Bend your knees

Prepare early, keep you eyes on the ball, swing and follow through.  Reduce unforced errors. Stay alert for two hours. These are the things I tell myself on the way to the courts, in no particular order.  And as I stretch and warm up.  It’s a wonder I get the ball across, given all these self-reminders.  I guess muscle memory helps – all those hours of hitting the ball with ‘marks’.

I’m very fond of tennis and I’m enjoying playing while I still can.  My strenuous days are numbered, as I will inevitably slow down. I will no longer be able to chase or hit the ball with as much force as I like. There’s already the occasional twinge in my right knee.

Anyway, today I played very well – everything came together in the doubles: never losing sight of the ball and the rest of the drill.  I made forehand winners on the run several times; my backhand topspin actually worked, scoring a couple of winners too.  My volleying was also good.  Overall, only a few errors.  Bragging? Slight but it is just so totally satisfying.  Sa singles, I lost the first set but I was leading in the second when we stopped.  It feels so great I’d like to play again tomorrow although I doubt I’d play as well.

In the brief times that balls were being handed over to the server, I was looking at the shirtless athletes parading and momentarily stopping to watch the ongoing tennis games   – outstanding eye candy in the early morning.  Several had kroma around their waists.  In the next court, there was a thirty something Chinito daddy.

And it wasn’t hot., the weather I mean.  Perfect playing conditions.  A first-rate beginning for a Thursday.