MEP vs Ian - NTRP 4.5 Match Play (Part 2)
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
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Ian came out with a plan to take on MEP and he executed it aggressively and nearly perfect. He decided won after 2 sets, but Ben was not done with Ian yet, he wanted more. In this bonus set of internet tennis titans, who will be the last one standing?
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Thanks again to Ian, Mark, and Scott for indulging my request for a third set. That allowed my the freedom to step outside my comfort zone in the 3rd set. While the score may not have reflected it, I felt good about trying to be more aggressive and seeing what's possible. Playing indoors really highlighted for me how I can't always rely on stamina winning the day. Since I've been back in Atlanta, I have tried to play in a way the retains the best of what got me where I am, minimizes the worst, and helps foster further improvement. I've also made some significant changes as a result of this experience and some others leading up to it. To wit:
-I've switched racquets, from my 10 year old Prince Air O TT Bandit (primary) and Warrior 107 (blue/backup) to the Prince Phantom 305x. Stubborn as I am, I have always convinced myself that there were plenty of things that *I* could be improving internally before my equipment ever became a limiting factor in my success. While that is still true to a large extent, after being told my Bandit had been "strung for the last time" I decided to explore a change of both racquets and weight. Racquet weight was never something I considered for the longest time, so I was largely ignorant of any potential benefits. It has been a significant change going from a 270g frame to 320g, and it's still a work in progress, but the early returns (so to speak) are promising. I can achieve the same or better depth as before even if I swing later/slower, and the heavier racquet does not seem to have affected my control.
-I've make a stronger commitment to developing the serve that Pete at Crunch Time Coaching taught me. Although it was 6 months ago, and I WANTED to incorporate it more, the motions just weren't clicking for me. I've always been what I call a "light bulb" learner, where I either grasp something new immediately, or a long time passes before it clicks into place. I've never been good at learning things in a linear progression. I don't want to jinx myself, but something has changed in the past couple weeks where the new service motion feels so much more natural. My serve has gotten faster, with more bite. I'm hoping this continues and that I can make my serve a reasonable weapon.
-I'm coming to the net more and being more willing to hit overheads. I didn't realize how unwieldy my old racquet felt on OH (thus my Frankenstein-esque technique on them) until I switched racquets. I'm not saying I'm suddenly going to start hitting overheads like Ian, or even an average 4.5, but I feel a lot more comfortable and confident trying them now. The new racquet also feels much more stable in my hands when I try to volley.
I'm sure there are many other things in my game I should try to develop further, but those are my areas of focus for now. Thank you all for the constructive feedback you have given; it's been really helpful in trying to decide where to focus my attention.
I’m not at your level, but I do pretty well with a very defensive style. It’s super hard to change, and when I’ve tried to be more aggressive, my results suffer and I revert back to my old ways. I imagine for someone who is already so successful change could be hard, wish you luck.
Mechanics will come, I think you should focus your attention in taunts and trash talk. You have untapped potential to get in someone’s head not just with your unorthodox playing style, but your sinister dark side. The more people hate you, the more pressure they will feel to beat you.
@@Wannabe-Pro How did I know that you would make a suggestion along these lines? ;)
It's been surreal watching the build up and the journeys everyone has taken to get to this point. Whatever content you + the rest make I'm following.
I would be very interested to see these matches played in Atlanta. Dealing with the wind and sun makes Ben's lobbing strategy so much more effective. Add into his slices in the wind and you may see a different result.
as he said, would have liked to see this matchup outdoors. the thing with players like these is that him putting his tennis online is one of the biggest disadvantages he can give to himself because part of his strength is the element of surprise
The advantage/disadvantage was equal RE matches online. There's more of me out there than him.
The next most anticipated match of the year: Ben and Ian rematch in Atlanta!
💯
As a dork who watches way too much tennis on UA-cam (ATP and amateurs alike), thank you so much guys for posting fun matches like this. I really enjoy watching other people play and trying to pick up tips on how to better keep my shots on the court. I'm barely good enough yet to employ strategies but I started playing again after 20 years and I'm getting there. I'm still at the point where I'm playing guys (and winning more than I should) just focusing on hitting my baseline shots to safe spots on the court.
I'm also a big fan of MEP. Call his style whatever you want, but beating a guy who doesn't make errors and hits superb passing shots is not fun. Ian played great but he was breathing hard.
Just want to say that this whole Ben series has been, not only very entertaining to watch, but also very instructional and eye opening. These matches really open up all the different dimensions in tennis: lateral, heights, spins, depth, time; and only demonstrates how much footwork, positioning, court coverage is all about. You could tense up everytime anyone took a risk 'cause it could really go anyone's way and Ben's ability to hang in there while bringing out the best out of their opponents is just remarkable. (I do think everyone played amazing, even when at times it might've felt like you weren't).
