but I think it'd take a lot more skill and effort to blast MEP off the court.
@@staschristiansen2605 Hey Stas! Funny you recognized me. I remember that match. It was my first one in men's league. I remember thinking how great your strokes looked, even though you didn't have the best match. Biggest thing I remember from that day was how brutal the heat was, I was almost blacking out during those long second set rallies. Hope all is well with you and that we might play again some time when I'm back :)
@@rds4629 Definitely, with my relative lack of power I needed a lot better day at net (and less easy points given up on returns) to win those close games and get myself into the match. Watched a few matches on the channel beforehand and figured going to net was my best way forward but just didn't work out. Wish my touch was better on the day too, I can usually throw in a few good dropshot/lob plays but I got too drawn in playing MEP's game.
Being on camera and knowing the opponent's reputation for death by attrition would be the biggest killer for me personally. I'd be freaking out. It's such a mental thing. It's an unusual situation that changes your whole mindset and I'm sure you'd play better going in again. Good job!
@@RobBlanzy This game is the presentation of NTRP LEVEL: 3.5 bad Footwork that is the reason they are getting to the ball too late also one player is slicer 3.0 maybe 3.5 not a 4.0 but a 3.5 NTRP. Just saying!!!
I play with a guy like this. Honestly, the style of play sucks the life out of me but it keeps me grounded. I'd much rather get beat with heavy kick serves and winners than chase this guy around.
As reported so often, against MEP you need a decent volley and overhead, on top of consistent ground strokes, because otherwise you'll be drawn towards the net time and time again, only to miss those "easy" shots. I thought the opponent had rather good ground strokes, as the rallies took long on average. Unfortunately the net game wasn't there. Then there's the double faults of which MEP makes close to none. I'm not a technical coach but I can see the toss is unstable, the right foot comes across rather than making a pinpoint stance, which reduces the torso rotation and there's the typical slowing down on 2nd serve which reduces stability rather than increasing it. So yeah, work to do on those serves, volleys and overheads. Props for exposing yourself to us know-it-alls.
It's interesting, MEP doesn't punish short balls, as many counterpunchers do. He also doesn't stick to the baseline, which means you can't really overpower him with deep topspin. Probably a combination of slice attack shots, followed by good volleys/overhead smashes is the strategy to use (and, of course, patience and wicked consistency). Use angles when he tries to lure you to the net. But it's all easier said than done!
@@tennisteuton If you watch the people who beat MEP handily, you'll see one big difference. After they hit a big shot away from MEP, they move to the net and wait for the next ball there. That way, they don't allow MEP to buy time and reset the point by hitting a moonball. If MEP hits a moonball, they smash it away. But baseliners without a good net game, they can't do that. So they feel the pressure to hit a winner from the baseline, which is very hard to do. MEP knows this, so when pressured, he hits a moonball and resets the point. If the opponent keeps trying to hit harder to get a winner, they may get an error instead. So yeah, having a decent net game is very important.
@@ssenssel He totally is. When it's a crucial point and someone hits a deep wide ball to his lefty "backhand" he adds his natural forehand (right hand) to the grip. I'm not sure why he is doing this lefty thing. I guess so he can say he beat players left-handed. But he's clearly a righty. Maybe it's some weird emotional scar.
@@DNA2000-8bit I play with a guy at my local club who is a lefty but for whatever reason plays with his right hand. Some people brains are wired wrong.. Go figure.
Always fun watching an MEP match. This one feels similar to my match against MEP, same score too. Training in NYC at the moment to be ready for a rematch.
With the higher resolution video, you can really see the quality of MEP's shots. He's unorthodox, but has pace and cut to his ball. I like 4.0's fire. He has a great swing, but his grip seems to be terribly off. Check out backhand grip at @11:00. Hands are apart, and choking up on the racket. Or serve grip at @11:18, choking up but also the index finger is pushed down. Seems like that's causing inconsistency. Also is the racket heavy for him? Seems like he's trying to muscle it through the swing? I'm not an expert, but might be a place for 4.0 to look to improve his game.
When MEP gives you one of his signature slices right in the middle of the court, you have to be able to step up and crush that thing down a line and get to the net. MEP doesn't have the groundstrokes to fend off quality approach shots. If you can't do this however, MEP is the higher skilled player because of his consistency and control.
Several points: 1). this was by far the best video quality we've seen...a wider angle...almost look like high def. You could really see how quickly Ben's wristy FH goes through that ball, imparting all kinds of spin. 2)The kid should have hit MORE, not fewer, slice forehands. Even when he got his normal FH in the court, it took so much focus and effort that he couldn't direct it well, giving Ben a mid-paced FH down the middle that he could keep attacking in his sleep. When the kid hit his slice FHs in the court, it neutralized what Ben could do and the kid could stay in the rally. 3) The kid has potential for a good net game, which is the best way to beat Ben. It's tough in the wind and the shadows, but I would suggest to keep being net-aggressive, even if you blow a few shots. The more you come in the more consistent you will become. 4). Don't double-fault ...ever...there's no excuse...Ben wasn't attacking your serve anyway. 5) When returning a slice shot with a BH slice, follow through HIGH. You have to think of LIFTING it, even if you don't put as much spin on it. 6) The kid should work on a good drop shot....and some moon balls. Watch old Chris Evert videos.
Oh yeah. We love all the Tennis Troll videos, but watching Ben's matches are by far the most entertaining. Can't we see them more often? He must play at least one singles match per week. It would be great fun to be able to look forward to seeing one every Sunday, or whatever. .....I'm telling you, people are going to be watching these videos for years. Post as many as you can. That's my wish...and I hope they go viral. If I still had my radio show, Ben would be a guest, for sure.....maybe some day.....
@@TennisTrollChannel Well thanks for all your hard work. You bring a lot of fun to a lot of people...and great observations about how tennis really is for us hackers. I know i's a lot of work, and we all appreciate it. There must be someone down in "Lanta who could do a channel for Ben....I'm guessing they could monetize it somehow with the entertaining tennis and Ben's charming personality.
All great tips! I usually employ a few slice forehands but looking back you're right, I should have hit even more. Especially since my topspin FH is a weakness and mostly a rally shot which I've always had trouble with. DF's are the most annoying part of this looking back (even more than the UE's at least I was going for shots there). Since I don't have a powerful serve I can usually at least rely on getting them in, but nerves of being on camera got to me I think. My net game is usually better than this but definitely needs work, I need to move through my volleys more I think I go for two many drop and slice volleys. Sucks I couldn't show off my drop shot game which is usually a big part of how I play, I hit a few bad ones early and stopped going for them. Cat and mouse points with MEP felt like a losing battle. Need to be better! Thanks again for the great advice :)
@@emilzakarian7594 Great observations. It's hard to hit a good drop shot off a heavy slice, you have to reverse the spin. There is a good video on Intuitive Tennis about how to attack a short slice ball with topspin...but it's a difficult skill, especially in the wind and sun or shadows. I just slice them back and approach the net. When you volley a slice drive, it has a tendency to drop down into the net because of the spin. It also has a tendency to rise up as it approaches you. So you have to move into it aggressively, try and catch it in the middle of the strings, and LIFt it by following through higher than normal.
11:58 is a good point and it's all high% tennis. If he can play them consistently like this he'll be able to make it close, but it's always fighting an uphill battle against a pusher. Also I think plays like 13:27 are the way to go. Wide top spin shots are the best solution if you don't have a good dropshot imo and he actually did have a lead in the point he just dumped the final volley.
I don’t like pushers but when we keep losing to them, it means we need to learn from them. The ball placement by MEP, his footwork and ridiculous consistency makes him a winner at such a high non-pro level. Respect.
I think I've watched all the MEP videos and what is impressive is MEP's court coverage and the slice forehand that keeps the ball from rising (I'm adopting that in my game as it is so effective)
And just as his tactical ploy to hit a super high moon ball when he's on the run in order to give him time to get back to the center of the court. A better opponent would smash those moon balls for a winner every time.
I played doubles regularly with a 40 year old gal when I was in my fifties. We won tournaments together. She had been the number one singles player in her HS, even though she had a congenital problem with her ankle that took away her quickness. But she had really good flat strokes on forehand and backhand, she hustled as best she could, and she anticipated very well. She gave good male players a tough singles match right up into her fifties. When she was about 45, she switched to using a predominantly slice BH, hit similarly to Ben's, although she could get down really low and hit FHs from her waist like that. She stuck with it because she said she found that it was more effective than her already very good flat forehand....I don't know why more players don't make it part of their game when it's obviously so effective......it's my main FH, too.
The guy in blue clearly has a better two handed backhand than his one handed forehand. Don't see that too often. The right-handed forehand from MEP when he is on the run to his right would just piss me off if I were playing him. That ball just keeps coming back.
Ben might work on heavy backspin drop shots that land near the net. For several years I averaged more than 2 drop shots per year that bounced back over the net. Backspin droppers are effective against baseliners who don't like visiting the net. Many years ago I took a lesson in which I requested the pro conduct rallies where he hit drop shots to draw me in followed by lobbing over my head. He laughed and then did it. Wore me out right quick.
