Alv's Álfheimr

Tennis and Me

Hmmmm, what can I say? Picked up the sport 4 years ago when I was 16 simply because I like the sound of the ball coming off the racket face. Before I know it, I had already joined the club for tennis nuts. Started learning to play the game by ‘trail and error’. That is borrowing books from the library and trying out the ‘theory’ taught. Spent hours on the court against the back wall working on my groundstrokes. It wasn’t until I got into the 2nd year in Ngee Ann that I joined the Tennis Club and had my first tennis lesson. Though it was a group thing, I still managed to learn and weekly playing with the club players did play a part in honing my strokes.

At that point in time, I was attending an AOG church. My cell group leader just can’t see eye to eye with my tennis and me. According to him, I was putting tennis as a priority higher then God. *Guilty Grinz* All I cared then, was to improve my backhand and work on my serve.

Anyway, that was the time when I was really CRAZY about tennis. Began to follow the ATP league and the Grand Slams, purchased apparels, shoes, bags, rackets, balls, wraps, magazines etc. I practically, eat, sleep, and drink tennis. That was all that matters then. What’s with tennis? It is just the joy of outplaying your opponent, moving him from coast to coast, attacking his second serve, making him run for a drop shot before throwing a lob over his head and see him desperately trying to hit an overhead, hitting an approach shot before finishing off the point at the net and the adrenaline rush when you ace him. To top it off, there is always the ‘come on’ cries and fist pumping action to celebrate the winners. *Grinz*

Well, during my attachment period, I went for one to one lesson with my coach, and it was during this period of time where I brought my game up to another level. Unfortunately, not high enough to beat my opponent, a 15-year-old German kid, in the STA Immediate Open Tournament. But enough to be a reserve player in the varsity team in my last semester. Oh well, can’t expect me to be better than players who have been training since they are 5 right.

4 years down the road, tennis has changed from being my life to part of my life. I still enjoy playing tennis, but I guess the craze has died down. If I love tennis, then I can’t love God. During my tennis craze period, my walk with God was really terrible. Right now, I am not going to make that mistake again.

Tennis is a sport that I feel everyone should give it a try. Initially, it can be rather boring, but once you have mastered the basics of the various shots, is when the fun really begins!

posted by aLv @ 9:46 AM