Why Play Tennis?

I have an confession to make.  When I decided to focus on tennis, I didn't do it because I loved the sport.  In fact, at the time, I played a lot of other sports, and I was better at all of them than I was at tennis.  But at the age of 14 I decided to get more serious about my tennis game.  For one reason, at that time, it was really the only other sport besides golf that girls could do beyond the college level.  There were the Olympics, but at the time I was growing up, there were no real professional options for women except golf and tennis.  I wanted to choose a sport that I could always play, no matter what level I achieved.  Finding a pick up basketball women's basketball game when I was 58 years old, probably wasn't an option, but finding a few gals for a set or two of doubles wouldn't be a problem. So longevity was one factor.

For me, the other big motivator was that tennis was an international sport.  I loved football and baseball and hockey and played all three growing up, but as I started getting more involved with tennis, I started getting exposed to different cultures.  I remember Bud Collins talking about the All England Club of Wimbledon and eating strawberries and cream and lining up in the ticket queue.  At the age of 7 I wasn't too sure what that all meant, but I liked strawberries, and if tennis players put cream on their strawberries, well then, I wanted to try that, too.  And that's really how my love for tennis started.  As I was exposed to tennis, so I was exposed to culture and food and people from all walks of life.  When I turned pro and tried my hand at the WTA tour, I found myself in some interesting places.  One of my first big trips took me to South Africa during Apartheid.  Talk about getting a lesson in politics and culture!

Tennis has taken me to many places, and introduced me to so many people.  It has been both a vehicle for learning and a lens through which I have looked at life.  It is my hope that you will share your experiences here with me through your posts, describe what tennis has done for you, why you've played and what you've learned from this game.

As this blog expands, we will get more interactive.  I would love to hear from you and am setting up some ways to do that, including a cool new feature call "Will You Take a Look at My...?"  where you can submit a video of yourself and I will give you a personal and customized tip.  Maybe you want me to take a look at your serve, or your two handed backhand.  Each week, our producers will pick a video submission to post, and then YOU will get a free video tennis lesson posted right here.

Most of all, I hope you enjoy sharing your ideas, thoughts, suggestions as much as I like hearing them!  So don't be shy.  I've found the best people through tennis, and through this virtual connection, I hope you do too.