And that is why he is THE MOST ENJOYABLE PERSON. I’m unsure what a 4.0 really is but you really need to make many more of those shots he missed to be considered a skilled player.
Can't compete? My brother in christ I've literally never lost a competitive 4.0 match. Unless I've magically been playing all the worst 4.0s in the Atlanta area, I'd say you're a bit off the mark.
The island of lost souls. MEP brings out the worst in decent players. The kid made way to many unforced errors on easy shots. MEP always looks like he's just warming up before a match.
I seriously doubt that any 4.0 player regardless of style can beat MEP. First of all, say whatever you like about rating, but it's tough to beat someone half a level above you. I've been playing for 20+ yrs and don't remember having done that even once in a match that counts. Secondly, 4.0 simply don't have the consistent, mental focus, and stamina to overcome such an unusual but effective style. There are at least half a dozen of 4.0 people claim that they can in every of MEP youtube videos. These folks are, of course, from other states or countries. If they were from Atlanta, they would have tried and knew better.
You need a serve, or a net game, or a forehand, something to hurt MEP with. I've seen some at the 4.5 level sort of overpower MEP. Also those 4.5's can hit 6 to 8 balls or more in a row before making an error. The 4.0 may not have a shot that is a weapon to win points with or consistency.
There was a 4.0 (Essential Tennis channel) that beat MEP before. Anyone can have good and bad days. Also, different regions can have some slight differences in competitiveness too. 4.0 in one area may be a little more competitive than 4.0 in another.
It depends on whether that 4.0 has the particular skill set needed. There are many kinds of 4.0’s. Baseliners/ counter-punchers/ pushers/ would have a low chance of beating him. But a 4.0 who makes a living off of excellent approach shots and net game/ overhead would be MEP’s kryptonite.
i love how MEP is playing to the stat that most games are won thru opponent errors. he DOESN'T even have a proper forehand shot, it's all lobs and slice forehands 😁 amazing tbh
Entertaining match. MEP simply doesn't miss many balls and he places it well. I didn't count but USTA 4.0 made about 5 errors for every 1 error by MEP. The USTA 4.0 is going after his shots a bit more though. I would encourage USTA 4.0 to simply stick with his game and work on reducing errors while staying aggressive. USTA 4.0 could add a bit more spin to both serves and work on his net game to improve his chances against a steady player. A slice approach shot would help too.
@@TennisTrollChannel its true. You can get rated for 4.5 but in competition those guys would be playing at 3.5 level. In tournaments ratings get deflated so when someone says they're 3.5 you never know
@@trex1448 MEP has won several 4.5 leagues and went to finals of a sectional 4.5 tournament. He’s record proves that he is a legit 4.5 and he’s proved it in match play on this channel as well as other channels.
@@TennisTrollChannel i know I was talking about the other guy. I actually think the ntrp ranking are ridiculously underrated in my area. The 3.5's tournament level players can easily get rated at 4.5 imo but they deflate ratings for competition.
After the first game, I'm betting on MEP to take it 6-0, 6-0. Kid, when you're sucking this badly, just go for it. You've really got nothing to lose because you're gonna get bageled anyway. At least, go down swinging!
He's consistent at what he does. The opponents have to be consistent at what they do otherwise they'll lose. I play a pusher and lose half the time although I believe I'm technically much better. I have shots he doesn't have but I can't consistently produce them especially in pressure situations. Pushers teach you that if you have a big repertoire of shots you'd better be consistent at all of them! This is difficult for club players who don't train everyday. The pushers have less shots but are consistent at all of them.
4.0's second set was better but I suggest: 1. Serve returns are way too conservative - too many down the middle (esp. on MEPs 2nd serve) - need to go down the line or in the corners, with pace, if possible (I did this recently and the pusher was totally put off his game). If he catches on and you see him leaning down the line, you go for the opposite corner. 2. Need to learn the slice serve to move MEP off the court then go for the opposite corner to start the point with more serves that land in that magic 2ft area from the service or sideline / center line. 3. Need more backhand slice shots (esp. deep, kniving slices and drop shots) - your balls were mostly too high playing into MEPs strengths 4. As mentioned, more work on volleys / overheads Overall, however, an entertaining match.
Agree on points 1,2,4. I think the volley game being better would open up a serve volley which I use heavily against pushers and then returns down the line, come into the net. Keeping the points nice and short. I really like the use of heavy forehand/backhand but needed to be used a bit more to move MEP around instead of down the middle
I can't believe he's 7-0 and was bumped up into a 4.5 lol. He ended up playing your game style which he shouldn't have and he never even tried to change anything in the second set.
He's young, has some pretty nice strokes overall, and it looks like he's prepared for pace and topspin... unfortunately, those are two things that Ben never gives. Most of his errors come from waiting on the ball, or having to adjust his shots for the various types of spin MEP imparts. Although he's definitely going to have to improve that serve to survive at the 4.5 level; you NEED to be able hit the occasional ace and get free points at that level. Even at 4.0 that serve is a liability though.
@@HeavyTopspin Buddy what does being young have to do with any of this? We are talking about in this moment right now. I've seen 4.0's that would not be doing what he did. I guess I'm a 5.0 then.
@@AkatsukiShadow Youth = inexperience in dealing with the various types of "crafty old man tennis". As for whether he's a legit 4.0, you're qualified to speak on the matter as soon as you yourself get on the court with MEP.
@@AkatsukiShadow Again, rating somebody because of their performance against MEP is meaningless. Reach out to Troll, I'm sure he'd be happy to set you up on a court with Ben to let you prove how much better you are than this player.
Third point of his first service game MEP chipped and charged. Hello I thought this looks interesting! Unfortunately he lost the point and that was that, he never tried it again. 😊
Players like MEP good defensive player you have to make him pay for his lack of depth and pace. Keep the ball deep and don't over play approach shots. The balls are not moving that fast so you have to generate pace on your volleys. Hit high percentage cross court backhands forehands. Expect and play for short balls and drop shots. Don't drop shot because he is coming forward and anticipates well. Make him hit passing shots and lobs. Control the return with high percentage returns cross court and down the middle. Make you easy shots or bunnies to make him think he has to do more with the ball. He can run all day: make him but he has no shots that he can hit by you from baseline or short. Just be solidly aggressive and keep the pressure on him to come up with the goods. I have played many players like him and I know what beats them.
First, the blue player need a split step, which will improve his footwork. Second he need focus on his 2nd serve. He gave a lot of free points due to the double faults and returns. His level is 4.0 for sure, but he exposed his inconsistence when play with MEP.
Well, 4.0 played better in the second set, especially initially. But, to really challenge MEP, he would need a true offensive weapon and/or better shot tolerance. The kid just made too many errors... On the other hand, he did play some good points, as well. Just not enough...
I agree with MEP mostly except his remarks on Pickleball. Why can't we all get along? My primary sport is tennis but I also play pickleball on the side and it is a lot of fun, especially when I bring tennis tactics in it and frustrate the opponents.
I have nothing against Pickleball per se, but I will go to my grave believing Pickleball and Pickleball lines don't belong on tennis courts. I think Pickleball and tennis players should align to advocate for distinct spaces for their respective activities.
The USTA 4.0 player lacks understanding where to recover after he hits his ground strokes (he recovers 90% back to middle even though he hits cross court and down the line) and he never ever split steps (so he’s always off balance and never ready for the next shot).
No way the guy you played is a 4.0 player. He is maybe a 3.5 player with no real weapons. A 4.0 player doesn’t make this many mistakes when there is absolutely no pressure on his serve or ground strokes. Playing a older guy, is a big advantage if he would have made you run and bend more, this was a classic example of a hacker just hacking away on the ball, and a baseline player that should have come into the net more and take the ball in the air. Great video and happy you posted this lesson for the rest of us to learn from.
the poor kid got dragged into play MEP style, that's why he lost confidence and the game. He needs a better game plan, for example, keep hitting high topspin ball to MEP's backhand, save energy, don't try to kill every shot, He really needs to improve his slice shots, too easy for MEP to give back another shot, no pace ball.
Kid in blue had some decent groundstrokes when he wasn't trying to play like MEP. Unfortunately boy blue had no serve or net skills. Looks like he had no game plan.
I’m 16 and around a 4.0-4.5 and I can say that if I played this guy I would have a tough time Iv never in my life seen such an unorthodox style would be a bitch to play completely different bounce and everything
This dude is tough to beat. Your going to get into some long rallies and you’re going to hit shots from very awkward places on the court. With MEP you spend have your time in no man’s land.
It will never work if you start to play the slice game against MEP. Wait for his short slices, hit groundstrokes to the corners, and go to the net to finish the point. The 4.0's net game, both volley and overheads, was so poor that he lost more points when approaching the net. Keep playing the right way even though you may lose many matches against defensive players. Your game will pick up eventually and you will be glad to beat those all-day slicers.
Hitting off your back foot against his weak balls. Use your feet, be aggressive, hit off your front foot and keep head still through contact. It’s easy to pull off those girly shots, so you have to make sure you stay closed and don’t look up until the ball leaves your strings. It’s tough to do, but can dust these guys once you learn to beat them with your feet . It’s all below the ankles.
