3 June 2021

Memories of My First Match

Jacqueline Li

The most memorable experience I’ve had in Local Tennis Leagues was one of the first matches I played...I thought I was a pretty decent player at the time, and I was confident going into the match. My opponent did not look at all menacing and my confidence only increased. Things unravelled extremely quickly when we got on court however...

 

The most memorable experience I’ve had in Local Tennis Leagues was one of the first matches I played when the League launched in my local area a few years ago. I thought I was a pretty decent player at the time, and I was confident going into the match. My opponent was a retired lady visiting her family in the area. She was calmly sitting on a bench with a cup of tea in hand waiting for me when I arrived for our match, she did not look at all menacing and my confidence only increased. Things unravelled extremely quickly when we got on court however, and she absolutely pulverised me. I lost 6-0 6-0, and I’m not even sure I won a point in that match! It was a devastating masterclass for me, she exposed every single hole in my game, and at the end I had nothing except admiration for her.

It was one of the catalysts for me to improve my game, and she set a standard I could aspire to. I started attending coaching sessions more regularly after that and signed up for more LTL Rounds. I had played tennis when I was a kid, but never really understood the game, nor loved it. This time around, with the help of good coaches and hitting partners, I gained a much better understanding, and the more I improved, the more I fell in love with tennis. I have found that being able to fully express myself on court one of the most satisfying things in life, win or lose.

Through Local Tennis Leagues, like many others, I have met plenty of fantastic people and made good friends in the local area, which has been invaluable during the Covid-19 lockdown. I would highly recommend it to everyone, regardless of your tennis level.

Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to play that inspiring lady again since that unforgettable first match, given she normally resides elsewhere, but I hope we will one day, so at least I can thank her, and I’m curious to find out how many points I could win this time.

 

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