This started as a "tennis journey" type of content but I really think it turned out to be a masterclass in strategy and mental fortitude. *clap clap clap*. I feel my entire take on tennis has shifted thanks to this! for the better!
I really like the match recordings, especially those with Ben (MEP). I respect Ben’s game and because of these videos I’ve had the chance to evaluate the good things that he does. Watching Ben play, and how he deals with power players is very instructive. Conversely, I like seeing how Ben’s opponents deal with his style of play.
Ben’s good qualities:
1. He is a relentless competitor. No matter what the score you know he is going to keep coming at you and figuring things out.
2. He has amazing stamina. No matter who he is playing, he always seems to have more energy than is opponent by the end of the first set.
3. He has a very low number of unforced errors, but don’t let that fool you. He does hit a fair amount of winners. A lot of his winners are lobs. He is really good at getting lobs deep.
4. Ben has a wide variety of shots he mixes spin, pace, height, and depth, and he does not easily telegraph his shots. He often fools his opponents
5. Ben does not serve many aces, but his serves are so good that even the best players can very seldom take advance of them and of course, he rarely double-faults.
6. Ben is mentally very tough. Nothing gets him excited. Nothing rattles him. He’s solid
7. Ben is a good guy, a good person and a credit to the tennis community. He brings different and fun style to the court.
Thanks to Ian at @EssentialTennis, @MEPtennis, @PlayYourCourt and to @TennisTroll for bringing Ben and the other great players to UA-cam for all of us to watch and learn from.
Except maybe he needs a haircut and a razor
Thank you so much for making this series happen. And big thanks to all that participated, sharing their thoughts and tactics.
To me the big take-away is the following:
the matches ranging from Sean, Topher, Scott and Ian show _exactly_ how much effort and what skill level is needed to defeat a player like Ben. It's easy to think you just have to be aggressive with your FH to win against Ben, but Scott shows how many great shots you have to make in a row to make that strategy work. And he has a great serve to leverage his serve +1 . Ian shows how strong you have at the net, and on overhead, to take advantage of Ben's lobs and slices.
Ben can tie one solid shot after another if he is not pressed. Most 4.0s struggle to consistently string 3-5 good shots together. Those who belittle his game probably have little to no experience with this type of player match wise, or overestimate their own level. Against this type of player, you have to earn each point, which is exactly what has been show here imo. Thanks again.
Jean, thanks for sharing your thoughts and following along!
I think you win the internet with this comment, perfect summarization.
Ben didn't tire out Ian as he usually does with his opponents. It speaks to Ian's strategy of going to the net and not getting into long rallies with Ben. Both Ben and Ian are surprisingly swift on their feet and efficient in movement. So very impressed with both of them. Great match. Enjoyed every minute.
Agreed!! Totally on point!
Glad you enjoyed it Dropshot!
Ben's a classy guy with the disposition of a calm bulldog. He's the definition of the player who's always looking for the opening in his opponents game, a way through. It will be interesting to see how his game further evolves. Ian just played so solid, stayed on game plan, a real psychological feat when confronted with Ben's unorthodox, relentless skillset. Thanks for posting these great matches.
💯💯
I don't remember the last tennis match that I watched that made me feel amazed, laughed hard with the commentators (love you both Scott and Mark...you guys are awesome), appreciated the sportsmanship that was authentic, made me feel like I'm at the courts myself, and was left with the best aftertaste possible with the experience.
Thank you Ian, ET team, and ET superheroes for making this happen, time and time again.
Platinum content, Diamond production. Cheers!
Thanks so much for the kind words and support! We're glad you enjoyed it
@@EssentialTennis All the blessings.
@@EssentialTennis Ian, on a side note...Have you guys considered a ref to keep the scores (or maybe even question the at times erroneous "out" calls, as you play the games? It must be challenging to keep score as you're playing.
Thoroughly enjoyed this series! Thanks Ian, Ben, and Essential Tennis for setting all this up. Ben displayed absolute sportsmanship and class. Not sure how else to say thanks, so I made a donation to the Georgia Tennis Foundation
Glad to hear it!
Ian, you have hit upon a really interesting idea showcasing players from different areas of the country. League players get so excited about going to sectionals or nationals and you can create that excitement on your own. Start creating tourneys and charging entry fees. Great content. Ben is a true sportsman and gentleman. He has my full respect.
I love this channel,very informative and after playing for 50 yrs. I have learned a lot from you guys that I have already reaped the benefits from,I’m so tickled at 66 I’m still improving! Thanks for the matches!