Players are always looking for a weakness. If I’m playing someone and notices he may miss after 5 shots, I’m going to do everything I can to extend rallies.
Love the guy in green shirt's game. Think he would be tough on clay. I used to play with someone that played like that. He won almost all his 4.0 matches because everybody would over hit against him. He got bumped up to 4.5 in Texas. Which effectively ended his USTA like me. BTW He only won about 1/25 sets against me but I knew how to play him. All you can do against players like that is attack. I have never been a big hitter either which bothers pushers.
MEPs playing style aside the bottom line is a veteran 4.5 who is also a veteran TH-cam match player is playing a young 4.0 who has probably never been on TH-cam. This outcome is hardly out of the ordinary. When I watch MEP a part of me feels sad for the wasted potential that is being displayed. MEPs mental focus and athletic ability could easily have had him playing at the 5.0 level or maybe even higher. Many people think he lacks athletic ability. Watch his first step, it doesn’t have any of the lag you often see in poor movers. The bottom line is he runs down a lot of balls. You can’t be a athletic klutz and do this. Look closely, MEP consistently takes a split step as his opponent hits the ball. Even those really subtle ones that only good players do. The 4.0 kid still hasn’t learned to take a split step yet and is often caught flat footed because of this. Because of his good footwork the first time that I saw MEP play I used to think MEP was a 5.0 player that was faking having a lower level game. That gives me a good idea for a vid. Troll should make a vid in which he asks a 5.0 player to to try and look like a beginner tennis player but still win a match easily. The 5.0 player would end up looking a great deal like MEP in both technique and strategy. But sadly he’s not faking it 4.5 is his ceiling. He can’t compete at the higher levels because those players have competent put away shots, strategies and a level of tennis savvy that is equal or greater than his own. Just being consistent and not being able to pressure them in anyway won’t cut it. In a alternate universe there’s a Ben who learned conventional strokes and played division 1 college tennis. He’s not a well known TH-cam tennis player but he plays at a higher level than 4.5. But then again that universe would lack one of the most entertaining TH-cam tennis players imaginable. This is the best of all possible worlds for us. Quick tip to 4.0: watch any pro serving. Focus on their toss arm. It will be straight up and look like they’re stretching to reach even higher. The toss arm starts the kinetic chain. It’s forcefully moved before the racket arm. In slow motion vids it will “motion blur” almost as much as the racket arm. Your toss arm barely reaches the level of your chin. You may think this is a unimportant tip. But ask yourself why would all those pros have this in common if it wasn’t important? Your still going to have to figure out how to incorporate it into your motion. The rest of your service mechanics are actually quite good. This one big flaw is robbing you of a great deal or racket head speed. My only goal here is to point out a short coming that has to be changed if your serve is to develop to its full potential.
Thank you for the serve and movement tips, definitely could take a page from MEP's book regarding consistent split steps. My serve mechanics are garbage and I fall into bad habits, will absolutely try what you're suggesting.
Your way to hard on yourself. The rest of your service motion is quite good. Way above average for a 4.0. It’s just missing a important part. The fact that you or a coach haven’t picked up on you not doing something that all good servers do is a bit concerning . Your strokes still need refinement. This can only happen if you first identify shortcomings in technique and then correct them. You gotta study yourself and get to know what your actually doing. Remember as unsophisticated as MEPs strokes look he truly “owns” them meaning he can produce them under pressure. Your not quite there yet but with time and experience it’s almost inevitable that you will start to own your shots more. One thing that you can do to speed this up is practicing against the wall on a regular basis. Can you actually hit 10 forehands or backhands in a row within a 2 foot target? How about 20? It’s not glamorous or social so the majority of tennis players abandon the wall once they get past complete beginner status. On more than one occasion I’ve had complete strangers ask me why was I hitting against the wall? As if I didn’t belong there. It was so odd for them to see a non beginner there. The wall is actually the most efficient use of your time in terms of the volume of balls you can hit in a given period of time. It even beats a ball machine. No lengthy stops to collect balls and reload the machine. And unlike a hitting partner you can experiment at will with no pressure to maintain a rally since your not obligated to anyone. You can stop at any time and just “think” about why something happened. Take a minute. Take 15 minutes. Maybe you hit a backhand that felt smoother than normal that propelled the ball more efficiently. You can stop think and analyze this mutant backhand and figure out what you did differently and then replicate the change and see if your theory is correct. Or if you hit a really bad backhand you can analyze why it was so bad (was the preparation bad? Did you have a different grip? Were your arms tightened too much?) and then make a mental note not to repeat the cause. There’s no shot in tennis that you can’t practice against the wall. It’s the basketball equivalent of a player alone in a gym shooting baskets. He may be working on a new move or shot. He might be working on correcting a flaw in a existing shot or just reinforcing a shot to make something he’s good at even better. There are stories that Larry Bird would not leave basketball practice until he made 100 free throws in a row. Why would he bother? He never has to shoot more than two in a row in a game. It’s because he wanted to own the shot. Not only did it develop his muscle memory for the free throw but in the back of his mind he knew that he could easily make a hundred free throws in a row in practice. When he stepped up to the free throw line in a game those practice free throws helped him both mentally and physically. A good vid for you to watch is the the one where MEP plays a 12 or 13 year old. Spoiler alert. MEP loses badly. This kid is half MEPs weight and maybe a foot shorter. But he’s been trained properly so has an answer for MEPs tactics. MEP on the other had has no “B” game to fall back on so he can’t counter the kids tactics. The important thing for you to take note of when watching this vid is that there is not a single thing that the kid does that you can’t do. He never hit with a pace on his ground strokes or serve that you can’t match. He didn’t have more raw foot speed than you . Although his tennis foot work is better. You have more reach and probably more raw strength in every area. The differences between you and him that allowed him to beat MEP handily were 1) He owned his shots. Under pressure his technique did not break down. When MEP hit a soft high short ball the kid treated it like the uncontested layup that it was and calmly hit it deep to a corner. Didn’t try for too much, just hit at a pace that he knew he could reproduce 10 times in a row. 2) better footwork. His use of a split step was wonderful to see. The use of a split step and crossover step makes a great difference in the ability of a person to accelerate and move to the direction of the ball immediately. Once you start using a split step properly you’ll curse yourself for not learning it sooner. 3) His strategy was sound and well executed. When attacking he would hit deep or hit short. Kept the ball out of mid court. If MEP stood behind the baseline to far in anticipation of a deep shot the kid would hit a drop shot or short angle to force MEP to run forward. If MEP stood in no man’s land to anticipate a drop shot the kid would hit deep. MEP was trapped between a rock and a hard place. The tables were turned. The kid controlled MEPs movement, really just with placement. He never displayed any above average pace. 4) the kid had savvy. He was observant. He recognized situations where it was likely that MEP would hit a drop shot and watched MEPs racket preparation for signs he was getting ready to hit a drop shot. Because of this he was rarely hurt by MEP s drop shot. It’s almost inevitable that in a few years that you’ll be a 4.5. Where in that level you’ll dwell is up to you. Remember every level has its bottom dwellers. Another thing you can do to advance your tennis journey is to do some off court training. A little running, movement drills and a weight lifting go a long way in tennis because so few players actually do any of those things on a regular basis and to a meaningful degree. Having more pure athletic ability never hurts. Remember 4.5 is not your ceiling it wouldn’t be unthinkable for you to reach 5.0 or higher. It all depends on you.
@@Dasato123 Awesome comment, I'll be coming back to this one for a long time. Coaches have messed around with my serve a lot but haven't been coached since entering college so I think it's me reverting to old habits. Thanks for the kind words. Haven't been playing much this year as work has kept me busy (and my tiny Eastern European town doesn't have courts) but your comment made me want to go out and hit a 1000 serves right now. Cheers and thanks for the advice!
I'm super new to tennis, just started taking lessons and playing at a local club. Can someone give me the Reader's Digest/For Dummies version of what I'm looking at here? Like, what is it about MEPs play style that is so "exhausting?" I also watched the "MEP vs Seattle MEP" video and someone commented something along the lines of "to the casual observer, this looks like 2 3.0s (which I assume is a mediocre rating) just hitting the ball around for fun, but when you really look at it you realize how scary it is to have to play against a guy like MEP." What does that mean?
MEP’s tends to win by being super consistent, excellent placement, and being in great shape. Therefore, to win a point against him, you have to be ready for a long, physical match with lots running cause he can hit the ball anywhere on the court. Most players at his level will get tired as the match progress which result in errors. MEP does not have modern technique which makes him fascinating to view. He is able to beat quality opponents with his unique style that no one teaches.
blue needs to work on his volleys, overheads, second serves... and the low backhand... he errors a lot trying to roll it low or slice it.. he should just pick a pattern and stick with it... it would recommend slicing it.. it would help his backhand volleys also.
I don’t think he needs to improve anything except his mental game. He gave into MEPs game after only a couple games. He definitely does not play like this against other opponents. MEP just makes a lot of players look silly.
For younger lad i think if u kept to ur game plan u woulda beat him. Uve got good strokes. I understand 2nd guessin or bein nervous. Keep up the good work
The Guy in ( Blue ) has the pretension of getting to 4.0 NTRP and needs to work on the ( Footwork ) that is the reason ( Blue ) player is getting to the ball too late also his Ball Toss during serving is not tossed to the front where the target is the pronation is necessary to achieve a powerful serve, and pronation in tennis is used to produce more ball spin.
