| I started playing tennis in the early 70's, and tennis then | | | | Since then, I moved several times, and as time went |
| was a totally different world than tennis today. My | | | | on, tennis enthusiasts dwindled. People just did not play |
| husband was a hunter, as well as my best friend's | | | | tennis like they used to. I, too, kind of dropped out of |
| husband. We considered ourselves as "hunting | | | | the tennis scene for about 15 years. You just could not |
| widows". My husband flat out told me he was not | | | | find people to play like before. |
| there to entertain me, so I entertained myself. | | | | I started back playing full time around 1998. I found a |
| To stay out of trouble, my friend and I decided to learn | | | | few people who played, but mostly, up until that time, I |
| to play tennis. I purchased each of us a $5.00 wooden | | | | had played singles. Now, I play mostly doubles, my |
| racket, and we went to the tennis court. Our tennis | | | | racket cost nearly $200.00, (and that was on sale), my |
| shoes cost about as much as our tennis rackets, | | | | tennis shoes cost about $50.00 (again, on sale), and |
| shorts and a t-shirt was the tennis wear of the day, | | | | now I wear "tennis clothes" (try finding those on sale). |
| and we collected coke bottles to purchase our tennis | | | | In some areas, it costs about $25.00 an hour to play |
| balls. Getting time on the tennis courts back then took | | | | indoors, and some outdoor courts, or you have to join |
| longer than today. Everyone was playing; waiting for a | | | | a country club to play. |
| court (there was an abundance of outdoor courts and | | | | Don't get me wrong, there are some public courts, but I |
| no indoor courts where I lived), could take up to a | | | | have a problem mowing a court before I can play. In |
| couple of hours; but we were persistent, and we | | | | the area I live now, the local college has wonderful |
| waited. | | | | public courts, as long as the college is not using them, |
| When we first started playing, we hit balls everywhere. | | | | but they turn the lights off when time "falls back". After |
| The people playing next to us had to be the most | | | | that time, you have to pay to play indoors, and the |
| patient people in the world. Chasing balls was what we | | | | indoor courts are in the next city over. |
| really did for awhile, but soon we got where we could | | | | I love tennis; eat, sleep and breathe tennis. I guess no |
| actually hit a rally. Then we got where we could play | | | | matter what the tennis trend, I will be there. My |
| for points. Then, we started play other people, and | | | | husband threatens to buy me a wheelchair, but I tell |
| eventually could pretty good. We joined a league | | | | him, "no problem, wheelchair tennis players get two |
| which used the ladder challenge system ( you could | | | | bounces." I know there are other tennis "fanatics" out |
| challenge up to two persons above you on the ladder). | | | | there, and tennis will always be alive, and I hope I am |
| I eventually worked my way up the ladder to number | | | | one until I can play no more. |
| one (I think the person I was challenging just got tired | | | | I have seen the commercials depicting what the future |
| of me trying, and let me win). Once I made number | | | | tennis player will be wearing, and how a tennis player |
| one, the women did want to play me, so I started | | | | can literally "fly" on the court. I guess no matter how |
| playing the men. | | | | tennis changes, I will still be a true to the game. |