| To those of us who love to play the game of tennis, it | | | | they will feign injury while opening up a new can of |
| is the competition, the athletic challenge and the | | | | balls to avoid public display of their atrocious strokes. |
| potential for artistic shot making that usually gets us | | | | 3. The emotional player versus the " classic tennis |
| going emotionally. There's little time for tennis humor as | | | | dinker". Nothing can drive a tennis player more quickly |
| we focus on ripping that next shot for a winner. | | | | to the asylum that having to play a talented retriever |
| But take a step back or just start watching some | | | | who gets everything back with no pace. Sit back, |
| tennis matches at your club and you'll begin to see the | | | | have a drink, and start betting pools on the number of |
| humorous situations that abound in our game. Of | | | | times you're going to see a racket tossed in frustration. |
| course, just like mother-in-law jokes are a staple of | | | | 4. The obsessive tennis nut -- can't be standing in a line |
| marriage humor, dysfunctional tennis dynamics are the | | | | anywhere without starting to practice his or her swing |
| source of most tennis humor. And tennis humor in the | | | | - without a racket of course. Observers often inquire if |
| form of tennis jokes or tennis cartoons on mugs, | | | | they're watching some new martial art. |
| tshirts, mousepads, or greeting cards make great | | | | 5. The interfering tennis parent -- can't play, never |
| tennis gifts. | | | | studied the game except for having watched an |
| So, without further adieu here are a number of tennis | | | | instructional video or two, but feels free to walk on the |
| dynamics that lend themselves to humor: | | | | court and correct former Wimbledon champ who is |
| 1. The married mixed doubles team. Need I say more? | | | | instructing his or her child. Just watching the tennis pro |
| This classic dynamic has caused guffaws at the best | | | | try not to explode at this preposterous chutzpah is |
| of times and divorces at the worst. And for those still | | | | priceless. |
| in dating mode -- tread very carefully! | | | | Of course, there are many more of these funny tennis |
| 2. The poseurs -- look great in their new tennis clothes | | | | dynamics which I'll address in a later article. So for now, |
| which they claim they received as tennis gifts from a | | | | keep your eyes open at the club and you may be |
| well known-touring pro, carry at least 3 of the latest | | | | very entertained by the gift of tennis humor happening |
| hi-tech rackets, and are the epitome of style until they | | | | right in front of your eyes. |
| have to hit that first ball. Of course, if truly desperate, | | | | |