@@TennisTrollChannel A truly" NTRP 4.5 indicates the person is starting to understand and execute the power and spin control shots, has Good shot anticipation, and can consistently hit different strokes while maintaining the pace of the game. Cheers! :)
Confidence is all good! It was a fun experience although I'm disappointed I didn't play as well as I could have. MEP definitely makes you feel like you're fighting an uphill battle from the first point. Maybe I'll get another crack on the channel sometime.
Why would anyone want to play someone like this? I’m experienced enough to know how to beat the pushiest of pushers who ever pushed, but even annihilating someone like that simply isn’t fun. When I was a kid my mom was a pretty serious league player, but her game was very much like this dude’s. I think I was 13 when I finally beat her for the first time after many attempts (6-0, 6-0) and after that I refused to play her ever again. It’s not hard to do once you figure it out, but, again, why would you want to?
Welcome to modern tennis. Where your nice looking strokes mean nothing at the 4.0 level because nobody is good enough to give you enough pace to use them. They run around and bunt-slice the ball back forever with a $220 racquet. It's good exercise, but it's barely tennis.
@@TennisTrollChannel I have to apologize, I take back all previous comments re MEP, I wish I could erase them, in the beginning I was taken back, I thought he was a comedian, I only watched maybe two of his matches, but then after watching 100’s of videos of so many people claiming they are a certain level and hitting the ball as hard as they can and doing things they should not I came back to MEP, and watched a few of his and I discovered he is smart and crafty and I find myself laughing when he plays as he is driving his competitors crazy. MEP deserves honors for tennis channels player of the year. There are 4.5,5.0 players who have huge serves and can hold their own but for some reason I find it boring because they are all in the same mold. MEP stands out. He is the one who was picked last on the varsity team and the hot shots are all coming to the game with the best equipment and trying to hit HR’s, it’s the bottom of the 9th and the score is tied and the coach tells MEP to get up, the team is down one run, MEP works the count, frustrates the top rated pitcher who is headed for a D1 scholarship, he fouls off several pitches the manager goes out to the mound for a discussion the infield comes in the team is yelling ‘come on Rock, this is an easy out, MEP hears this, he uses it to his advantage, he glances down to the 3rd base coach nods his head, the bases are loaded, here comes the pitch, 95 mph to the outside outside corner MEP places his bat on the ball, he connects with a single just over the head of the first baseman, it bounces down the line, the runner scores the fans are screaming the right fielder picks it up and throws a high strike to home, the catcher reaches up, the 3rd base coach waves in the second base runner, he slides under the tag, the team wins, MEP used his brain to win the game. MEP is ‘Rudy’, the team surrounds him, he’s on the back page. MEP is also a nice person. Players like Tom Brady, Federer would love to have MEP on their team. MEP doesn’t power the ball intentionally he is a placement expert. MEP doesn’t care if it looks like a Novak stroke. MEP should be an ambassador to tennis as he brings the game back to what it once once. Bill Tildon and Jack Kramer would appreciate MEP. I don’t really know but I would not be surprised if MEP doesn’t own a tennis bag, and carries one racket to a match. His real love is his family and his passion is tennis. There should be an MEP shop on tennis warehouse. MEP is a unique creation. They should make a movie of MEP qualifying for the US Open and he makes it to the first round, and the tennis world watches the greatest match where MEP brings the worlds number 1 to the brink in a 5 setter. Peyton manning and Eli carry MEP off the court as he gets a standing ovation for 15 minutes.
@@TimTheMusicMan I think TennisWarehouse should sponsor MEP. He plays with their rackets (Prince). In my opinion, MEP is likely the most famous tennis player that currently (emphasize currently) plays with Prince rackets. Someone give him a contract : ] I agree- MEP isn’t the flashy player. He sets out in a mission and gets it done with the tools he have available.
Hello everyone! video is a few days old so I don't know if anyone will see this comment but I am MEP's opponent in this video. And yes, I am in fact a real 4.0/low 4.5 haha. Like I said it's harder than it looks.
Thanks for all the comments, definitely picked up some tips regarding movement and serve from y'all. My footwork has gotten a lot worse and lazier the last few years which I need to unlearn.
Some context regarding the match: I hadn't played for two months leading up to it (was busy with exams and graduating from college) so I wasn't in the best form or fitness, which when playing MEP in the Atlanta heat is killer! But since the channel texted me I jumped at the chance. My decision so I bear the consequences haha. Even if I was in top form I wouldn't have beaten MEP, he is a better player.
Honestly more than fitness I think nerves killed me, I'm usually a consistent counterpuncher with a decent (but certainly not great) net game that grinds people down and plays a lot of cat and mouse points, but I made an insane amount of uncharacteristic UE's (especially off of gimme volleys and returns) and DF's. Being on camera and knowing people would be judging my game got to me to some extent. MEP is also just a much better version of me with less attacking intent.
Like some people have noted, my serve and FH are big weaknesses in my game. I usually only make 2-3 DF's in a match but my serve is not a weapon and it's something I'll be working on. FH is a bit of a lost cause as a dominant shot, it's consistent enough and I use it to set up balls onto my backhand. My doublehander has always been my best shot. Like I said I usually end a lot of points at net which is why I was so disappointed with how poorly I finished short balls, but my footwork is poor there sometimes and MEP always makes you play an extra shot (or three!).
If I were to play MEP again I don't know what I'd do tactics wise. Assuming I was in my best form physically and mentally, I'd probably keep trying to set up points at net and hope my volleys are on that day. I definitely got impatient in some points and either went for too much or bumrushed the net when it wasn't time, especially since MEP was tiring me out and I was feeling the heat early on. I definitely fell into playing MEP's game too much but it's also my game so I'd have to adapt. Margins are so tight when playing MEP and I would have to take chances at game points and not get into a hole early, and especially not by missing easy returns.
That is all! Thanks again everyone and especially the people running the channel for setting this up and MEP for taking the time out of his day to slap me around for an hour. As much as I'd love to play some of y'all (especially those who think I'm not even a 3.5) I won't be back in the USA until July. Working abroad as an English teacher for a year. But if you're in the Atlanta area message me if you want to play a match and maybe we can set something up when I'm back :) Hopefully I'll get a chance for redemption on the channel sometime.
Hey Emil, I remember playing you in the Spring of 2020 for USTA I think, I thought you looked familiar haha. You beat me pretty bad that day! Hope all is going well in school and good to see you getting back on the court between the busy schedule.
it seems like MEP has a tougher time vs. opponents who are comfortable at net. You missed some crucial easy putaways and also let a lot of good chances to close into the net slip away. Groundstrokes are good but I think it'd take a lot more skill and effort to blast MEP off the court.
@@staschristiansen2605 Hey Stas! Funny you recognized me. I remember that match. It was my first one in men's league. I remember thinking how great your strokes looked, even though you didn't have the best match. Biggest thing I remember from that day was how brutal the heat was, I was almost blacking out during those long second set rallies. Hope all is well with you and that we might play again some time when I'm back :)
@@rds4629 Definitely, with my relative lack of power I needed a lot better day at net (and less easy points given up on returns) to win those close games and get myself into the match. Watched a few matches on the channel beforehand and figured going to net was my best way forward but just didn't work out. Wish my touch was better on the day too, I can usually throw in a few good dropshot/lob plays but I got too drawn in playing MEP's game.
Being on camera and knowing the opponent's reputation for death by attrition would be the biggest killer for me personally. I'd be freaking out. It's such a mental thing. It's an unusual situation that changes your whole mindset and I'm sure you'd play better going in again. Good job!
MEP after first game-"I dont know what to expect?" Real thoughts after 4 unforced errors --"next soul to harvest."
when I see a player stop hitting and start playing exactly like MEP during the match I already know he's going to lose
Same here. Once you start playing his game, then it's over.
"Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience." Idk why just made me think of that quote lol
This kid went from loving tennis to hating it in just one hour. And probably won’t get his confidence back for at least a month. Brutal
Might be a switch to pickle ball after that match.
Need to get him on a court with a "normal" 4.5 next, I'd like to see what he could accomplish against the rest of the TT regulars.
@@HeavyTopspin agree. Hopefully can set up some matches for him soon if he’s available.
@@TennisTrollChannel MEP matches are pure gold. Narration too! More often please! 🎉
@@RobBlanzy This game is the presentation of NTRP LEVEL: 3.5 bad Footwork that is the reason they are getting to the ball too late also one player is slicer 3.0 maybe 3.5 not a 4.0 but a 3.5 NTRP. Just saying!!!
i can feel my blood pressure rising just watching this match
As Mike Tyson used to say, "Everybody's got a plan until they get sliced by MEP"
LOL
😂
MEP takes no prisoners. The correlation about the 2nd serves and double faults is too good.
The best is when MEP runs around his backhand and lines up for an inside out slice forehand.
I'm dying 🤣
I play with a guy like this. Honestly, the style of play sucks the life out of me but it keeps me grounded. I'd much rather get beat with heavy kick serves and winners than chase this guy around.
