Whether you play league tennis or tournaments, you will always find opponents better than you, and opponents worse than you. How do you decide what playing level is right for you?
A good indicator of your playing level is the NTRP rating system. If you don't have an NTRP rating, call your local club or USTA section office and ask about any upcoming rating session they may have scheduled. The cost is minimal, and the rating will allow you to participate on USTA league teams.
Regardless of what your NTRP rating says, there are certain days when you will be "on", and some days when nothing works. You may lose to lower-ranked opponents, and occasionally beat higher-ranked opponents. Over time, you can track your match statistics to help you determine the right playing level for you.
One of the most common complaints from players of all levels is that they often struggle against "lesser" players. Sometimes referred to as "pushers", they usually hit soft balls without much pace, tempting you to overhit. At the end of the match, you can't figure out what happened, except that you have been beaten by a lesser player.
From juniors through adult level competition, many tennis players feel the need to "play up". This means you enter tournaments, or play league, at a level higher than you actually are. By doing this, you take all the pressure off yourself because there is no expectation to win, and you get a chance to play better opponents.
Playing up is often more fun than playing against opponents at your same level because you get a more consistent ball, and often hit with more pace. Beware that when you do "play up", you aren't necessarily improving your game. It can actually be detrimental to your tennis if you continually lose against these higher ranked players because you aren't forced to construct points and find ways to win.
If you don't like playing opponents at your level, and lower, because they don't hit hard and often win due to your errors, you should really resist the desire to "play up". If you can't beat these players, how are you going to consistently beat players rated higher than you? What you should focus on is improving your game and finding a way to beat players of all abilities. Challenge yourself to beat these players in straight sets, without losing your serve or giving up more than a few unforced errors.
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