In recent years, I've grown to love tennis and lately, it has been a respite for me in such a noisy world. Midday, I'll walk to the park by my apartment and I'll find myself playing wall tennis for two to three hours. There, sweat in my eyes and Beyoncé in my ears, I work out my emotions, my schedule, conversations to be had and interpersonal conflicts, all the while being driven by the monotone, and almost hypnotic lullaby of the ball popping off the wall. Spurred on by that eruptive and percussive connection; the sinewy channels of my physical, emotional and mental health, all come together with the help of a ratchet, a neon ball and a cement wall.
After all these years, I never knew I would get excited about a sport. But here I am, cheering along to a game that I actually know the rules of, not just because people around me are cheering. "You can't hit a touchdown!" I, now, have a perspective, I have players I love, and the newness of it all is exhilarating.
As I walked home, with a US Open hat and new tennis balls in my bag, I began to think: why do I love tennis so much and how does it apply to my craft? The discipline, and skill shown on the court was brilliant and in the spirit of excellence, I wanted to see how it might reflect the goals I have for myself. I've officially been in the publishing world as a professional for five years now, and I get the same giddy feeling I get when I am watching a great game of tennis.
Here is what my new obsession with tennis is teaching me about myself and my art making:
2. Patience is Key: You have to let the ball bounce before you decide where to send it next. This is a lesson that I really took to heart. In a world that moves extremely fast, it is a good reminder to have patience. Don't rush it. See where the "ball" is going, and move in power. In tennis, you have to be light on your feet, and ready to go, but you have to let. the. ball. bounce. Sometimes you have to think quickly and send the ball back over the net without it but when you can, let the ball come to you and then release your powerful swing.
3. Tennis is a Silent Game: One thing that tickles me pink is that the referee is allowed to shush the audience. "Thank you. Ssshhhhhh. Sit down." The audience isn't even allowed to move in the bleachers behind a player when it is a major point to be had. The serve is in silence. The volleys are in silence, amid a grunt or two. So... it's okay to move in silence. Sometimes the strongest move is done in the quietest of ways. Even if tons of people are watching, you stay focused and do the work. Shut out the noise, and move in silence to your victory.
4. Unexpected Brilliance: Brilliance can come in the most unexpected ways. I saw some amazing plays this weekend, and some of them came from unexpected serves, or volleys. The ball was hit in short range or it went a little too high, or a behind the back shot wins you the set. It was exciting to witness and even more so to see a player do their best work under pressure. Don't overthink your work, and be open to the unexpected. You might discover new things about yourself, your craft and your creativity. Keep fighting, keep stretching, keep diving for that ball. 15, 30, 40, set. You have countless opportunities to make your move, so make it brilliant and surprise yourself.
So here's to playing your own match of tennis with your writing, art and creative work. Stay flexible, stay patient, work hard, and play hard. Strengthen your skills through play, and healthy practices. Be the Serena, Venus, Coco, Naomi, Jannick, Carlos, Dustin, etc, etc, etc of your artistic dreams and keep going! The game isn't over until Match Point!
