Hey Tennis Friends!
It’s the fourth match for our team, and the third match of the season for Jaime and me. Our team is currently 2-1, and ranked roughly in the middle of a nine team field, so every game matters.
Jaime and I each play at least twice a week, with one of those times being a “team practice” where we actually play together against our fellow teammates.
In today’s match, we played against two members from the team that I was on earlier this year for Spring league. This made it another friendly, but competitive match, with a couple of jibes before we began . . .
Sometimes the communication does indeed fail. On the shot featured in the middle of the video, I had said to Jaime, “Yours!”, to which, I thought, I heard back a quick, “Thank you!”.
What Jaime actually said was, “Take it!”
As a result, we both yielded to the other, and the ball went right down the middle between us.
In another play near the end of the video, I had double faulted. Right away I had a quick meeting with my partner to talk it out, readjust my focus, and plan the next serve.
If you watch the video again, you will notice that most of the time, though, we are communicating well. Whether it’s helping each other watch the line calls, following the path of the ball and suggesting to “bounce it!”, or giving encouragement and praise, it is all a part of our teamwork!
Communication. It’s almost as important as matching outfits . . .
I’ll see you next time, with more tennis, . . . outside the lines!
– Marcus Tennis
Tags: 2009, Adult Men, Jaime Espinosa, Southern California, Tennis, USTA League