Glad you're enjoying it Scotti!
Hi Scotty I thoroughly agree, at 57 I am just a kid to you maybe we could.play sometime,(in the next 10 or so years) best wishes from Ireland
Thanks for having Ben come over. I would have never known what a great competitor and an engaging person he is without this series.
Thanks to all involved for making this happen! Hats off to Ben for traveling and playing, it wouldn’t be easy. As someone who plays a significant amount indoor and outdoor tennis they are complete different animals. Ben’s style is much better suited for the outdoor environment. He might still lose, but the points will be much tougher. I enjoyed watching everyone play - kudos guys...
We appreciate the appreciation!
The best match was Ben and Topher, it was amazing. Scott and Ian were definitely the cream of the crop, close to 5.0, if not there already. Ben is extremely tough, but you can take him out of his comfort zone with aggressive tactics and executing your put away shots. Congrats to all participants for giving us some very good tennis to watch. 👍👏🎾
Appreciate the support!
💯💯
Ben seems like such a great guy. This was very enjoyable and Ian has become really good. Well done to everyone involved.
He's a really great guy!
The problem for MEP is everyone now knows what to expect. He's probably the most studied player on UA-cam. In the past, he had the advantage of being an unknown with a completely different style. And that probably won him a lot of matches. But I think Ben will start improving. In this match, you even see him hitting the two-handed backhand with some pace. And he's got to improve the overhead.
But back in the beginning of this, when I saw Sean giving MEP problems, I predicted MEP would only win 1, and lose 3. It's not just the court. It's that Ian is coaching everyone to attack and prepare for the particular style. That's a lot harder in league play. For example, Tennis Troll has a super heavy top spin game that would be very different, and you can't spend all your time preparing for one type of player.
By the way, both Scott and Ian are former college tennis players. In past videos on this channel, Ian has labeled himself a 5.0 player.
I think MEP will always be the bane of recreational players who started late. But he will struggle against players who grew up playing tennis.
Knowledge is definitely a weapon!
Agree in principal, however Ben is new to tennis and has adapted and improved quickly. He split steps during rallies but receives serve flat footed, his serve needs and can prove. He needs to sometimes take the 3/4 length balls earlier or Volley them. And finally lower the passing shots,.too many are at shoulder height for the volley. These should happen as he naturally adapts. His emotional balance and mental strength are incredible weapons.
Agree, both Scott and Ian are happy playing the type of ball Ben hit because it allows them to hit the shot they want and either transition to net or hit an offensive shot. Basically both have the skill to end points. Where players struggle with Ben is when they can’t not volley, hit a dependable overhead or have solid groundstrokes. Those are usually the shots that a lot inexperience 4.5s lack especially in singles.
@@MAELOB Only solid groundstrokes are not enough. TennisTroll has more than solid groundstrokes, but has almost no penetration or power on them. His loopy slow topspin FH is a very safe shot, but in the same time shot that you can't make a winner with and that players like Ben can return back the whole day long.
@@perakojot6524 agree need to put him under pressure for sure
What an incredible journey has been, we learned a lot.
Although the match was more one sided, MEP exposure to playing indoors is good for him to play better, his physical endurance is just amazing.
Keep those matches coming.
Agreed!
Congrats on the win Ian. You're looking great out on the court post injury! Ben is a class act. Super nice guy! I really enjoyed all of the matches involving Ben, and I hope you guys can make the trip to Atlanta happen. Thanks again for all of your hard work ET.
Appreciated!
Thoroughly enjoyed that match, and huge respect to Ben for playing all these matches in a really short space of time. Congrats to Ian as well, thought he played so so smart throughout. Great stuff all round.
🙏🙏
Congratulations Ian and Essential Tennis. A brilliant series of matches from Sean and Topher through to Scott and finally a masterful performance from Ian in the final match. Ben is a fantastic guy - clever and funny. I think Mark and Scott should also be commended for their intelligent and insightful commentary. Really enjoyable set of matches.I think it shows the way forward for producing amateur tennis content. Great work!! Billy
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Great match and great series. Congratulations to ET and the players. The Topher v Ben match was particularly memorable and made for brilliant viewing. Hats off to Ben for taking on four players in three days 😅
What a nice little bonus. Thank you. When Ian was down 0-2 and looked like he was going to lose the 3rd game, I felt like I was watching myself and I was actually feeling that old familiar self doubt and stress that I do so often. Then, Ian wins 6 games straight while Ben seemed to be upping his game. Nice save, Ian.
I am not that familiar with the Tennis Troll guys, but personally I would like to see an across the pond challenge with the Top Tennis Training guys.
