The Tennis Breed

You know, sometimes you can just pick out people who love a certain sport. For instance, those who love football. Actually, that’s a bad example. I think everyone and their small 2-year-old child loves football.  How about wrestling? I can pick out a wrestler over a mile away; I can pick out a wrestling fan from about a half mile away.

Tennis though, tennis catches me offguard. Those who like to play tennis and those who are fans – they kind of just fly under the radar. (Apparently I must too because whenever it comes to light that I’m a tennis fan, I always get a lot of “Wow, really?” looks.)

What is it about a fuzzy yellow ball that gets people to sit in the stands for hours on end and swivel their heads back and forth? I’m not quite sure but it certainly suckered me in. If you are ever at a high-profile tennis event, take a look at the crowd. Or pay attention when the camera pans the stands at the pro events. Really look at the people.

It’s just amazing to me (and granted, I am somewhat easily amazed – and amused) that a sport can bring so many people together. I don’t know how many people I’ve talked tennis with that I never thought I would find a thing in common with. But before you know it, I’m facing them across the net and becoming pals.

That, my friends, is what I call the tennis breed: an eclectic mix of awesomeness held together by some strings and a ball.