I have played on green garbage just once, at the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. After an hour, my lower back hurt for the rest of the day from bending, bending, bending for every shot. Where did the bounce go?
It was super pretty though, the courts. Though we had to wait half an hour later than our scheduled time, because there was too much dew on the blades of grass. 🙂
The only thing you left out was that grass rewards badly hit, soft, dink shots, and you have a marked preference for well hit, deep, pacy shots. I predict that bothers you both subconsciously and consciously! Just think, a few more miss-hits against Henin and it was right there! :) Shank a nice low one to her backhand and there you go. Come in, volley off the throat drop shot winner! It like an alternative universe.
Fantastic, Andrea. Love the sliding doors moment of you in that final vs. Justine. Highsmith also wrote the book that become a great tennis-themed movie, Strangers on a Train.
I’ll have to subscribe. Your writing makes me laugh and I read it several times on different days just because it’s so good. I still keep my photos of you playing in Nuremberg a number of years ago. I loved your focus then and your writing now.
The lawn-care people really don't get enough credit.
Great post, Andrea. Also, you must try to separate the art from the artist, especially if you like their work. All humans are flawed by nature. It seems tough for us to admit that.
Interesting that your American jargon English is so perfect (on TV, you could easily be from NYC) but your writing sprinkles in some British spelling and phrasing. A polyglot we have!
And, you're entitled to enjoy Highsmith's writing while still railing against her social and political depravity. She was a lifelong alcoholic, anorexic, and Lesbian in a world that vilified it. Tormented and tormenting was her daily life; so sad.
You are a gem. Your writing makes me laugh out loud. It's your timing, like a good stand-up comic's. I only played on grass three times, Fisher Island, Miami, when I was 17, Key Biscayne Tennis Center, and a doubles grass tournament at Forest Hills in 2012. We made it to the semis and lost to a former BJK Cup player from Japan, not bad by my standards. But as a fan of tennis history, I loved the place!! It's hallowed ground. One of the members stole a plate from the dinnerware set and gave it to me. Not kidding, it's hanging on the wall in my hallway. (I did NOT ask her to do that). Oh, and I'll lend you the baby goat in my photo to help with your lawn destruction.
Naked players? What awesomeness! This one may be hard to believe but I'm going to stand by it cuz it did happen: I'm at the Clay Court Championships in Houston Texas around 2003. Security was much more lax back then. I'm wandering around looking for the men's restroom. I crossed a grassy path and see an open door. Indeed is a locker room with tennis bags lying around. I turn the corner to find a top ranked South African player in a shower facing away from me. You talk about being muscular Andrea, but you're skinny next to the muscle I saw in this guy!! Needless to say I just ran out of the same door I walked in and no one knew the better....
Life is like shopping at Lidl. You make choices, things you like, things you have not tried, and always you forget somethings and end up regretting buying some others. But you could have been shopping somewhere much worse. Count your blessings 😀
I think you would make a very good comedy writer.
I have played on green garbage just once, at the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. After an hour, my lower back hurt for the rest of the day from bending, bending, bending for every shot. Where did the bounce go?
It was super pretty though, the courts. Though we had to wait half an hour later than our scheduled time, because there was too much dew on the blades of grass. 🙂
the never ending bending, man
The only thing you left out was that grass rewards badly hit, soft, dink shots, and you have a marked preference for well hit, deep, pacy shots. I predict that bothers you both subconsciously and consciously! Just think, a few more miss-hits against Henin and it was right there! :) Shank a nice low one to her backhand and there you go. Come in, volley off the throat drop shot winner! It like an alternative universe.
thank you for making me feel better! „i just hit the balls to clean“ 😂
Fantastic, Andrea. Love the sliding doors moment of you in that final vs. Justine. Highsmith also wrote the book that become a great tennis-themed movie, Strangers on a Train.
Somehow I've managed to miss Strangers on A Train, will have to put that one on the list, especially if one Joel Drucker thinks its "great." :)
Got through some highlights of SOAT and now have to check out the whole thing. Ah the good tips here every week.
I lol’d reading this like I was smoking grass
that would‘ve been the perfect headline:
i should‘ve smoked it. not play tennis on it.
Always available to workshop jokes 😂
Oh!! My word, this is good.
Well, opinions differ. Pam Shriver referred to clay as "dirt".
Yep, you would have been a good royal.
Your writing is so enticing and totally fun to read
I would go to the comedy special if you did stand-up. 😄
I’ll have to subscribe. Your writing makes me laugh and I read it several times on different days just because it’s so good. I still keep my photos of you playing in Nuremberg a number of years ago. I loved your focus then and your writing now.
The lawn-care people really don't get enough credit.
Great post, Andrea. Also, you must try to separate the art from the artist, especially if you like their work. All humans are flawed by nature. It seems tough for us to admit that.
Interesting that your American jargon English is so perfect (on TV, you could easily be from NYC) but your writing sprinkles in some British spelling and phrasing. A polyglot we have!
And, you're entitled to enjoy Highsmith's writing while still railing against her social and political depravity. She was a lifelong alcoholic, anorexic, and Lesbian in a world that vilified it. Tormented and tormenting was her daily life; so sad.
I love your writing, so fun, so illustrative. I’ve only played on grass once in Newport and what a beautiful but strange and humbling surface.
humbling is truly the right word!
Clay is dirt. Grass is grass. When will this retirement thing end? We'll see you on the courts soon.
lol! see you soon!
Grass is “lawn.” As in the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. On that note, I suspect Andrea would be a stylishly ruthless croquet player 🤔
You are a gem. Your writing makes me laugh out loud. It's your timing, like a good stand-up comic's. I only played on grass three times, Fisher Island, Miami, when I was 17, Key Biscayne Tennis Center, and a doubles grass tournament at Forest Hills in 2012. We made it to the semis and lost to a former BJK Cup player from Japan, not bad by my standards. But as a fan of tennis history, I loved the place!! It's hallowed ground. One of the members stole a plate from the dinnerware set and gave it to me. Not kidding, it's hanging on the wall in my hallway. (I did NOT ask her to do that). Oh, and I'll lend you the baby goat in my photo to help with your lawn destruction.
Naked players? What awesomeness! This one may be hard to believe but I'm going to stand by it cuz it did happen: I'm at the Clay Court Championships in Houston Texas around 2003. Security was much more lax back then. I'm wandering around looking for the men's restroom. I crossed a grassy path and see an open door. Indeed is a locker room with tennis bags lying around. I turn the corner to find a top ranked South African player in a shower facing away from me. You talk about being muscular Andrea, but you're skinny next to the muscle I saw in this guy!! Needless to say I just ran out of the same door I walked in and no one knew the better....
Life is like shopping at Lidl. You make choices, things you like, things you have not tried, and always you forget somethings and end up regretting buying some others. But you could have been shopping somewhere much worse. Count your blessings 😀