Tennis

Reading Agassi makes me realise how tennis has always been such a big part of my life. Whether it's on the periphery or smack dab in the middle of it, it's been a sport I have inadvertently followed, played and loved since I was a kid. 

I remember liking Steffi a lot since my parents did and they used to watch. These were some of the first ever matches I've seen and I was soooo small. But I remember these conversations like they were yesterday, dad telling me she is the best, mom chiming in. 

And the Paes Bhupati era. I remember Paes couldn't do singles well and Agassi says the same that his game was off but he managed lol. But I recall this match as well, because my household was obviously gunning for Paes lol. 

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Damn man. I lived in a sultry desert at the time, never knowing Agassi is from a desert town too. There's something special about the heat of one. 

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I miss the lopsidedness of tennis before the Roger era though. So many wildlings all with their temperaments just showing up and giving each other a run for their money. In that way, it was a more unpredictable sport and a lot more erratic and fun. 

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Shit dude. And all these memories are now coming up. 

I remember one of the first things I coveted was my dad's wooden tennis racquet. All his colleagues and him used to play at the club and I so badly wanted to possess that one deep beige wooden beauty. And after a while, I did take it haha. Too bad it didn't stand the test of time, it would have been great to keep it even now. Part of why I was shocked when I first came around M too, seeing the same thing with him made me go huh? Literally never knew anyone else who loved the sport before.  

Life is so strange at times. Out of nowhere, I come across a guy who likes not one but two sports I love, and has memorabilia to boot. The second I fell in love with a little late in life, and in particular because of one small explanation he did too. Even that tiger haha. We have the actual thing, crazy as it is.  I was surprised seeing that the most. Also cuz it was a dimension of his personality I hadn't really expected. Somehow it didn't seem to fit at the time, idk why. Even now, I kiiiinda wonder how come he likes them tbh. Weird. But I guess I'm basing that on traits and it's not so deep. 

I'd trade a lot of that in, just for considerate behaviour towards me though lol. That's way more important to me. Heh. Knowing him has been a fairly hurtful experience. Shit happens I guess. 

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But hmmm. It's just weirdly nice when things seem to randomly align. Tennis was one of those silent partners that's always held meaning, and I'm really glad to be reading this book and reliving a lil bit through it.