As reported so often, against MEP you need a decent volley and overhead, on top of consistent ground strokes, because otherwise you'll be drawn towards the net time and time again, only to miss those "easy" shots. I thought the opponent had rather good ground strokes, as the rallies took long on average. Unfortunately the net game wasn't there. Then there's the double faults of which MEP makes close to none. I'm not a technical coach but I can see the toss is unstable, the right foot comes across rather than making a pinpoint stance, which reduces the torso rotation and there's the typical slowing down on 2nd serve which reduces stability rather than increasing it.
So yeah, work to do on those serves, volleys and overheads. Props for exposing yourself to us know-it-alls.
I came for MEP serving his usual XL portion of humble pie and for Knotwilg's comment. 😅
Now, on to watch the video. 😁
It's interesting, MEP doesn't punish short balls, as many counterpunchers do. He also doesn't stick to the baseline, which means you can't really overpower him with deep topspin. Probably a combination of slice attack shots, followed by good volleys/overhead smashes is the strategy to use (and, of course, patience and wicked consistency). Use angles when he tries to lure you to the net. But it's all easier said than done!
@@tennisteuton If you watch the people who beat MEP handily, you'll see one big difference. After they hit a big shot away from MEP, they move to the net and wait for the next ball there. That way, they don't allow MEP to buy time and reset the point by hitting a moonball. If MEP hits a moonball, they smash it away.
But baseliners without a good net game, they can't do that. So they feel the pressure to hit a winner from the baseline, which is very hard to do. MEP knows this, so when pressured, he hits a moonball and resets the point. If the opponent keeps trying to hit harder to get a winner, they may get an error instead. So yeah, having a decent net game is very important.
@@ql3670 Good points. I think if you are able to beat Ben, you are able to advance a level.
@@ql3670 ian at Essential Tennis showed what a good net game can do to MEPs game...at least on a fast indoor court without wind or sun.
The reaper has harvested another soul to his collection.
😂
bahahaa
MEP is the greatest recreational player ever! A legend
I still think he is a righty playing as a lefty.. 😂😂
A character for sure
disagree
@@ssenssel He totally is. When it's a crucial point and someone hits a deep wide ball to his lefty "backhand" he adds his natural forehand (right hand) to the grip. I'm not sure why he is doing this lefty thing. I guess so he can say he beat players left-handed. But he's clearly a righty. Maybe it's some weird emotional scar.
@@DNA2000-8bit I play with a guy at my local club who is a lefty but for whatever reason plays with his right hand. Some people brains are wired wrong.. Go figure.
I really thought this kid knew what he was doing after that first point. MEP proved otherwise
Always fun watching an MEP match. This one feels similar to my match against MEP, same score too. Training in NYC at the moment to be ready for a rematch.
What name did you used when you played him?
@@joemarshall4226 I’m sure it was Simon Serves vs MEP
@@SimonServes I never saw that one...I thought I saw them all.....
With the higher resolution video, you can really see the quality of MEP's shots. He's unorthodox, but has pace and cut to his ball.
I like 4.0's fire. He has a great swing, but his grip seems to be terribly off. Check out backhand grip at @11:00. Hands are apart, and choking up on the racket. Or serve grip at @11:18, choking up but also the index finger is pushed down. Seems like that's causing inconsistency. Also is the racket heavy for him? Seems like he's trying to muscle it through the swing? I'm not an expert, but might be a place for 4.0 to look to improve his game.
Great playing guys! Keep it up. Would've loved to see a post match interview and analysis.
When MEP gives you one of his signature slices right in the middle of the court, you have to be able to step up and crush that thing down a line and get to the net. MEP doesn't have the groundstrokes to fend off quality approach shots.
If you can't do this however, MEP is the higher skilled player because of his consistency and control.
I counted 43 UEs from 4.0 (being generous). Across only 14 games, that’s brutal.
In my opinion only, this is what differentiates many 4.0s and 4.5s.
@@TennisTrollChannel yea, kid is a 3.5
@@caioscofield how is he 7-0 at the 4.0 level?
3.5 at best in my area. Goes to show how varied the rating standards can be in different regions. Also could’ve just been a bad day for him 🤷🏻♂️
@@khoadratic exactly. Here in Seattle he'd be 3.5. Nobody sane would give him 4.0 rating with the sheer amount of unforced errors.
Several points: 1). this was by far the best video quality we've seen...a wider angle...almost look like high def. You could really see how quickly Ben's wristy FH goes through that ball, imparting all kinds of spin. 2)The kid should have hit MORE, not fewer, slice forehands. Even when he got his normal FH in the court, it took so much focus and effort that he couldn't direct it well, giving Ben a mid-paced FH down the middle that he could keep attacking in his sleep. When the kid hit his slice FHs in the court, it neutralized what Ben could do and the kid could stay in the rally. 3) The kid has potential for a good net game, which is the best way to beat Ben. It's tough in the wind and the shadows, but I would suggest to keep being net-aggressive, even if you blow a few shots. The more you come in the more consistent you will become. 4). Don't double-fault ...ever...there's no excuse...Ben wasn't attacking your serve anyway. 5) When returning a slice shot with a BH slice, follow through HIGH. You have to think of LIFTING it, even if you don't put as much spin on it. 6) The kid should work on a good drop shot....and some moon balls. Watch old Chris Evert videos.
Oh yeah. We love all the Tennis Troll videos, but watching Ben's matches are by far the most entertaining. Can't we see them more often? He must play at least one singles match per week. It would be great fun to be able to look forward to seeing one every Sunday, or whatever. .....I'm telling you, people are going to be watching these videos for years. Post as many as you can. That's my wish...and I hope they go viral. If I still had my radio show, Ben would be a guest, for sure.....maybe some day.....
@@joemarshall4226 I’m always encouraging MEP to start his own channel. I get it. It’s work to keep a channel going : ]
@@TennisTrollChannel Well thanks for all your hard work. You bring a lot of fun to a lot of people...and great observations about how tennis really is for us hackers. I know i's a lot of work, and we all appreciate it. There must be someone down in "Lanta who could do a channel for Ben....I'm guessing they could monetize it somehow with the entertaining tennis and Ben's charming personality.
All great tips! I usually employ a few slice forehands but looking back you're right, I should have hit even more. Especially since my topspin FH is a weakness and mostly a rally shot which I've always had trouble with. DF's are the most annoying part of this looking back (even more than the UE's at least I was going for shots there). Since I don't have a powerful serve I can usually at least rely on getting them in, but nerves of being on camera got to me I think. My net game is usually better than this but definitely needs work, I need to move through my volleys more I think I go for two many drop and slice volleys. Sucks I couldn't show off my drop shot game which is usually a big part of how I play, I hit a few bad ones early and stopped going for them. Cat and mouse points with MEP felt like a losing battle. Need to be better!
Thanks again for the great advice :)
@@emilzakarian7594 Great observations. It's hard to hit a good drop shot off a heavy slice, you have to reverse the spin. There is a good video on Intuitive Tennis about how to attack a short slice ball with topspin...but it's a difficult skill, especially in the wind and sun or shadows. I just slice them back and approach the net. When you volley a slice drive, it has a tendency to drop down into the net because of the spin. It also has a tendency to rise up as it approaches you. So you have to move into it aggressively, try and catch it in the middle of the strings, and LIFt it by following through higher than normal.
3:15 You just don’t know until you play the man.
11:58 is a good point and it's all high% tennis. If he can play them consistently like this he'll be able to make it close, but it's always fighting an uphill battle against a pusher. Also I think plays like 13:27 are the way to go. Wide top spin shots are the best solution if you don't have a good dropshot imo and he actually did have a lead in the point he just dumped the final volley.
I don’t like pushers but when we keep losing to them, it means we need to learn from them. The ball placement by MEP, his footwork and ridiculous consistency makes him a winner at such a high non-pro level. Respect.
Lol
I think I've watched all the MEP videos and what is impressive is MEP's court coverage and the slice forehand that keeps the ball from rising (I'm adopting that in my game as it is so effective)
And just as his tactical ploy to hit a super high moon ball when he's on the run in order to give him time to get back to the center of the court. A better opponent would smash those moon balls for a winner every time.
I played doubles regularly with a 40 year old gal when I was in my fifties. We won tournaments together. She had been the number one singles player in her HS, even though she had a congenital problem with her ankle that took away her quickness. But she had really good flat strokes on forehand and backhand, she hustled as best she could, and she anticipated very well. She gave good male players a tough singles match right up into her fifties. When she was about 45, she switched to using a predominantly slice BH, hit similarly to Ben's, although she could get down really low and hit FHs from her waist like that. She stuck with it because she said she found that it was more effective than her already very good flat forehand....I don't know why more players don't make it part of their game when it's obviously so effective......it's my main FH, too.
@@joemarshall4226 I know a few people who play this way, and there is a definite drawback - they hit the net a lot.
Pushers like this will make you a so much more of a consistent, better player. The times I’ve improved the most was when I was playing a pusher
The guy in blue clearly has a better two handed backhand than his one handed forehand. Don't see that too often. The right-handed forehand from MEP when he is on the run to his right would just piss me off if I were playing him. That ball just keeps coming back.