Appreciate it!
Ian your game is a beauty to watch when those forehand approach shots are clicking. Also, your serve motion is very eye pleasing :)
Appreciated!
Just think how different this all would have played out if Mark hadn't broken Ian's ankle! Probably would have been a one and done match and everyone would have moved on. Instead we have been treated to a masterpiece! Well done to everyone and I can't wait to see what comes next!
True!
This is the beauty of Tennis ... Friendships and Gentlemanly Attitudes keep up the great work and looking forward for more matches and Atlanta Bound Tennis for sure!!! Awesome job everyone!
Brilliant!
Can't wait for Ian in Atlanta. My only hope to get better is to play like Ben. Thanks for showcasing a great alternative way to play.
I love Ben's openness and honesty as well as his demeanor whether winning or losing.
Right!
Ben, Thank you so much for such a great effort and such a great attitude. It's easy to preach "forget the last shot, focus only on each point" but you play it. I love that you always believe you will wear down and figure out each opponent, yet you are gracious when you don't win. A true competitor respects their opponent and the game. I was lucky to meet Arthur Ashe at the Quantico tennis courts after his US Open win 14-12, 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Such an inspiration when no one thought he had a chance (he was still an amateur and it was the start of the Open Era and Rod Laver was the number 1 seed). Ian and everyone at Essential Tennis, you are the best example of what tennis and all sports competition should be. I especially enjoyed Topher's match because Ben matched up well against him. Thanks again and I can't wait for ATL.
🙏🙏
Wow, there is someone older than me (I assume) on here! I saw Arthur Ashe play once near the end of his career at a tournament they used to hold in Columbus at the Buckeye Boys Ranch. Also saw Stan Smith there playing doubles, Jimmy Connors one year won the tournament (of course made far more with appearance money than he did the tournement winner's check).
Great match. Great series. Thanks to Ben for going to Milwaukee so we could watch all of the great content.
Thanks for watching and for your support!
Ben is an awesome sport for playing 4 matches. great matches. Ben has a hilarious sense of humor and was enjoyable to watch. would love to see him on ET in the future. 👌🏻
yeah we would!! 💯
you're the man Ben! 4 matches in 3 days of high quality tennis. Thank you Ben!
💯💯
Adding on to the level comparison in ATL vs Milwaukee and any other area... I think Scott made the point I would have made. The more people you have in an area - the truer the ratings will be. It heavily depends on the level that is top heavy in the area you are in. There are former top 500 players I see swinging on the public courts here regularly and there are SOOO many 3.0-5.0 players across the board here. That's just ATL. SOOO many people at every level. To get a good sense of your 4.5's vs ours you would need to pit some of our "high 4.5's" against you guys. Some of the matches I want to see: (just off the top of my head any of these would be fun to watch)
- Troll vs Mark. Troll vs Scott. Troll vs Ian.
- Two Handed FH/BH vs Mark.
- Pure Tennis Sense vs Scott
- Pure Tennis Sense/Tennis Psycho vs Scott/whoever Scott wants to play with.
- Wanna be pro vs. anyone
- Boss of ATL vs Ian
- Maelstrom vs anyone
--Me vs. anyone that wants to kick my butt :)
"Wanna be pro vs. anyone"
Guaranteed to be entertaining 😂
@@EssentialTennis EXACTLY!
1st time seeing Ben using double handed backhand and its quite good..keep it up!
Thank you to Ben and the whole ET team!!
Gosh, this was just SUCH an entertaining experience, all the way around. So impressive from EVERYONE! Thank you so much for making this possible!
🙏
Attended to all the matches, & yes, Ben, you are a phenomenal player. "Taking you where you don't wanna go" is a testament to resiliency & resolve. I have an awesome respect for that level of mental discipline, and the bar is obviously set pretty high, for all the players in these matches.
Now, looking forward to the Atlanta venue, later this year (hopefully). Let's see how this competition fares in The Great Outdoors!
I think one thing that helped Ian , is that Ben didn’t have any elements in his favor , wind. Sun , just the variables of playing outside. I’m not saying Ben would have won or Ian would have lost but I think the match would have been a lot tighter.
Just thinking out loud about pairings I'd like to see in Atlanta:
Ian vs Tennis Troll -- the captains duke it out
Topher vs MEP -- rematch of the century
Pure Tennis Sense vs Scott -- counterpuncher vs aggressive S&V
Mark vs Wannabe Pro -- turn up the volume, and wickedly funny confessionals
And while we're waiting, a doubles match with Mark & Scott vs Ira & Ian.
But honestly any combination will do!
Can we all now agree how important developing sound fundamentals are?
