Like most sports, Tennis is physically demanding, challenging, frustrating and wonderful all at the same time. When I was a freshman in high school I realized I had yet to find my athletic calling (and I was not about to run track, running and I do not get along) which made me feel like I had to join a team. I randomly decided on tennis because after looking at the courts, there's no way that much running could be involved, right? Wrong. Little did I know that for such a fast-paced sport you had to be on your toes 24/7 ready to return any shot that was coming towards you. While it was a shock a first, I'm extremely happy I play tennis even though I am running a lot more than expected.
Tennis is a combination of the mental and the physical. Learn to balance both and you're golden, trust me. It's extremely difficult to remain calm specifically when you feel yourself getting heated over a bad call or losing a crucial point. What's different about this sport is that you are the only person out there. You are the person who calms yourself down and you are your own support system. If you play doubles you have your partner to lean on, but with singles, you're on your own. Having played singles in high school I can confidently say that you grow as a person just from being by yourself on the court. For me, there was not greater feeling than winning a tough match and realizing that I did it all on my own. With that, there was also the feeling of getting crushed and knowing that it was no one's fault other than my own. As difficult as that was for me to wrap my head around at first, it made me realize that I am responsible for my wins and losses and there wasn't anyone else to blame. Sometimes, you just have off days and accepting that is the only way to get through them. Just remember that with every off day a good day will come where you'll hopefully be able to hit like you know how.
Tennis is a difficult sport, there's no doubt about it. There are days where sometimes you just want to throw your racquet and call it quits but you can't because you love the sport so much. It can be a rollercoaster of emotions but like any sport, it teaches you to bounce back, keep trying, and get better. Whoever said tennis was easy was lying to themselves. It may not be the easiest sport in the world but it sure is one of the most rewarding. Nothing beats mastering that serve that you had been working on for weeks or hitting an ace to both you and your opponents surprise. It's little moments like these that really make the sport worthwhile.
