English Tennis

Yesterday had my tennis match. It was great. The first time I have ever won all four sets. I was partnering Duncan and never even dropped my serve. I think sleeping and not baking cakes the night before a match certainly helps my game.

Now all of you must know the english are quiet, taciturn specimens of the human race and most of the time they are except when you put them on a tennis court.
It amazing how eeryone loves to talk while playing.
If you serve a fault - it can either be " wrong side", "long", "just away" or for the more verbose among them ,"just a bit beyond the line". Now try saying that and you will find it takes slightly longer than going "No" or "Fault" which is what we used to holler in India. And so it goes on, things like discussing the last point in the middle of the game. " Oh that was a great shot. I saw you moving out the corner of my eye, but you had it covered. Maybe I should have gone the other way." All this while the server is trying to collect enough balls to serve.

Coming to balls, I have always wondered why they say Thanks before they get the ball. So, if you want another ball, you dont say "can i have another one", but "thanks". Always wondered whether the Brits are just slightly loony, having been isolated on this island for the last couple of centuries, they seem to have lost touch with normal conversational techniques.

"Good show, chaps", "That was lovely to watch". I played with Chris who when a good shot was hit, started clapping and waxing eloquent ,"lovely play" or "great shot, wonderful,exquisite".
Its rather demoralising when your partner applauds the opponent more than you.

The worst is when there is a disputed call, where people go, " Are you sure? I wonder whether it didn't catch the line. It was going rather fast and I just couldn't get my eye to it". This will then go onto a discussion of the technicalities of whose call it actually is.Of course at the end of all this, you replay the point and I have always wondered what all the fuss was about.

Well, you might look at Tim henman and think all Brits are well mannered on court. Well, you haven't played enough then. I have seen rackets fly across courts, abuses even I shudder to hear and the odd retort to the opponent.

Well, all I can say is that it is definitely more enjoyable and unpredictable playing tennis here and that is without accounting for the weather. Ever played tennis in Snow??? Only in England...