Agreed
It's not important for tennis in the park and international fame.
@@Floodland-bn3ol well it's important for us in the tennis community who want to improve and play play better tennis
@@edwardgrunder5628 hehehe good luck with that
@@Floodland-bn3ol so glad you've figured it all out ..
Thank you guys for putting together these series of matches with Ben. They were very entertaining to watch and I really enjoyed Ben's words of wisdom. I definitely could use to incorporate that type of mentality into my game. And to hear Ian drop a couple of F bombs made my day! 😂
Appreciate the love
With respect to Ben's "3.0 strokes" I notice that when he does hit through the ball (e.g. on a passing shot) his forehand technique reminds me of that of John MacEnroe -- which is really is deserving of respect. In his day, MacEnroe beat more powerful players on all surfaces, but especially fast ones.
In the days before NTRP there were A (4.0-4.5), B (3.0-3.5) and C (2.0-2.5) players. Pushers dominated the B and C levels, whereas the A players tended to serve-and-volley. A tennis magazine article written by one B player told how his coach trained him to beat his pusher pal by working on approach, volley and overhead. Not only did he start to beat him regularly, but it forced his friend to start hitting deeper, which meant hitting harder and risking more errors (i.e. being less of a pusher). That sort of predicted Ian's success against Ben by using his excellent net game.
However, I think of one of today's power baseliners wants to beat Ben he should try to rush in on every floater and hit swinging topspin drive-volleys. He'd have to be ready to hit more than one to win the point, because Ben might guess right and be there waiting, but Ben couldn't cover all of them. Ben might pass when he guesses right, but he'd lose when he guesses wrong, and the points would be shorter.
But as long as the opponent lets those floating chops land, floating chops hit with steadiness are going to be effective. The junk-baller is always going to have time to get back into position.
Appreciated
This was an amzing series !!!! Big thanks to all the people involved in it ! Special thanks to Ben to expose himself like that, huge respect
Appreciate the love!
Ben you are the man! Thank you for great insight before and after match. Great match Ian, so smartly planned and executed.
Thank you for the kind words!
Kudos to MEP and everyone involved for making this so entertaining. I know it will be difficult to coordinate but I hope we get a crossover series this summer. Seems like Scott already has his eyes set on a particular opponent, I'd like to see that in singles.
We definitely hope to continue the story soon!
🙏🙏💯
As an Atlantan, I'd like to say that Ian is right. I play 3.0-3.5 and I've faced players at Topher's level regularly in USTA league/ladder matches. Sandbagging is also a major issue as well, as I've run into former collegiate players trying to play at 3.0 (granted they did get caught and DQ'd a year later).
💯🙏
Why would they even bother with that? Is it fun to beat up on low-level players?
*Match Stats*
*Set 3*
*MEP*
*Aces:* 0
*DF's:* 0
*1st Serve In %:* 85.7%
*1st Serve Win %:* 50%
*2nd Serve Win %:* 0%
*Return Win %:* 41.4%
*Winners:* 3
*FH:* 1
*BH:* 2
*Unforced Errors:* 3
*FH:* 3
*BH:* 1
*Net Points Won:* 3/5
*Break Points Won:* 1/5
*Total points Won:* 24
----------------------------------------------------------------------
*Ian*
*Aces:* 0
*DF's:* 1
*1st Serve In %:* 65.5%
*1st Serve Win %:* 73.7%
*2nd Serve Win %:* 30%
*Return Win %:* 53.6%
*Winners:* 15
*FH:* 10
*BH:* 5
*Unforced Errors:* 11
*FH:* 7
*BH:* 4
*Net Points Won:* 10/14
*Break Points Won:* 3/6
*Total points Won:* 33
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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As I predicted in the last video, with a dip in form of Ian's serve at the start of the set, Ben managed to give himself an opportunity to take the lead. Ian quickly recovered however, breaking back. Something i did notice was that Ben attempted and was highly successful with the passing shot and lower balls when Ian approached the net, not lobbing as often, forcing Ian to come up with some very good drop volleys. I will say this though, take away a little bit of luck Ian had with the net cords, Ben may have managed to come out of the tough situation he was in where he was broken back. Some great lobs and passing shots from Ben and Ian this set. Greatful they played a third.
Brilliant. My hitting partner and I (Merrow tennis club, UK!) were talking about this a lot today. Very informative and I've learned a lot about tactics. Thank you!
Glad to hear!!
My suggestion for MEP - just work on your net game. Your "chopping" skills on your groundstrokes transition well to volley technique. Just close the net more. Ian was just "in the zone" the whole match. Preparation and in-game tactics paid off. Great match and production! 👍
Thanks Coach Adrian!
