Updated: 27 July 2008
Various stages in my life have tended to stop me playing - University, Marriage, Work, - but I was always in a better state of health when I was playing. So now I try to let nothing get in the way. And in a curious way this game has taught me a lot about life.
First of all, when you play a singles match, you are on your own and have to survive as best you can. You can give up or keep going, you can be honest about line calls or you can cheat, you can admit you were beaten by a better player or you can make excuses. Most of the time you just realise you're not as good as you thought.... As well as learning about yourself on court, you do learn curious things about your opponents. The bigger guy who you thought was fit and strong often isn't. The civilised man you walked onto court with turns out to be a bad-tempered adolescent when he begins to lose. These days, playing guys of my own age who have more experience of life than me, the main problem I face is the obsessive player. Some men over the age of 55 don't seem to have anything but tennis in their lives. If you get cornered by one of these in a bar after a match, you will get told of other matches they have played, sometimes poiint by point, going back over 5 years. Time for a toilet break!
First of all, when you play a singles match, you are on your own and have to survive as best you can. You can give up or keep going, you can be honest about line calls or you can cheat, you can admit you were beaten by a better player or you can make excuses. Most of the time you just realise you're not as good as you thought.... As well as learning about yourself on court, you do learn curious things about your opponents. The bigger guy who you thought was fit and strong often isn't. The civilised man you walked onto court with turns out to be a bad-tempered adolescent when he begins to lose. These days, playing guys of my own age who have more experience of life than me, the main problem I face is the obsessive player. Some men over the age of 55 don't seem to have anything but tennis in their lives. If you get cornered by one of these in a bar after a match, you will get told of other matches they have played, sometimes poiint by point, going back over 5 years. Time for a toilet break!
Here’s an updated photo of the winning team, both last year and this year. L to R: Tony Cropper (capt) me, Bob Smith, and my partner Nev Reeder. Picture from Nev’s camera, taken near the Italian restaurant where we celebrated.
County match results:
We played well enough to stay in the same division, but not to get promotion, which is what we wanted. I am now eligible for the 70 year old team, but hope to still play in the 65 age-group.
Three of us represented Roundwood in the National Club league and we reached the semi-final, losing to the 45 club who won it as they did last year.
We played well enough to stay in the same division, but not to get promotion, which is what we wanted. I am now eligible for the 70 year old team, but hope to still play in the 65 age-group.
Three of us represented Roundwood in the National Club league and we reached the semi-final, losing to the 45 club who won it as they did last year.
The indoor tennis centre at the Henley Road Sports Club. I play here two or three times a week all the year round.
