Tag: Tennis

Friday Fashion Face-off: To Tuck or Not to Tuck

When it comes to fashion, I’m always late to the party. It was only last year that I decided skinny jeans might actually look better than boot cut. By the time I actually invest in a new fad, it’s already on its way out. I’m kind of like the harbinger of death for any fashion trend.

Which is why I’m surprised that I’m open to one of the latest trends in women’s tennis togs–the tucked-in top. Not that it’s a new trend. Chris Evert and Steffi Graf spring to mind as examples of neat-as-a-pin tuckers. Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: To Tuck or Not to Tuck” →

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Sizing Up the Opponent

After a match a few years back, my partner and I asked our coach for his feedback. I don’t remember the match or much of what our coach said. All I remember is his final question: Why’d you keep hitting to the lefty’s forehand?

My partner and I exchanged looks. There was a lefty? Continue reading “Sizing Up the Opponent” →

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Friday Fashion Face-off: The Sock Edition

No, not Jack Sock. Tennis socks.

When you hear the term tennis sock, you probably picture the cute low-cut socks that sit just below the ankle. If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember they once had colorful pompoms on the back. I may have even owned a few pairs of these myself.

Tennis players still wear those socks, of course, minus the pompoms. But every so often you see someone in knee socks. Bethanie Mattek-Sands was the first player I ever saw in knee-high legwear, often in combination with pink hair and eye black. Bethanie wears compression socks, but based on the photo below, I’m guessing she’d wear wacky knee socks even without a medical reason. Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off: The Sock Edition” →

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My Tennis Report Card

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We played our first spring league match yesterday in the dreaded outdoors. One of our opponents remarked that she hated playing outside, calling herself a “whiner.” Of course, I can relate. In fact, my first blog post could have been titled “Whining about Playing Outside.”

In my first blog post, if you didn’t see it, I had researched some tips to help me with the transition to outdoor tennis. With my first match behind me, it’s time to grade myself on how well I heeded my own advice. (I’m great at coming up with self-improvement ideas. It’s the follow-through that’s often lacking.) Here’s my report card: Continue reading “My Tennis Report Card” →

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Help Wanted (No Pay, Great Perks!)

Back in March, I was lucky enough to go to the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, CA. The trip was a gift from my husband for a significant, evenly-divisible-by-ten birthday. (Let’s just leave it at that.)

During one match, a couple sat down next to us, and we started talking. Turns out they were volunteering at the tournament, something they’d done for a number of years. They explained to me how it worked. Continue reading “Help Wanted (No Pay, Great Perks!)” →

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Friday Fashion Face-off

In last week’s Borg/McEnroe face-off, we ridiculed the short-shorts of the early ’80s. But over the last year or so, I’ve noticed men’s shorts creeping up again. Nadal was one of the first to raise his hemline, but others soon followed. He’s an interesting fashion trendsetter, although those early pirate pants never quite caught on. Continue reading “Friday Fashion Face-off” →

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What’s Your Tennis Temperament?

A few weeks ago I was at my tennis club, waiting for the start of my match. On Court 1, two singles players from a higher division were competing. It was a fierce match with excellent shot-making. Ten or fifteen of us gathered by the court, enjoying the show.

At the end of one point, the visiting player called out “Stupid b—!” The home team captain sitting by my side stared at me slack-jawed for a moment. After a laugh, we decided the player was probably berating herself for losing that point. Continue reading “What’s Your Tennis Temperament?” →

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Friday “Flashback” Fashion Face-off

Wow, look at that alliteration! That’s a mouthful.

Today is the much-awaited (by me, anyway) opening of Borg vs. McEnroe, the movie about the famous rivalry and the 1980 Wimbledon Championship. I’ll be driving to Salem to see it later today. Meanwhile, let’s take a moment to consider the era’s tennis fashion. Ooh, those are tiny shorts… Continue reading “Friday “Flashback” Fashion Face-off” →

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There’s No “I” in Team (But There Is in Tennis)

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Team tennis is a strange hybrid. In other major sports, all the players participate in the same game. At Foxboro on game day, Brady, Gronkowski, and Edelman take the same field.

In team tennis, with the exception of your doubles partner, you’re on your own. Your teammates play their own separate matches on other courts. It’s an odd marriage of self-reliance and teamwork. Continue reading “There’s No “I” in Team (But There Is in Tennis)” →

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Taking My Game Outside

Spring is finally here, and for those of us in New England, that means tennis is moving outdoors. Most of the players I know get positively giddy at the thought. The fresh air! The sun! The unlimited free court time! It’s tennis the way it’s meant to be! Continue reading “Taking My Game Outside” →

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