It is clear that I could never beat Ben, even in my 4.5 days. The only way to train is to hit against a wall for 10 hours a day. Both of you are rockstars! Thanks for sharing this experience.
A new product now available ... "MEP Rescue" ... a sleek and stylish oxygen delivery system that can be discreetly utilized on change overs.
😂
Awesome content. First of its kind on UA-cam. You guys r class.
We appreciate that!
Post-match review was quite informative and revealing. I have always known Atlanta metro as having the most competitive and active section on a per-capita basis in North America. Needless to say Southern California and South Florida are at the top of the food chain. Not by population however. I would rank the Bay Area and New York metro as the best of the 2nd tier on a non-adjusted basis. The Dallas metro area is also quite strong. What I never knew was that Atlanta metro's outsized reputation comes from doubles not singles. Thanks for the thoughtful discussion ET.
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Well done guys. I'm UK based but one day we'll make this some international tournament. Would love to see how all of you compete on grass!!!
Thanks for the support JN!
You said grass? Oh God please take me in 😂
Well, this was epic! Ben's mental strength is elite level, I am sure there are some ATP / WTA players who are paying their psychologists to get them to somewhere halfway to Ben's level!! A great lesson to just play each point as it comes and not let the emotions run riot! I'd love to see an ET Atlanta road trip, what about:
Tennis Troll vs Mark
Scott v D1 Smooth or maybe ATP points, I reckon Scott can handle the firepower =)
Ian vs MEP (rematch on home turf)
Looking forward to it!
Ben you are a true gentlemen and well played. How good is Scott!! That is high level tennis from where I sit. Working from home in Australia I found myself itching to watch the videos. What a great concept Ian. Thinking about doing something similar down "here" ("under" seems like a cliché that's had its day)
💯🙏
A whole group of new friends - very nice, thanks!
Absolutely, thanks for watching!
Thanks a lot for this series of MEP games. I loved it and turned a huge MEP’s fan. I think his style will be dominating in ATP soon, this new wave has just started.
What I noticed:
1. Ian seams heavy. Not only in a serve, heavy in general.
2. MEP could have beaten Ian if he was a bit luckier.
3. No double faults if I’m not mistaken that Ian made is impressive, really, especially in light every time Ian served I thought that would be a fault.
4. Despite MEP lost he was able to impose his game to Ian. This is what he was not able to do in mach vs Scot.
So glad you enjoyed it!
And it's all over now, I feel slightly deflated, it was an awesome saga though! Thank you ET for this awesome content. I've learnt alot about MEP, it's been nice to see his other sides and well played to all who stepped out on court. Lastly Ian, that was an awesome performance, you really did execute your game plan to the highest ability. 👍🏻✌🏻🎊 🥂
It was a saga for the ages haha
Ben - Win or lose, I found your mental resilience and positive mental attitude inspiring. What's your advice for players who end up beating themselves with negative thoughts and frustration?
1) Try to keeps things in perspective. What's the worst that can happen if you lose the match? It's probably not nearly as bad as you are imagining.
2) Try to treat each point as a separate event. Let go of whatever negative feelings you have after losing a point, and focus your attention on your plan to win the next point.
3) Try to determine the source of your frustration, and figure out if it's something you can control in the moment. If it's your own strokes, that's one thing. You may just be having a bad day. It happens. It's ok to cut yourself some slack But if your frustration is based on a flawed perception of how you "should" be doing ("I should crush this guy, he's a Pusher)Pusher") try purge that mindset, not just during a match, but before you ever step on the court. Assuming you should be having success because of how your opponent plays, rather than how you play, is a recipe for defeat.
@@MEPTennis Thanks, Ben. Probably some good life advice on there, too.
Love the mentality from Ben. Never too late to try something new.
Never to late!
Ben (MEP) is clearly evolving. He's going for 2 handed backhand winners, approaching the next and putting something extra on the serve. I have to say I'm impressed and after he works on his transition and net game will be very formidable.
The new racquet seems to let him hit out more with control so it's going to let him grow more than with a light and powerful frame.
Great footwork by Ian (very calm and precise). I also noticed his use of the inside-out forehand on Ben's serve.
I love MEP's determination. True love for the sport and ya love to see it.
Absolutely! 🔥💪
I think Ben did incredibly well here. Not only was the indoor court a disadvantage but playing 4 matches in 3 days was too much. Also playing Ian last played into his hands as he had already analysed the TennisTroll videos and had seen him play 3 matches live. However Ben has learned a lot from this and will make the necessary improvements to beat these guy’s on his home patch.