Ben might work on heavy backspin drop shots that land near the net. For several years I averaged more than 2 drop shots per year that bounced back over the net. Backspin droppers are effective against baseliners who don't like visiting the net.
Many years ago I took a lesson in which I requested the pro conduct rallies where he hit drop shots to draw me in followed by lobbing over my head. He laughed and then did it. Wore me out right quick.
The first rule of playing MEP is to not play MEP's game. I 100% understand your pain, kid.
Great. Always fun to watch
And that is why he is THE MOST ENJOYABLE PERSON. I’m unsure what a 4.0 really is but you really need to make many more of those shots he missed to be considered a skilled player.
An absolute clinic in how not to beat a pusher. He REFUSED to come into the net.
MEP shows you your weakness, Now the kid knows what he needs to improve. I would love to see MEP harvesting souls in clay.
Clay players are generally more patient as it’s really hard to get a winner. I would say that mep’s best surface is slow hard court
My favorite player (MEP) is back again! One more "champ" humbled 😂
Would love to play against you in Atlanta, Ben!
Cringe
MEP seems like a nice guy.
the soul collector is back!!
Blue shirt is an impressive 3.5. he couldn’t compete with any decent 4.0’s
Can't compete? My brother in christ I've literally never lost a competitive 4.0 match. Unless I've magically been playing all the worst 4.0s in the Atlanta area, I'd say you're a bit off the mark.
@@emilzakarian7594 don't acknowledge chumps like joseppi.
@@emilzakarian7594 good answer. I also think cameras can make strokes look less dynamic and slow when they're clearly not.
The island of lost souls. MEP brings out the worst in decent players. The kid made way to many unforced errors on easy shots. MEP always looks like he's just warming up before a match.
I seriously doubt that any 4.0 player regardless of style can beat MEP. First of all, say whatever you like about rating, but it's tough to beat someone half a level above you. I've been playing for 20+ yrs and don't remember having done that even once in a match that counts. Secondly, 4.0 simply don't have the consistent, mental focus, and stamina to overcome such an unusual but effective style. There are at least half a dozen of 4.0 people claim that they can in every of MEP youtube videos. These folks are, of course, from other states or countries. If they were from Atlanta, they would have tried and knew better.
You need a serve, or a net game, or a forehand, something to hurt MEP with. I've seen some at the 4.5 level sort of overpower MEP. Also those 4.5's can hit 6 to 8 balls or more in a row before making an error. The 4.0 may not have a shot that is a weapon to win points with or consistency.
There was a 4.0 (Essential Tennis channel) that beat MEP before. Anyone can have good and bad days. Also, different regions can have some slight differences in competitiveness too. 4.0 in one area may be a little more competitive than 4.0 in another.
It depends on whether that 4.0 has the particular skill set needed. There are many kinds of 4.0’s. Baseliners/ counter-punchers/ pushers/ would have a low chance of beating him. But a 4.0 who makes a living off of excellent approach shots and net game/ overhead would be MEP’s kryptonite.
i love how MEP is playing to the stat that most games are won thru opponent errors. he DOESN'T even have a proper forehand shot, it's all lobs and slice forehands 😁 amazing tbh
Entertaining match. MEP simply doesn't miss many balls and he places it well. I didn't count but USTA 4.0 made about 5 errors for every 1 error by MEP. The USTA 4.0 is going after his shots a bit more though. I would encourage USTA 4.0 to simply stick with his game and work on reducing errors while staying aggressive. USTA 4.0 could add a bit more spin to both serves and work on his net game to improve his chances against a steady player. A slice approach shot would help too.
I agree as I believe consistency is the difference between 4.0 and 4.5.
Dude seriously idk what's going with ntep ratings but in our area the 4.0 is a solid 3.0 and he would get bageled hard in 3.5 tournaments.
I doubt that.
@@TennisTrollChannel its true. You can get rated for 4.5 but in competition those guys would be playing at 3.5 level. In tournaments ratings get deflated so when someone says they're 3.5 you never know
@@trex1448 if a 4.5 is sandbagging as a 3.5, that’s lame.
@@trex1448 MEP has won several 4.5 leagues and went to finals of a sectional 4.5 tournament. He’s record proves that he is a legit 4.5 and he’s proved it in match play on this channel as well as other channels.
@@TennisTrollChannel i know I was talking about the other guy. I actually think the ntrp ranking are ridiculously underrated in my area. The 3.5's tournament level players can easily get rated at 4.5 imo but they deflate ratings for competition.
My right eye is starting to twitch watching this…
After the first game, I'm betting on MEP to take it 6-0, 6-0. Kid, when you're sucking this badly, just go for it. You've really got nothing to lose because you're gonna get bageled anyway. At least, go down swinging!
He's consistent at what he does. The opponents have to be consistent at what they do otherwise they'll lose. I play a pusher and lose half the time although I believe I'm technically much better. I have shots he doesn't have but I can't consistently produce them especially in pressure situations. Pushers teach you that if you have a big repertoire of shots you'd better be consistent at all of them! This is difficult for club players who don't train everyday. The pushers have less shots but are consistent at all of them.
Ben is not generationalist. He destroys players of all ages groups.
4.0's second set was better but I suggest:
1. Serve returns are way too conservative - too many down the middle (esp. on MEPs 2nd serve) - need to go down the line or in the corners, with pace, if possible (I did this recently and the pusher was totally put off his game). If he catches on and you see him leaning down the line, you go for the opposite corner.
2. Need to learn the slice serve to move MEP off the court then go for the opposite corner to start the point with more serves that land in that magic 2ft area from the service or sideline / center line.
3. Need more backhand slice shots (esp. deep, kniving slices and drop shots) - your balls were mostly too high playing into MEPs strengths
4. As mentioned, more work on volleys / overheads
Overall, however, an entertaining match.
Agree on points 1,2,4. I think the volley game being better would open up a serve volley which I use heavily against pushers and then returns down the line, come into the net. Keeping the points nice and short. I really like the use of heavy forehand/backhand but needed to be used a bit more to move MEP around instead of down the middle
Thank you UD Racing for the stats! www.tennisbull.com/match/2334
Is MEP based in Atlanta area? Can I challenge him? 😂 I’ll be in town the week of thanksgiving. I’d love the challenge.
@@DoodleBotTennis send an email and let’s discuss: TennisTrollChannel@gmail.com
I can't believe he's 7-0 and was bumped up into a 4.5 lol. He ended up playing your game style which he shouldn't have and he never even tried to change anything in the second set.
He's young, has some pretty nice strokes overall, and it looks like he's prepared for pace and topspin... unfortunately, those are two things that Ben never gives. Most of his errors come from waiting on the ball, or having to adjust his shots for the various types of spin MEP imparts. Although he's definitely going to have to improve that serve to survive at the 4.5 level; you NEED to be able hit the occasional ace and get free points at that level. Even at 4.0 that serve is a liability though.
How is he 7-0 and bumped up with that net game, wow.
@@HeavyTopspin Buddy what does being young have to do with any of this? We are talking about in this moment right now. I've seen 4.0's that would not be doing what he did. I guess I'm a 5.0 then.
@@AkatsukiShadow Youth = inexperience in dealing with the various types of "crafty old man tennis". As for whether he's a legit 4.0, you're qualified to speak on the matter as soon as you yourself get on the court with MEP.
@@AkatsukiShadow Again, rating somebody because of their performance against MEP is meaningless. Reach out to Troll, I'm sure he'd be happy to set you up on a court with Ben to let you prove how much better you are than this player.
4.0 has a good ground game, but a stronger net game is needed to take out MEP.
Third point of his first service game MEP chipped and charged. Hello I thought this looks interesting! Unfortunately he lost the point and that was that, he never tried it again. 😊
Was that an ace I saw or are my eyes deceiving me??
Players like MEP good defensive player you have to make him pay for his lack of depth and pace. Keep the ball deep and don't over play approach shots. The balls are not moving that fast so you have to generate pace on your volleys. Hit high percentage cross court backhands forehands. Expect and play for short balls and drop shots. Don't drop shot because he is coming forward and anticipates well. Make him hit passing shots and lobs. Control the return with high percentage returns cross court and down the middle. Make you easy shots or bunnies to make him think he has to do more with the ball. He can run all day: make him but he has no shots that he can hit by you from baseline or short. Just be solidly aggressive and keep the pressure on him to come up with the goods. I have played many players like him and I know what beats them.
First, the blue player need a split step, which will improve his footwork. Second he need focus on his 2nd serve. He gave a lot of free points due to the double faults and returns. His level is 4.0 for sure, but he exposed his inconsistence when play with MEP.
Well, 4.0 played better in the second set, especially initially. But, to really challenge MEP, he would need a true offensive weapon and/or better shot tolerance. The kid just made too many errors... On the other hand, he did play some good points, as well. Just not enough...
I wonder how many souls MEP will take in 2024?
MEP BABY! Dude has been haunting ATL based tennis players for years. They have nightmares about him. As far as rec tennis goes, he is the GOAT.
I agree with MEP mostly except his remarks on Pickleball. Why can't we all get along? My primary sport is tennis but I also play pickleball on the side and it is a lot of fun, especially when I bring tennis tactics in it and frustrate the opponents.
