Junior Hackers are 18 years old and younger. They are generally called “Pushers.” Don’t worry parents. This does not mean that your children are drug dealers. I assume that they are called Pushers because they tend to “Push” at the ball rather than stroke it. Junior Pushers will probably grow up to be adult Hackers as that is their fate and destiny.
I find it amusing to go to Junior Tennis Tournaments and ask a Junior player, why he thinks he lost his match? I almost always get the same answer. “I lost to a as if the loss does not count because they lost to a “Pusher”! I don’t get it. A whoopin is a whoopin to me. I try not to laugh when I hear that lame excuse over and over. When I press them to be more specific, I usually get, “All they do is push the ball back.” Hello? Isn’t that the object of tennis to get the ball back over the net one more time than your opponent? My final answer is YES IT IS!
The term “Dinker” generally refers to senior citizens, about 60 years old & up. I suppose they are called “Dinkers” because they have lost a lot of their mobility and they therefore tend to “Dink” the ball. It is safe to assume that adult “Hackers” will become “Dinkers” when they turn about 60 years old.
Why the different titles? I have no clue, but Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers basically play the same type of game. They all seem to get the ball back on a consistent basis, and that tends to annoy their opponents. Why? My final answer is I DON’T KNOW!
But please beware that you can be called a Hacker, Pusher or Dinker regardless of your age. I have been call all three names on many occasions. Did I care? My final answer is NO!
Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers are also sometimes called “Retrievers” because they just get the ball back. I can still recall the whoopin I gave the fool who called me a good retriever. I did not appreciate being called a dog, so I gave him an extra good whoopin for being disrespectful to a Superior tennis player.
Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers are easy to spot. They generally do not have proper form or technique and have funny looking strokes. But they still manage to somehow consistently get the ball over the net. There are two basic types of Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers. The Country Club types that wear the top name brands and latest styles in tennis attire and those that look like they just got off the banana boat. They say clothes make the man, but a Hacker, Pusher or Dinker is a Hacker, Pusher or Dinker no matter what outfit they wear.
Tennis racket manufacturers love Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers because they tend to have the latest rackets on the market and are always talking about the new racket that they are about to buy.
Many Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers are still in the closet and are unwilling to admit to their orientation. I hope that my book will encourage and motivate them to come out of the closet and take pride in being one of us.
Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers will do or buy almost anything that promises to improve their game. They are always only one tennis lesson away from an Andre Agassi forehand or Steffi Graf backhand. They fantasize they could be playing on center court at the US Open, if they only would have gotten into tennis as youngsters. I know I could have.
I’ve heard sports commentators say that without fans there would be no professional Football, Baseball or Basketball. I saw without Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers, there would be no professional tennis. The tournament sponsors put up the big prize money only because they want to reach the millions of Hackers, Pushers & Dinkers who must buy most of the tennis clothes and equipment.
A Non-Hacker, Non-Pusher or Non-Dinker is generally a tennis player who was trained early on as a youngster on proper tennis form and technique. As noted earlier, some people are genetically disposed to become Hackers, Pushers or Dinkers. It does not matter at what age they get into tennis or how many tennis lessons they take. I am a good example of one because tennis lessons were not able to help me.
There is only one feeling known to mankind that is better than Defeating a Better Tennis Player! If you do not know what it is, you have my sincere sympathy.
Please note that if you have received an NTRP rating, it does not mean that you cannot defeat higher rated players. Despite great intentions, the NTRP rating system cannot rate or measure the size of a Hacker, Pusher or Dinker’s heart. It also cannot measure a player’s desire, determination, attitude, tenacity, consistency or his ability to think and adjust his game on the court.
These are the characteristics that separate the Champions from the pretenders and the first round losers. You must develop these character traits if you desire to become like you want your opponents to know that you will fight like a pissed off Pit Bull for every point.
Remember that my principles apply to all Tennis Players regardless of their Age of level of play. Even Non-Hackers, Non-Pushers and Non Dinkers can learn from my book if their egos will allow them to learn from:
The Hacker, Pusher & Dinker From Hell.
I Guarantee It!
CHAPTER 2
DESIRE TO WIN
In this book, I will repeatedly make use of quotes to emphasize a theory or concept.
QUOTE #3
“WINNING IS NOT EVERYTHING.
IT’S THE ONLY THING.”
QUOTE #4
“WINNING IS NOT EVERYTHING,
BUT WANTING TO WIN IS.”
QUOTE #5
“THE GAME IS NOT OVER UNTIL I WIN.”
QUOTE #6
“IF I DIDN’T WIN, THE GAME IS NOT OVER.”
To become like The Hacker, Pusher & Dinker From Hell, you must want to win. This concept seems simple enough, but in the competitive world of tennis, there are countless levels of players who are ready, willing and able to give you a serious whoopin! They enjoy demolishing your ego and making you realize how low you rate on the Totem Pole of Tennis.
You must decide for yourself how serious you are about your game. The answer lies in the extent of your desire to win.
If your goal is to just beat your neighborhood buddy, then probably a minimal amount of desire is necessary.
But if your goal is to reach your full potential and possibly dominate all players at your local club, neighborhood or the world, then an increased amount of desire is going to be needed.
Please note that there is a direct correlation between your desire to win and any improvement in your game. The more you desire to win, the more you shall improve. Why? My final answer is if you really desire to win, you will get tired of getting whooped on and be motivated to work on your game. Vice versa, if you have no desire to win, then getting whooped on does not bother you, and you are a loser. Just kidding, but somebody has to be the whoopin boy.
There is also a direct correlation between improvement and winning. It’s a simple fact that the more you improve, the more often you will win. But always remember, no matter how much you improve or how good you think you have become, there will always be a better tennis player on the next court ready,