LendlFan
Semi-Pro
My first experience watching Tennis on TV was in 1984. I was home visiting my folks for a week. And wanted to spend the day hanging with my mom so we decided to watch TV. I was switching from channel to channel .. nothing on that got our interest. Then I came upon these two guys playing tennis. I asked my mom if she liked tennis which she said not really but we can watch if you want. I didn't watch tennis either but the crowd was yelling and it appeared people were having fun so I sat back and we were going to give it 10 minutes. Had no idea who the Players were until I learned their names were Ivan Lendl and the other guy was Pat Cash. I must admit this match was riveting. Didn't understand the scoring or anything about the rules of the game but I was beginning to enjoy this contest and so was my mom I thought. So we decided to settle in and see which guy was going to win. I was pulling for Ivan Lendl because he seemed to be the underdog according to the crowd.
This freaking match went on and on and when it was finally over ... Martina Navratalova and Chris Evertt came out to play and this went on & on until that was over and then John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors came out to play and this went on & on and I found myself glued to every single point until the end.
That was the day I became a Tennis Fan and for me it grew to a point where these Players became my family. I got & still get excited for the success of my favorites and depressed at the failures. When Steffi came on the scene, up til then I had no real Woman Player that was the one for me. I pretty much didn't appreciate Women's Tennis because of the pace and all the moonballs. But there was something very different about this skinny awkward looking girl and I fell in love with her. It was like she became my little sister as Andre in turning Pro became my little brat brother whom I adored.
I must say that the passion I held for the Players in the 80s and 90s isn't the same today. Partly because it hurts when your favorites leave the game and I found myself getting way too emotional about retirements. And the new young brats like the Sisters and Hingis etc came on the scene with too much attitude which made me applaud their losses. One of my greatest moments was the 1999 French Open Women's Finals Hingis vs Graf. I cried when Steffi won .. literally I had tears in my eyes and you would think I just won.
I Love This Sport
This freaking match went on and on and when it was finally over ... Martina Navratalova and Chris Evertt came out to play and this went on & on until that was over and then John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors came out to play and this went on & on and I found myself glued to every single point until the end.
That was the day I became a Tennis Fan and for me it grew to a point where these Players became my family. I got & still get excited for the success of my favorites and depressed at the failures. When Steffi came on the scene, up til then I had no real Woman Player that was the one for me. I pretty much didn't appreciate Women's Tennis because of the pace and all the moonballs. But there was something very different about this skinny awkward looking girl and I fell in love with her. It was like she became my little sister as Andre in turning Pro became my little brat brother whom I adored.
I must say that the passion I held for the Players in the 80s and 90s isn't the same today. Partly because it hurts when your favorites leave the game and I found myself getting way too emotional about retirements. And the new young brats like the Sisters and Hingis etc came on the scene with too much attitude which made me applaud their losses. One of my greatest moments was the 1999 French Open Women's Finals Hingis vs Graf. I cried when Steffi won .. literally I had tears in my eyes and you would think I just won.
I Love This Sport
