Enter Bethanie

When I was playing a lot of singles, as a junior, in college, and beyond, I always despised playing players that got everything back. They call them counter-punchers, defensive specialist, grinders, backboards. Regardless of the name (I preferred "pusher"), I hated them. Sure, some of it had to do with me not being able to get everything back, but it just wasn't my game. Who wants to stand back at the baseline, retrieve every ball, and just get it back? I certainly didn't. It was so boring and frustrating to play against; I couldn't imagine playing that way every time I took the court.  I'd rather flame out big than ploop it back and hope for the best. What would people rather watch? And, really, what would I rather play?

I realized early that I wanted a game with some entertainment value. I grew up watching tennis on TV and there was nothing worse than long baseline rallies. Pop, turn head, pop, turn head. On and on. That's probably why I was so attracted to Steffi Graf. Her forehand was anything but boring. She could end a blah-blah rally with it from anywhere on the court (and I seriously mean ANYWHERE). That was how I wanted to play and I did my best to imitate her playing style. Unfortunately, this meant that I became a wee bit uni-dimensional. You see, while I was focusing on ripping my forehand, I lost track of my backhand. If you had a forehand like Steffi's you didn't need a backhand to speak of. Sadly, forehand was good, just not Steffi's kind of good, so unlike Steffi, I was going to need a backhand. 

It wasn't easy, but I would argue that my backhand is now my more consistent stroke. It keeps me in points and I can rip in when I need to. In fact, my down-the-line backhand may have superseded my inside-out-cross-court forehand as my favorite shot. Get there, racket back, watch the ball, stay down, follow through. Nothing in the game of tennis feels better. 

So, now I have consistent fire power from both sides. And at forty-six I can still retrieve better than most women half my age. Plus, with all the doubles I've played in the last several years (it's all most adult women of a certain age are willing to play) and a coach who revolutionized my volley with one small, nearly imperceptible change, I'm not afraid to go to the net. 

Enter Bethanie Mattek-Sands and the next incarnation of my tennis game.

As I watched Bethanie play Serena in the third round at this year's U.S. Open, I listened to the commentators talk about how her years as a doubles specialist fed her singles game. It was easy to see - she ripped ground strokes, set up sizzling approach shots, and smacked volley after volley into the open court. By the end of the first set, she had arguably the best player to ever play the game searching desperately for another gear with two hands, a flashlight, and a bloodhound. Because Serena is Serena, she found a way to win, but it didn't look easy. Bethanie, on the other hand, looked like she was having a blast.

I was entertained and inspired. She may never crack the Top 10. She may never win a major (In singles - she's done all that and more in doubles). But Bethanie Mattek-Sands will always entertain. She's the polar opposite of counter-puncher. She's not just going to get every ball back. She's not going to Chrissie Evert from the back court. She's going to fire up, dye her hair a funky color (I'll be skipping that part), and bring her aggressive THIS-IS-MY-COURT all court game to the party. 

I plan to do the same.

Alright, so I'll never play on a big stage. I'll never have millions watching me all over the world. At forty six, it pays to be realistic. Regardless, anyone who happens by my court at Austin High or South Austin Tennis Center will have reason to pause. And be entertained.