Tennis for a break

Tennis has never been something I am good at. However, there is a run-down old public court with a broken net a few kilometers from my house. So my brothers and I have picked up a few racquets from Kmart and have been playing once every few days. It is proving to be a reprieve from study and a chance to connect as well as a bit of fun with a sport I have never really tried. 

With the first serve, we nearly always fault it. We try to serve it at each other as fast as we can like the professionals on the telly. Then when we fail, we try a gentle little tap over the net into the square at a snails pace. Once we get a few games in, our competitive sides come out. We say best of three-sets and pathetically try to overcome each other with rallies lasting 2-3 shots. The games are over quickly. 

When we head on down we take our dog Tilly with us. She sniffs and scratches around the court entertaining herself. Not only that, but she persists to stand in front of us as we're about to serve, wagging her little tail excitedly. I toss the ball into the air, grab it and pretend to hit it as fast as I can when Tilly chases down a ball she will soon realise was a ruse. Whilst she's distracted I serve. 

Perhaps the best thing is I'm noticing that when I come back I work twice as fast and much more productively. When I have been sitting staring at a screen for hours or just habitually snacking, I pick up on it and force myself and brothers to go have a hit of tennis.