PS Ben don’t let TennisTroll put too many videos of your new technique up beforehand. 😉
Appreciate you taking the time to enjoy our content, and playing 4 matches in 3 days is a lot!
Best out of 17?! This series is gonna last 2 years 😂
😂
Was waiting for Ian to hit the kneeling overhead. Ian had an opportunity in the 3rd game of the last set.
Would have loved to! 😆💪
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I’d love to see Adam v MEP in singles outdoors!
How to two defensive players decide who will be offensive?
We might run out of memory cards!
Also, on a clay court 😃
Props to Ian for the win. His serve was ON and it seemed to put Ben often flat footed. Props to Ben for making the trek up there.👍🏽
Ben is the friend who after you beat him at FIFA all night, shouts “one more game one more game”!!!... at 2am.
😆
Huge advantage for Ian being in the "booth" watching Ben's previous 3 matches. Big advantage for Topher commentating Sean's match as well. I need to know how many double faults Ben had total.
Watching and analyzing your opponent is definitely a bonus!
I agree somewhat. If Ian had played the first match against Ben eople would say he hadn't time to adjust to the indoor court.
All the more reason to tell the negative folks that whether Ben is or is not the ATP type stroke developer, he is legit and with some tweaks, he can be much more effective with his defensive style.
@@-Munditimum- Thinking that Ben can be much more efficient with his defensive style is just wishful thinking. There is nothing factual to back that one up.
Ben can gain the most by transforming his shots. Serve first. But that's an immense task for a guy at his age and shot technique.
@@perakojot6524 We have to remember that tennis games are still largely won by the opponent making more errors. Much of that can be either/or mental and physical fatigue. If you're a good enough defensive player and can outlast an offensive player utilizing neutralizing shots, it is possible. You're right however, I do not have stats or facts about it since he will probably be one of very few of his kind at higher levels, but we have to remember firstly that he already beats 4.5 level players and secondly, there is always a first for any idea. I think anyone at his age level, being fit and willing, can over-ride and reprogram neuropathways and learn something new. Yes it takes work, but it's certainly possible.
I found these matches very instructive. I think my take away is that you can never spend too much time on your overheads. They are harder than they look but whether you are putting the point away or just pressuring your opponent to hit a longer higher lob (possibly out) or a tougher passing shot, a good overhead is worth practicing.
We here at ET are glad to hear that! We appreciate that you invest your time in our content! Have a great one mate!
6:09 I got a chuckle out of seeing that point in the intro and was wondering when it would happen in the match! 🤣
Haha glad to hear!
I wish you two had kept playing. But I understand Ian's reluctance. From what I've heard, Ben's record in best of 7 matches is unmatched.
💯
Nice job on the result and the production!
Appreciated
Ian this series of games you and the crew have invented are probably the best I have seem. It is pure tennis drama at its best
Love Ben!
Ian being an actual tennis coach able to manifest his own advice is great demonstration of his coaching competantcy. IMO being able to beat green shirt players is what makes most 4.0's able to advance to a 4.5...This match is the encyclopedia for how to beat slicers/pushers/master defenders/irritating -mentally-draining opponents. Ian did so very respectfully and I feel way more ready to takle my next green shirt opponent.
Awesome stuff ET. Just disappointing to see Ian not hit his backhands as much. Been working on it for a long time and would have been nice to see it in use 😊
I would have liked to use them more, but back to work I go!
Yes! Mark, Ian, Scott in ATL, I definitely want to see. If Cole or Topher can make it, that's icing on the cake. As for the Atlanteans, I really want to see Orange shirt vs Mark. Would be fun to see if Mark can outtroll the Tennis Troll with trash talk during the match. Cmon we all do it lol
That would be awesome! Hopefully we can get a group together to go down there
Cole is a level above Scott and Marc and probably 2 levels above Ian. There is no guy in TennisTroll crew that wouldn't be double bagled with ease by Cole.
@@perakojot6524 Maybe, maybe not... they have quite a diverse group down there, including some 5.0s (Boss of Atlanta to wit). This whole buildup has me browsing the TT universe. They have some very good players down there. If the ET team goes there with the conquerors from the north mentality, competing on unfamiliar ground and "environmental variables", I am pretty certain there will be surprises. Game on!
Great 🎾 match! Well worth the wait
Thank you for documenting the journey
Learn a lot.
👍🙏👏
Cheers!
A decent net rusher is the scissors to a defensive players paper. With Ben's lobs being off indoors, it was a tough ask.
🙏🙏💯
I hope to at least upgrade to laminated paper before we play again, maybe then I can offer more resistance :)
Yes, but what's the rock?
Simple explanation, Ben's playstyle has a ceiling which should cause absolutely no trouble to competent aggressive players as has been demonstrated in the last 2 matches.
