Okay, so I was thinking about tennis the other day, specifically about Townsend. You know, Taylor Townsend. Saw some highlights, I think? It’s interesting, her style. Not like everyone else out there, seems like she really goes for it, comes to the net a lot.
My Own Court Time
Anyway, it got me remembering my own attempts out on the court. It wasn’t pretty, let me tell you. I decided, sort of spurred on by watching the pros do their thing, that I’d actually try and play a proper game. Not just hitting the ball back and forth like usual.
So, I went down to the local park courts. Found an empty one, which was lucky. First few serves? Terrible. Like, embarrassingly bad. One barely cleared the net, another went way wide. Seriously wide. I felt like a complete beginner, which, let’s be honest, I pretty much am.
I tried to focus. Watched the ball, bent my knees, all that stuff people tell you to do. Managed to get a few serves in after maybe ten minutes of trying. Felt like a massive win, even though they were soft serves, nothing special.
- Got the racket ready.
- Tossed the ball (too low, mostly).
- Swung like I meant it.
- Actually hit the ball into the service box sometimes.
Then I tried hitting some forehands against the backboard. Just trying to get a rhythm. Thwack… thwack… sometimes. Other times it was more like thud into the net or ping off the frame. It’s harder than it looks on TV. They make it seem so smooth.
I thought about trying to rush the net, like Townsend sometimes does. Just for kicks. Hit the ball, ran forward… and basically stood there like an idiot while the imaginary ball flew past me. Yeah, didn’t quite work out. Takes practice, I guess. A lot of practice.
Wrapping It Up
Spent maybe an hour out there. Got sweaty, felt a bit frustrated, but also kind of good? Like I’d actually done something. Didn’t play like Townsend, not even close. Didn’t really play like anyone decent, for that matter. But I went out and hit the ball. That’s the start, right? Just getting out there and doing it.
It definitely makes you appreciate how skilled those pro players are, seeing how much effort goes into just getting the basics down when you try it yourself. Maybe I’ll try again next week. Maybe.
