June 22nd-24th: UNBELIEVABLE

Okay, I’m going to make a BIG DEAL about this because to me it’s an UNBELIEVABLY BIG DEAL.

To put this in context you must understand how much I love tennis, and particularly how much playing tennis in high school shaped my life.   I lettered in the sport all four years of high school.  Won a conference championship in singles my Junior Year and advanced to the Illinois State High School Tournament that same spring.  Jimmy Connors went pro that year so everyone in the tournament breathed a sigh of relief.  Except me.  I was passionate about the game, but no threat to Connors.  I sort of wanted to claim I played in the same bracket he played in, but it was not to be.

During the summers I taught tennis in the communities where I lived (Chicago & New Jersey) and wondered if pursuing a career in the sport might not be a good fit for me.  My model was a friend who did well enough on the circuit to secure himself a spot as the teaching pro at a tennis club, and then went on to own the place.   This, alas, was not to be, and I should have known as much when I found myself turning the racket around and strumming it like a guitar between serves.

So, you get it.  I love the sport (though I haven’t been playing as much I’d like…note to self:  add this to your M2B:) calendar).  These last three days I’ve been following Wimbledon as I do every year, with the aid of DirecTV and it’s joyful for me.  A true delight.   But the MATCH OF THE AGES between American John Isner and Frenchman Nicholas Mahut kept me riveted for THREE DAYS.   How is it even POSSIBLE one match could last that long?  At Wimbledon if there is a Fifth and deciding set in a best of 5 match, that set CANNOT be decided by a tie breaker game.  The winner MUST win by TWO GAMES.

The match began Tuesday evening and was called for darkness.  Wednesday Isner and Mahut picked up where they left off in the afternoon and when it got too dark seven hours later it was called again…tied at 59 games each.   Then, on Thursday the battle continued.  Neither one of these guys would quit.  Exhaustion didn’t overwhelm them…they fought through it.  Mental fatigue alone knocked me out just watching these guys, but THEY KEPT FIGHTING ON.  Then, about an hour into the third day of their competition, Isner prevailed.  Final set score 70-68.  Eleven Hours and five minutes long.  You hated to see somebody lose because these guys both played like champions.

And they were CLASS ACTS, both of them.  I was proud to have ANY association with a sport that featured men like this.  And I was inspired on so many levels beyond serves and volleys.  All the great sports metaphors about holding on, not giving up, etc. etc. etc. come to mind.  But this eclipsed them all.   My THREE DAY M2B:) moment lingers on.  I’m telling you, this was unbelievable, which makes me re-define what unbelievable really means.

When I’m wondering if I can hold on, give my best one more hour, I’m going to see their faces and drag myself back on the tennis court of life.