Tennis is a game that involves two players hitting a ball over a net using rackets. The idea is to hit the ball so that it bounces twice without your opponent touching it, without hitting it out of the court or into the net. As simple as it sounds, the game is amazingly addictive, and when played by players of the highest calibre, it becomes a fine art-form of power, accuracy, style and finesse in an unbelievable atmosphere of tension and excitement. ����������� No other sport enables its players to express themselves as richly as they can by hitting a small yellow ball to construct amazing, intricate and unique rallies. (Table-tennis comes closest, and can be more fun to play than tennis, but professional table-tennis is too fast and furious to appreciate on the same level, plus tennis allows volleying, which you cannot do in table-tennis.)
My beliefs and values:
Tennis at its best is played predominantly from the baseline (standing on or just inside it - not behind it), with:
spreading rallies: using the full width (and length) of the court to move the opponent and create openings for winners;
flairsome power: power that comes from great timing (the ball looks thin and sharp as it flies off the racket) rather than huge muscles (the ball looks thick and blunt as it flies off the racket);
two-handed groundstrokes (a two-handed backhand is a must, and is predominant these days; a two-handed forehand is a rarity practised only by Monica Seles and all Selesians);
Those who play such tennis tend to be very attractive ladies in their late teens or early 20s from Eastern or Central Europe! ;-) However, I judge every player as a specific individual, regardless of gender, age, race or nationality. I judge them by their tennis-qualities and, admittedly, their looks.
Monica Seles is the greatest tennis-player of all time (not "would have been if she hadn't been stabbed").
I require both Passion and Reason to induct a player into my Eternal Fanship: an irrevocable vow to follow her career with the maximum commitment that my resources allow.
Passion: how I feel about a player, from the joy of victory to the agony of defeat, and about following her career with a predefined level of commitment;
Reason: my appreciation of a player's tennis-qualities.
Tennis is best appreciated by watching it on television, writing point-by-point descriptions to remain actively involved with a match, and going through the best rallies with a fine pause-key. This activity is as valid for old matches as for live tennis.
Female tennis-players deserve equal coverage in the media, especially television.
Pages dedicated to the members of my Eternal Fanship
Disclaimer
I have no affiliation with the following websites, and I cannot accept responsibility for any losses or damages that may result from using the services they offer.