Yeah. Although conditions matter. Ben on clay would be much tougher I think. His short slices would almost die in midcourt, and it would be hard to swing with aggression at them.
He's a living execution test. You have to be able to hit at least passable aggressive shots and finish at the net to win. If you can do that consistently, it's not that close. If you can't, you're in for a long day. I'm honestly surprised he does so well at 4.5 in his area because I would think the stronger 4.5 singles players could all handle it but obviously not.
I agree with you in some cases! I think Ben can still be successful at a high level with some minor tweaks!
@@EssentialTennis obviously i mean the problem is he is only realistically hitting slow slices that are just wanting to be hit by players like you and scott. If he developed some traditional techniques his game could go next level because he has the fitness. Imagine a ben that rallies normally as he does now but pulls the trigger on loose ball but he wont go further if his game stays as one dimensional as it is right now.
@@grimson sure they matter like he could beat sean more soundly in atalanta and even against topher he had mps so he obviously can beat him and if the conditions are in his favour even more so. But honestly that's it he cant overturn a double bagel and a 0 3 2 score in a 5 setter because the surface wasnt the problem there his style was. Also clay could be a double edged sword as his balls would be slow but what makes slices often difficult to hit is that they stay low and on clay the bounce is obviously higher thus making for easier balls to put away but sure it would be interesting.
Atlanta had a USTA reckoning just before Covid. I was on a 4.5 team that had 16 of the 19 members moved to 5.0. There have been no adjustments since Covid, so there are quite a few 4.75 players at 5.0 these days.
Can't wait for Atlanta! I'd like to see Ian v. Wannabe Pro, Scott v. Tennis Troll, Mark v. Two-Handed Forehand, and Topher v. Ben rematch!
We'd love to make it there!
That's a pretty good lineup, but I think I'd prefer Wannabe Pro vs. Mark for the bweh on bweh content.
@@zigawesome9893 wanna be pro is a tricky opponent, but my money is on Mark for this matchup.
Awesome match(es) from ET! Ian, it's been nice seeing you use your topspin backhand - it looks great and you look confident using it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Are we crowdfunding Ian vs. Troll yet? In ATL? Because that clearly needs to happen.
🙏🙏
Yea and Scott or mark vs wannabe pro or lefty righty, us open John, etc.
@@tim1778 We basically need to create a barnstorming league. Kidding, not kidding.
Great series. Thanks for uploading!
Of course! Thanks for watching!
Many times after USTA matches, opponents have asked to play for fun. Even if I won the match quickly, I never do as well in the "bonus set" and probably lose more than I win. It's so hard to get back up and take it seriously.
Brilliant!
A brilliant series - thanks very much to everyone!
Thanks for watching Alex!
I would like to see Ian play against Pete from crunch time coaching!! That would be a good matchup!!
💯
Another match of two lefties.
Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen Pete play any matches, he just drills specific shots, which he's good at. What's his movement on court look like?
So one thing I hadn't considered earlier in this series - the "confessionals" definitely make a difference. Just like Topher taking extra time between points, the extended break on the changeovers definitely gave Ian a chance to negate the "Exhausting" part of playing against Ben. I'm not saying that the results would have changed otherwise, you'd see Ian going from panting for breath to calm within the time at the confessional cam, and that really is one thing you notice in Ben's Atlanta opponents - the hangdog posture and dead legs by the time the match is over.
Thanks for watching!
@@EssentialTennis Gotta say, these last two weeks have been some of the best tennis content ever on UA-cam, and can't wait to watch you guys down in Atlanta.
Ben was very very tired after playing those tough matches back to back. A fresh match would be more true to the skill Ben has. He did not complain but he was tired.
I think it is still understated here that this court and environment basically takes away all of Ben's weapons that he uses to win most of his matches. Playing him on a sunny, hot and humid, windy day on slow court in ATL would be my worst nightmare as a former 4.5 player from California (Two knee surgeries has limited me to only doubles these days).
It would be interesting to see an analysis of how you chose volley placements (angles, drops, hitting behind etc). It didn't seem like Ian followed Wardlaw directionals but it was very effective. BTW if you guys play them in Atlanta, I suggest recording the vids and then start announcing/teasing it when you're ready to put out the vids... so you don't get people frustrated
Brilliantly
Ben's a beautiful human. Huge love to you Ben from Canada.
Would love to see RE-Match in Atlanta!
We’d love to make that happen!
great series! love it, bring on Atlanta!
🙏🏽🙏🏽💯
Ian wins in straight sets w/ a bagel.
Ben: "and I took that personally"
😂😂