Tennis is bi-polar

Tennis is a bi-polar sport. Nope, I’m not talking about Houston weather where you start playing a match and the weather is 40 degrees and when you are finished the temperature is 75 degrees. But, yes, that does indeed happen. Dress in layers!!!

It’s bi-polar because of the players on the team. It does not matter what level you are playing. You could be playing Champ, A, B, C–there is no true temperature. It seems the players are always in the same circles. There are so many leagues you just keep running into the same players. But are you friends, or are you foes? Depends on the day.

The top doubles team is playing against your top doubles team on Monday morning. That same team is the team that you are captain of on Tuesday night. Then, you are playing against them again the next morning.

There are times, of course, you can get into a heated argument over a double bounce, or a ball called out during a match you are playing against your teammates on a different team. (Duh, it’s women’s tennis.) Then, things are little awkward as the same players are sitting in the stands cheering for the same team until…… one says positive things to the other and the elephant in the room (or on the court) finally leaves.

Of course, the worst scenario, is when the two local clubs are the same level and have to play each other in league. Whisper, whisper, point, point. Which team will play whom on what line? Which captain can read the other captains minds? Players on each team don’t want to play because it is their closest friends. They spend weekends together. They play for fun on weekends. But, ultimately, it’s league and somebody has to win and somebody has to lose.

It’s just tennis, ladies. Friendships are stronger than cat gut.

Let’s take it to the net, ladies.