I have nothing against Pickleball per se, but I will go to my grave believing Pickleball and Pickleball lines don't belong on tennis courts. I think Pickleball and tennis players should align to advocate for distinct spaces for their respective activities.
@@MEPTennis yes agree there. It is becoming a popular enough sport to warrant its own facilities rather than invade the others.
It looks like the more you want to win, the more you will lose against MEP.
The USTA 4.0 player lacks understanding where to recover after he hits his ground strokes (he recovers 90% back to middle even though he hits cross court and down the line) and he never ever split steps (so he’s always off balance and never ready for the next shot).
No way the guy you played is a 4.0 player. He is maybe a 3.5 player with no real weapons. A 4.0 player doesn’t make this many mistakes when there is absolutely no pressure on his serve or ground strokes. Playing a older guy, is a big advantage if he would have made you run and bend more, this was a classic example of a hacker just hacking away on the ball, and a baseline player that should have come into the net more and take the ball in the air. Great video and happy you posted this lesson for the rest of us to learn from.
The pressure may be from recording for a TH-cam Channel and knowing thousands will watch.
MEP rocks!
I thought the kid had a chance after the first point. But it went downhill from there.
A 4.0 that doesn’t split step….
Bruh the back of MEP’s neck is sunburnt af
Funny : ]
the poor kid got dragged into play MEP style, that's why he lost confidence and the game. He needs a better game plan, for example, keep hitting high topspin ball to MEP's backhand, save energy, don't try to kill every shot, He really needs to improve his slice shots, too easy for MEP to give back another shot, no pace ball.
Kid in blue had some decent groundstrokes when he wasn't trying to play like MEP. Unfortunately boy blue had no serve or net skills. Looks like he had no game plan.
I’m 16 and around a 4.0-4.5 and I can say that if I played this guy I would have a tough time Iv never in my life seen such an unorthodox style would be a bitch to play completely different bounce and everything
This dude is tough to beat. Your going to get into some long rallies and you’re going to hit shots from very awkward places on the court. With MEP you spend have your time in no man’s land.
It will never work if you start to play the slice game against MEP. Wait for his short slices, hit groundstrokes to the corners, and go to the net to finish the point. The 4.0's net game, both volley and overheads, was so poor that he lost more points when approaching the net. Keep playing the right way even though you may lose many matches against defensive players. Your game will pick up eventually and you will be glad to beat those all-day slicers.
classic off hand underhand spin?
I can not understand why a legit 4.0 stops playing "normal" tennis and starts trying to play like MEP. Hard to watch
Not a 4.0
Another soul for mep😂
This kid is more like a 3.0 haha
If not 2.5
Not 0.5?
@@TennisTrollChannel Lol… seems like it 😅
Hitting off your back foot against his weak balls. Use your feet, be aggressive, hit off your front foot and keep head still through contact. It’s easy to pull off those girly shots, so you have to make sure you stay closed and don’t look up until the ball leaves your strings. It’s tough to do, but can dust these guys once you learn to beat them with your feet . It’s all below the ankles.
i'm sure this has been asked before but--has mep every broken a string?
Good question : ] I don't think it has been asked.
Just imagine if MEP improved his footwork and strokes.
MEP is playing playing pickleball on a tennis court
How does MEP or any other pusher know that their opponent will eventually screw it up?😅 How is he confidently pushing the ball back?
Players are always looking for a weakness. If I’m playing someone and notices he may miss after 5 shots, I’m going to do everything I can to extend rallies.
MEP is playing like how I play at a local tournament in society 😂😂
Still it doesn’t affect my actual game that much 😁
Love the guy in green shirt's game. Think he would be tough on clay. I used to play with someone that played like that. He won almost all his 4.0 matches because everybody would over hit against him. He got bumped up to 4.5 in Texas. Which effectively ended his USTA like me. BTW He only won about 1/25 sets against me but I knew how to play him. All you can do against players like that is attack. I have never been a big hitter either which bothers pushers.
Another One Bites The Dust and gets MEP'ed
13:30 Is he seriously trying to give a clinic on this
4.0 has reportedly quit tennis and started his career in pickleball
Holy unforced errors Batman! Maybe nerves, but 4.0's should not be missing so much on relatively easy balls... Or maybe MEP is just that nasty??
He's nasty..especially in the wind.
Like the 4.0 said, it's a lot harder than it looks.
this is 3.5, not higher
MEPs playing style aside the bottom line is a veteran 4.5 who is also a veteran TH-cam match player is playing a young 4.0 who has probably never been on TH-cam. This outcome is hardly out of the ordinary.
When I watch MEP a part of me feels sad for the wasted potential that is being displayed. MEPs mental focus and athletic ability could easily have had him playing at the 5.0 level or maybe even higher. Many people think he lacks athletic ability. Watch his first step, it doesn’t have any of the lag you often see in poor movers. The bottom line is he runs down a lot of balls. You can’t be a athletic klutz and do this. Look closely, MEP consistently takes a split step as his opponent hits the ball. Even those really subtle ones that only good players do. The 4.0 kid still hasn’t learned to take a split step yet and is often caught flat footed because of this. Because of his good footwork the first time that I saw MEP play I used to think MEP was a 5.0 player that was faking having a lower level game. That gives me a good idea for a vid. Troll should make a vid in which he asks a 5.0 player to to try and look like a beginner tennis player but still win a match easily. The 5.0 player would end up looking a great deal like MEP in both technique and strategy. But sadly he’s not faking it 4.5 is his ceiling. He can’t compete at the higher levels because those players have competent put away shots, strategies and a level of tennis savvy that is equal or greater than his own. Just being consistent and not being able to pressure them in anyway won’t cut it. In a alternate universe there’s a Ben who learned conventional strokes and played division 1 college tennis. He’s not a well known TH-cam tennis player but he plays at a higher level than 4.5. But then again that universe would lack one of the most entertaining TH-cam tennis players imaginable. This is the best of all possible worlds for us.
Quick tip to 4.0: watch any pro serving. Focus on their toss arm. It will be straight up and look like they’re stretching to reach even higher. The toss arm starts the kinetic chain. It’s forcefully moved before the racket arm. In slow motion vids it will “motion blur” almost as much as the racket arm. Your toss arm barely reaches the level of your chin. You may think this is a unimportant tip. But ask yourself why would all those pros have this in common if it wasn’t important? Your still going to have to figure out how to incorporate it into your motion. The rest of your service mechanics are actually quite good. This one big flaw is robbing you of a great deal or racket head speed. My only goal here is to point out a short coming that has to be changed if your serve is to develop to its full potential.
Thank you for the serve and movement tips, definitely could take a page from MEP's book regarding consistent split steps. My serve mechanics are garbage and I fall into bad habits, will absolutely try what you're suggesting.
Your way to hard on yourself. The rest of your service motion is quite good. Way above average for a 4.0. It’s just missing a important part. The fact that you or a coach haven’t picked up on you not doing something that all good servers do is a bit concerning . Your strokes still need refinement. This can only happen if you first identify shortcomings in technique and then correct them. You gotta study yourself and get to know what your actually doing.
Remember as unsophisticated as MEPs strokes look he truly “owns” them meaning he can produce them under pressure. Your not quite there yet but with time and experience it’s almost inevitable that you will start to own your shots more. One thing that you can do to speed this up is practicing against the wall on a regular basis. Can you actually hit 10 forehands or backhands in a row within a 2 foot target? How about 20? It’s not glamorous or social so the majority of tennis players abandon the wall once they get past complete beginner status. On more than one occasion I’ve had complete strangers ask me why was I hitting against the wall? As if I didn’t belong there. It was so odd for them to see a non beginner there. The wall is actually the most efficient use of your time in terms of the volume of balls you can hit in a given period of time. It even beats a ball machine. No lengthy stops to collect balls and reload the machine. And unlike a hitting partner you can experiment at will with no pressure to maintain a rally since your not obligated to anyone. You can stop at any time and just “think” about why something happened. Take a minute. Take 15 minutes. Maybe you hit a backhand that felt smoother than normal that propelled the ball more efficiently. You can stop think and analyze this mutant backhand and figure out what you did differently and then replicate the change and see if your theory is correct. Or if you hit a really bad backhand you can analyze why it was so bad (was the preparation bad? Did you have a different grip? Were your arms tightened too much?) and then make a mental note not to repeat the cause. There’s no shot in tennis that you can’t practice against the wall. It’s the basketball equivalent of a player alone in a gym shooting baskets. He may be working on a new move or shot. He might be working on correcting a flaw in a existing shot or just reinforcing a shot to make something he’s good at even better.
There are stories that Larry Bird would not leave basketball practice until he made 100 free throws in a row. Why would he bother? He never has to shoot more than two in a row in a game. It’s because he wanted to own the shot. Not only did it develop his muscle memory for the free throw but in the back of his mind he knew that he could easily make a hundred free throws in a row in practice. When he stepped up to the free throw line in a game those practice free throws helped him both mentally and physically.
