I am lower-mid tier duel player (or used to be so till everyone got better :P). These days I don't find duel interesting at all, I dont get any better with each duel I play, I pretty much know every regular quakelive duel players in NA, their styles, their strengths and weaknesses. Even before I start a match I pretty much can tell whom I can beat easily, who I will give a hard time to but will fail to win since they have 10 percent better lg/rail or superior +back and will find a situation to exploit that to fullest, and which will totally decimate me. As a result I dont find duel interesting anymore, I have tried to play more methodically sometimes i.e. actually trying to time by clock and not by feel but patience does not last more than 5 mins when I am raping or getting raped either way.

I am assuming the only way to get better is to play objectively instead of subjectively that is not care who I am playing, he is better than me or not and just concentrate on the map and the ongoing match but I find exceedingly hard to do that, as a result duel has become boring and I find hopping into some random CA server more rewarding in terms of pleasure, and the occasional pickup in the pickup channel. I know for sure there are many others out there who feel the exact same way, i.e. have found their limitations and dont know how to get past that, any tips on how to make duel interesting again will be appreciated. Mind that I am not trying to be a competitive dueler, my interest in quake is entirely casual, just how to make the casual duel games to feel pleasurable in some way or other.

yea, yea I am aware that this sounds like some kind of midlife crisis in terms of quake but any advice is welcome.