Nothing Like Baptism by Fire

There is nothing quite like baptism by fire.

Especially in tennis.

And yes, this is a rambling post about tennis, feel free to skip if you just started yawning. I just have to get it out.

A few weeks ago I was asked to join a Friday night mixed doubles league with Chris at our club. Me: Well that sounds like fun, but you know that Chris has NEVER played a match before, that he just started playing 6 months ago (because of his schedule he's lucky to get in 1 day a week of play, sometimes 2 with a lesson and hit and run), right?? Other person: That's no problem.

When I said yes I was thinking that this must just be a fun, non-competitive league (O.K., does that actually exist?) where we'll be paired up against an equal team, otherwise, why would she have even asked us?

Wrong.

Last night was our first match. We're waiting for the courts to free up when I run into the captain of my USTA 8.0 mixed team from last summer. He's playing with the same person he played with over the summer on the 8.0 team. And it turns out we're playing each other.

Seriously?

So I proceed to tell him and his partner (remember, I played on their team this past summer, played with this guy as a partner in a match, have played with the girl in hit and runs and she invited me to play on world team tennis last year but I just didn't have time, so I do know them) that this is Chris' first ever match, that he just started playing this past summer. The guy's response was, "You know we're going to kill you, right, haha."

Again, in my naive head I'm still thinking that this is non-competitive, that I know these people and they'll be "nice." Umm, no. This IS competitive. They served their normal serves and hit their normal strokes. I have to admit I was ticked off last night, to say the least, maybe because I'm protective of my partner, maybe I was just mad not to be paired with equal opponent, probably because I felt like it was poor sportsmanship. I want Chris to enjoy tennis. I mean hit those to me all you want, but sheesharoni at the very least slow down your serve to Chris who is a BEGINNER.

Well, if you were playing someone that you knew was a BEGINNER (Chris) and you had played in COLLEGE (the other guy) how would you play against them?

I know, all's fair in tennis. And, since I learned last night that this is a competitive league, I can understand why they didn't hold back. But...

Out of the corner of my eye I'm watching the court next to us and the ball is going back and forth about half speed and I'm wondering why we're not playing the people next to us???

I was very proud of Chris. By the end he was getting some of their serves back, he hit some winners at the net, he had some good serves, I was just proud of him in general. For just starting out he's doing really well!

We won 2 games out of the match and brought 5 or 6 games to deuce. We stayed after and played for "fun" (that's in quotes because the pace of the game didn't change) and won a few of those games. Considering everything I would have to say that's pretty good.

Bottom line: we're going to carve out more time for him to play. Next summer when we go back to Destin I want him to join in the fun (and non-competitive!)round robin play at Seascape, haha!

I'm just happy to have him on the court with me :)