A good vid for you to watch is the the one where MEP plays a 12 or 13 year old. Spoiler alert. MEP loses badly. This kid is half MEPs weight and maybe a foot shorter. But he’s been trained properly so has an answer for MEPs tactics. MEP on the other had has no “B” game to fall back on so he can’t counter the kids tactics. The important thing for you to take note of when watching this vid is that there is not a single thing that the kid does that you can’t do. He never hit with a pace on his ground strokes or serve that you can’t match. He didn’t have more raw foot speed than you . Although his tennis foot work is better. You have more reach and probably more raw strength in every area.
The differences between you and him that allowed him to beat MEP handily were 1) He owned his shots. Under pressure his technique did not break down. When MEP hit a soft high short ball the kid treated it like the uncontested layup that it was and calmly hit it deep to a corner. Didn’t try for too much, just hit at a pace that he knew he could reproduce 10 times in a row. 2) better footwork. His use of a split step was wonderful to see. The use of a split step and crossover step makes a great difference in the ability of a person to accelerate and move to the direction of the ball immediately. Once you start using a split step properly you’ll curse yourself for not learning it sooner. 3) His strategy was sound and well executed. When attacking he would hit deep or hit short. Kept the ball out of mid court. If MEP stood behind the baseline to far in anticipation of a deep shot the kid would hit a drop shot or short angle to force MEP to run forward. If MEP stood in no man’s land to anticipate a drop shot the kid would hit deep. MEP was trapped between a rock and a hard place. The tables were turned. The kid controlled MEPs movement, really just with placement. He never displayed any above average pace. 4) the kid had savvy. He was observant. He recognized situations where it was likely that MEP would hit a drop shot and watched MEPs racket preparation for signs he was getting ready to hit a drop shot. Because of this he was rarely hurt by MEP s drop shot.
It’s almost inevitable that in a few years that you’ll be a 4.5. Where in that level you’ll dwell is up to you. Remember every level has its bottom dwellers. Another thing you can do to advance your tennis journey is to do some off court training. A little running, movement drills and a weight lifting go a long way in tennis because so few players actually do any of those things on a regular basis and to a meaningful degree. Having more pure athletic ability never hurts. Remember 4.5 is not your ceiling it wouldn’t be unthinkable for you to reach 5.0 or higher. It all depends on you.
@@Dasato123 Awesome comment, I'll be coming back to this one for a long time. Coaches have messed around with my serve a lot but haven't been coached since entering college so I think it's me reverting to old habits. Thanks for the kind words. Haven't been playing much this year as work has kept me busy (and my tiny Eastern European town doesn't have courts) but your comment made me want to go out and hit a 1000 serves right now. Cheers and thanks for the advice!
What's Mep's rank?
MEP's dropshot is destructive
I'm super new to tennis, just started taking lessons and playing at a local club.
Can someone give me the Reader's Digest/For Dummies version of what I'm looking at here? Like, what is it about MEPs play style that is so "exhausting?"
I also watched the "MEP vs Seattle MEP" video and someone commented something along the lines of "to the casual observer, this looks like 2 3.0s (which I assume is a mediocre rating) just hitting the ball around for fun, but when you really look at it you realize how scary it is to have to play against a guy like MEP." What does that mean?
MEP’s tends to win by being super consistent, excellent placement, and being in great shape. Therefore, to win a point against him, you have to be ready for a long, physical match with lots running cause he can hit the ball anywhere on the court. Most players at his level will get tired as the match progress which result in errors. MEP does not have modern technique which makes him fascinating to view. He is able to beat quality opponents with his unique style that no one teaches.
blue needs to work on his volleys, overheads, second serves... and the low backhand... he errors a lot trying to roll it low or slice it.. he should just pick a pattern and stick with it... it would recommend slicing it.. it would help his backhand volleys also.
I don’t think he needs to improve anything except his mental game. He gave into MEPs game after only a couple games. He definitely does not play like this against other opponents. MEP just makes a lot of players look silly.
For younger lad i think if u kept to ur game plan u woulda beat him. Uve got good strokes. I understand 2nd guessin or bein nervous. Keep up the good work
The Guy in ( Blue ) has the pretension of getting to 4.0 NTRP and needs to work on the ( Footwork ) that is the reason ( Blue ) player is getting to the ball too late also his Ball Toss during serving is not tossed to the front where the target is the pronation is necessary to achieve a powerful serve, and pronation in tennis is used to produce more ball spin.
Meant 4.5?
@@TennisTrollChannel A truly" NTRP 4.5 indicates the person is starting to understand and execute the power and spin control shots, has Good shot anticipation, and can consistently hit different strokes while maintaining the pace of the game. Cheers! :)
@@johndonneshow6212 thank you for verifying.
Pure drives are hard to keep in the court.
Hopefully that young buck keeps his confidence. Its just one match. Practice makes consistency!!!
I saw him at the pickleball court right after this game. (jk)
Confidence is all good! It was a fun experience although I'm disappointed I didn't play as well as I could have. MEP definitely makes you feel like you're fighting an uphill battle from the first point. Maybe I'll get another crack on the channel sometime.
He said they're probably pickleball owners 🤣
Why would anyone want to play someone like this? I’m experienced enough to know how to beat the pushiest of pushers who ever pushed, but even annihilating someone like that simply isn’t fun. When I was a kid my mom was a pretty serious league player, but her game was very much like this dude’s. I think I was 13 when I finally beat her for the first time after many attempts (6-0, 6-0) and after that I refused to play her ever again. It’s not hard to do once you figure it out, but, again, why would you want to?
Good practice.
I think MEP should now directly take on Carlos Alcaraz. Lets settle the "how good is MEP" debate once and for all!!
Welcome to modern tennis. Where your nice looking strokes mean nothing at the 4.0 level because nobody is good enough to give you enough pace to use them. They run around and bunt-slice the ball back forever with a $220 racquet. It's good exercise, but it's barely tennis.
MEP has that craftiness and tennis smarts that produces a lot of wins, it proves my point that you do not have to be real athletic to win in tennis.
From your previous comments, I would have guessed MEP would be someone you prefer to watch. He’s not your typical baseline machine.
@@TennisTrollChannel I have to apologize, I take back all previous comments re MEP, I wish I could erase them, in the beginning I was taken back, I thought he was a comedian, I only watched maybe two of his matches, but then after watching 100’s of videos of so many people claiming they are a certain level and hitting the ball as hard as they can and doing things they should not I came back to MEP, and watched a few of his and I discovered he is smart and crafty and I find myself laughing when he plays as he is driving his competitors crazy. MEP deserves honors for tennis channels player of the year. There are 4.5,5.0 players who have huge serves and can hold their own but for some reason I find it boring because they are all in the same mold. MEP stands out. He is the one who was picked last on the varsity team and the hot shots are all coming to the game with the best equipment and trying to hit HR’s, it’s the bottom of the 9th and the score is tied and the coach tells MEP to get up, the team is down one run, MEP works the count, frustrates the top rated pitcher who is headed for a D1 scholarship, he fouls off several pitches the manager goes out to the mound for a discussion the infield comes in the team is yelling ‘come on Rock, this is an easy out, MEP hears this, he uses it to his advantage, he glances down to the 3rd base coach nods his head, the bases are loaded, here comes the pitch, 95 mph to the outside outside corner MEP places his bat on the ball, he connects with a single just over the head of the first baseman, it bounces down the line, the runner scores the fans are screaming the right fielder picks it up and throws a high strike to home, the catcher reaches up, the 3rd base coach waves in the second base runner, he slides under the tag, the team wins, MEP used his brain to win the game. MEP is ‘Rudy’, the team surrounds him, he’s on the back page. MEP is also a nice person. Players like Tom Brady, Federer would love to have MEP on their team. MEP doesn’t power the ball intentionally he is a placement expert. MEP doesn’t care if it looks like a Novak stroke. MEP should be an ambassador to tennis as he brings the game back to what it once once. Bill Tildon and Jack Kramer would appreciate MEP. I don’t really know but I would not be surprised if MEP doesn’t own a tennis bag, and carries one racket to a match. His real love is his family and his passion is tennis. There should be an MEP shop on tennis warehouse. MEP is a unique creation. They should make a movie of MEP qualifying for the US Open and he makes it to the first round, and the tennis world watches the greatest match where MEP brings the worlds number 1 to the brink in a 5 setter. Peyton manning and Eli carry MEP off the court as he gets a standing ovation for 15 minutes.
@@TimTheMusicMan I think TennisWarehouse should sponsor MEP. He plays with their rackets (Prince). In my opinion, MEP is likely the most famous tennis player that currently (emphasize currently) plays with Prince rackets. Someone give him a contract : ] I agree- MEP isn’t the flashy player. He sets out in a mission and gets it done with the tools he have available.
@@TennisTrollChannel he’s great. He’s the Rudy of the tennis world.
These vides just tell me the ranking system in tennis is about as accurate as golf handicaps.
There is no way either of those two are 4.0 players. No chance.
You are correct. They are 4.5 players.
@@TennisTrollChannel haha. more like 3.0 players
@@edwardpavone550 nope. 4.5.
@@edwardpavone550 you're embarrassing yourself
Not happy when the pickleball players are using up my public courts, forcing me to wait to use a tennis court that I would like to play "TENNIS" on.