tennis, life and a few things in between

I played one set of doubles against Sunny and company this morning and lost 4:6. If were not for King’s friend’s bar mitzwah party, I’d played another set. Couple of serving games I played were clean and smart, yes I was concentrating and thinking. And I won few long rallies from baseline over Sunny. He’s impressed and I was more than pleased, especially the winners off my forehand.

Sunny is 4.0 player who loves to coach. Competitive but fair, he carries his small frame tall with a big mouth to match. When I first join this Hong Kong AM weekend group 6 or 7 years ago, I didn’t have forehand. Few good players in the group are all likely to offer some advice but Sunny is determined.
“80% game is won by forehand.” he stated.
So we worked on my fore hand.
“Don’t jump …. stop pushing …. hit with your fore hand ….”
He’d hiss like a drill sergeant, and made sure I knew if he’s disappointed with my play. Few times, he even walked off the court in the middle of a doubles game.
I was fine with this kind of abuse, since I enjoy playing with him or against him. I didn’t mind at all.
Not everyone shares my point of view.
A tall Chinese girl who I never played with before, said to Sunny after a lousy game from me ..
“She’s so nice, doesn’t talk back.”
Sunny was mad and walked away.
“I don’t dare.” I joked. Her little eyes enlarged considerable. Sorry if she didn’t get the joke.

Another time Sunny and I were playing against an older Caucasian couple. As usually, he’s non-stop giving me advice and showed little temper when I missed few easy shots. The lady finally had enough of this, called me over to the net,
“honey, don’t let your husband do this to you.”
I was pretty miserable at that moment, nothing seemed going my way. But her comment cracked me up, Sunny neither my b/f nor hubby.
I teased her, “mama, be thankful that he hasn’t walked out on me yet.”
For a brief second she was totally stunned at my timidity.

Chris Evert’s open letter to Serena in the May issue of Tennis Magazine:

Dear Serena,

I’ve been thinking about your career, and something is troubling me. I appreciate that becoming a well-rounded person is important to you, as you’ve made that desire very clear. Still, a question lingers—do you ever consider your place in history? Is it something you care about? In the short term you may be happy with the various things going on in your life, but I wonder whether 20 years from now you might reflect on your career and regret not putting 100 percent of yourself into tennis. Because whether you want to admit it or not, these distractions are tarnishing your legacy.

Just a couple of years ago, when you were fully committed to the game, you showed the athleticism, shot-making, and competitive desire to become the greatest player ever. Many besides myself shared the same sentiment. You won five of the six Grand Slams you entered over the 2002 and 2003 seasons and looked utterly dominant in the process. Then you got sidetracked with injuries, pet projects, and indifference and have won only one major in the last seven you’ve played. I find those results hard to fathom. You’re simply too good not to be winning two Grand Slam titles a year. You’re still only 24, well within your prime. These are crucial years that you’ll never get back. Why not dedicate yourself entirely for the next five years and see what you can achieve?

Perhaps the reason I feel so strongly about this is because I wasn’t blessed with the physical gifts you possess. I know that the lifespan of an athlete’s greatness is brief and should be exploited. Once you get to No. 1 in the world and start winning major titles, you should see how far you can take it. You’ve become very good at many things, but how many people would trade that to be great at just one thing? I don’t see how acting and designing clothes can compare with the pride of being the best tennis player in the world. Your other accomplishments just can’t measure up to what you can do with a racquet in your hand.

Ironically, I believe that if you fulfill your potential on the tennis court, all your other endeavors will become that much easier to pursue. You could become the most famous athlete in the world. Every magazine will want you on its cover and any door you wish to walk through will be wide open. When I was playing, I always knew there would be time to get married, have children, do TV commentating, and even coach if I wanted. I assure you there will be time for you to chase all your dreams once you’re through with tennis.

I offer this only as advice, not criticism, from someone with experience. If you’re completely happy with the way your life is, then crumple up this letter and throw it away. I wish you nothing but luck and success in all your pursuits. Just remember that you have in front of you an opportunity of the rarest kind—to become the greatest ever at something.

I hope you make the most of it.

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