I have participated in many sports throughout my life, but I officially consider myself a tennis player. I claim this title mainly because I am still active with the sport, and have learned more lessons in life with this game than anything else that I have ever been involved with. Anyone that is dedicated to a sport can relate to how much it applies to life in general, but I believe that tennis is special. Here are a few ways that the game of tennis relates to the little game that we call life.
1. There are times to be bold, and there are times to stand back and take it.
You can either lash out or calmly play the part. Sometimes a huge serve is all it takes to win a point. Sometimes it takes a long and agonizing rally at the baseline to reach a small victory. There are times in life that involve being assertive in order to reach a goal, and there are times when it is necessary to lay back and strategize your decision. Tennis is a guessing game, and has helped me learn to react to each situation thrown at me. There is always more than one option for everything.
"Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility."-anonymous
2. Every characteristic you have (or do not have) amplifies on the court.
Tennis brings out the best and worst in people. It can tear you to pieces in a single moment, or shoot your ego through the roof. How you respond to each point reflects how you respond to problems and solutions in daily life. You can feel every emotion possible throughout a match, both positive and negative. Your mind explodes, your body gives out, but your character will always remain fully intact.
"What matters isn't how well you play when you're playing well. What matters is how well you play when you're playing badly." -Martina Navratilova
3. There is sacrifice.
You give up a lot for the objects, opportunities, and people that you love. You put hours of your time into the things that are worth it to you. In tennis, you lose time, money, a social life, and a part of your sanity to become a piece of the game. You sacrifice blood, sweat (A LOT OF SWEAT) and tears to improve yourself as a player, and with that comes improvement as a person in general. A parent gives up so much for their child. A teacher puts their entire life into a school. Everyone has a sacrifice to make for a bigger purpose, and tennis trains you for that.
"I made it look so easy on court all those years. No one realized how hard I had to work. No one realized how much I had to put into it. They underestimated my intensity."- Pete Sampras
4. You do lose.
It's not all smiles and rainbows on a court. You lose a lot, and it hurts. Sometimes you have no power over it, and your opponent is just better. Sometimes you had a horrible day and cannot think straight, or there's an injury interfering with your game, but it's still a loss. Occasionally we wake up in the morning, and the world is not on our side. Even though losing is a bummer, it builds the self up more than any win can. It takes more strength to come back from a loss than an easy victory, and it takes more strength to turn a bad day into a good one instead of the opposite way around. Tennis prepares the body, mind, and spirit for the best and the worst.
"Losing is not my enemy..fear of losing is my enemy." -Rafael Nadal
5. You are not invisible.
Every move you make on a court is seen. It's kind of scary, actually. Whether you smile, throw your racket, swat a fly, pick a wedgie, or hit a winner, it's seen. You gradually become used to having an audience, and become aware of others. You have the option of becoming a positive figure just by your actions. The tennis court is your stage, your canvas, and your pen and paper. Whatever you do or say reflects who you are as a person, and what others see in you. it's so important to always be your best self, on and off the court.
"I'll let the racket do the talking." -John McEnroe
6. Body language is key.
Stand tall, act like you know what you're doing, don't let mistakes ruin your entire match, and shake hands at the end with honor and a smile. This carries you so far.
"A smile is a curve that can straighten out a lot of problems." -Ana Ivanovic
7. There is such a thing as true love.
If people played tennis because they were forced to, they wouldn't last three seconds. There is a need, addiction, hunger, and love for the game. You are married to the sport, and it's nearly impossible to divorce yourself from it.
"Girls had never been important. I'd had a girlfriend or two and had liked them a lot but it wasn't love, because my first love was tennis." -Boris Becker
