My Tennis Life

flying forehand, originally uploaded by jpizarras.

As soon as I step on the court I just try to play tennis and don't find excuses. You know, I just lost because I lost, not because my arm was sore.
Goran Ivanisevic

Tennis is the first sport I ever learned and played in my life without anyone's help. It all started when I was about 4 years old. Every weekend my mom and dad (but most of the time it's my mom) takes me to their favorite Tannis Club. I was one of the ball kids way back then. It came to a point that I got tired of just being a ball kid and wanted to try playing the sport. No one would let me try not even my parents. Their reason? I was too thin to carry the weight of that old aluminum or even the wood framed racquets. I could not wait to be big enough to be allowed by my parents or other people to let me try the sport.

When I turned 5 years old, I saw this small racquet with a tennis ball beside it that my grandfather use to have. I took it and knowing my parents are gone for the weekend, I tried hiting the ball against the wall. I never knew then that what I was doing was one of the best thing to learn how to play the sport of tennis. No coaches or instructors that will nag you if you commit mistakes, no court fees to pay, and most of all no one would see me that I might be ashamed of. It was only when my parents tried to find my grandfather's small old tennis racquet that they knew I was learning to how play tennis on my own. So, when I turned 7 they started to show support in the sport I never or should I say WE NEVER thought I'd be hooked into for the rest of my life.

Thanks to my wife for taking this shot