Tennis Anyone?

sonicosa

Also, reading @Archer discussing the technical differences and advantages of different grips (that are way above my head at this point - I’m just using the continental if I’m even doing that right 😕) after a couple years of reading and benefiting from your technical watchmaking analysis is pretty neat. Part of what I really enjoy about this forum is the way you get to see how different user’s personalities, approaches to life / problem solving / sport, and enthusiasm for the things they enjoy are reflected in their posts.

So cheers OF. I find most of you to be pretty swell.

TimeODanaos

Yes, let's hear it for the single-hander! So beautiful to see, so satisfying to hit. Thank goodness Feds kept the faith through all the dark years (big up to Henin, Gasquet, Wawrinka too), and now there's lots of youngsters doing it again. Man - that Shapovalov! 👍

Pip

It seems I'm not alone in preferring women's tennis to men's - just because it's (usually - certain exceptions) just a much more enjoyable and relatable game to watch.

Archer

I recall seeing a side by side photo comparison during Wimbledon of the wear on the courts in the second week of play. Not sure exactly when the earlier shot was from, but when compared to the current state you could clearly see all the wear on the courts was at the baseline, where in the past you could see a ton of wear up at the service box. Not near the amount of serve and volley as there used to be, which I believe is in part because of how well platers return the serve these days. I'm not pining for the "good old days" but I do enjoy it when someone comes into the net regularly, rather than just hit balls back and forth on the baseline until someone misses.

I make a habit myself of looking at the clay court when I'm playing to check to see how much I've come in, and where the majority of the footprints are. This reminds me to come in more!

BlackTalon

If you're not crashing the net you are not playing tennis 😁 When I played as a kid, we were ruthless. So it's just natural to me when I am on the court (which has not been for quite a few years). But 10-15 years ago when a friend wanted to play regularly, and when I first met my wife and we would play once a week, I had to resign myself to standing on the baseline and just hitting back over the net -- and in a manner that allowed them to hit it back. No aiming for the corners, no chops that barely cleared the net and would die in the service boxes, etc. They both just wanted to hit. It was very painful for me 🫨