I’ve pondered taking up tennis again. I stopped playing four years ago when my right knee was sore. But awhile ago, after a $60 lunch, I received some good advice on stretching from my son Bill. Since then the knee has been much better, and well worth the cost of lunch.
A comeback might be in the making. Years ago I took up the sport with a schoolboy friend. We battled daily for three to four hours in the summer during our college years and kept at our rivalry through the years.
My favorite shot was a down the line right-hand forehand, preferably deep and just inside the court. It was good enough to still generate an occasional mention from my gracious friend.
Some of my most successful years playing against him came when not only my forehand was on target but he was trying to master the two-handed backhand. For a long while he drove those backhands into the net, sometimes giving me the winning points.
Eventually, though, my forehand accuracy slipped. His two-hand backhand became a weapon, not just a defensive shot but a game winner.
The intense competition between us inspired my friend to buy a tennis trophy. This piece of hardware would go annually to the winner of our summer series of matches.
Guess what? Shortly after the trophy was born, my game went south. A rivalry that had been close to even now was one-sided in favor of my pal. For years he used to keep the hardware nearby, just in case I ditched my slump and won the competition.
Eventually time wore him down. Last time I asked he didn’t even know where the trophy was.
Better locate it, pal. I am not trashing the golf clubs yet, but tennis is on the radar.