Last Tuesday I woke up feeling antsy and remembered I hadn’t hit tennis balls in weeks. My buddy texted “court?” at 10am – perfect timing. We decided to try that public park near downtown with the free courts.
Prepping Our Gear
Grabbed my dusty racket from the closet and shook it – strings felt okay. Threw together a bag with:
- 2 water bottles (stole one from my roommate’s fridge)
- Sweat towel that smelled kinda funky but worked
- 3 beat-up practice balls with fuzz falling off
- Extra shirt because last time I looked like I jumped in a pool
Forgot sunscreen like an idiot. Again.
Finding The Damn Courts
Google Maps lied about parking. Drove around for 15 minutes before spotting gravel lots behind some trees. Courts looked okay but the net sagged in the middle. At least nobody was waiting – we just dropped bags on court 4.
The Actual Hitting Session
Started slow since both of us were rusty. Did some baseline rallies trying not to launch balls over the fence. After 20 minutes we got sweatier than expected so:
- Took breaks every 3-4 games to chug water
- Used my phone propped against the fence to record our serves
- Tried trick shots until I tripped on a crack and almost ate pavement
Stopped after 70 minutes when we ran out of drinkable water. Shirt was drenched but felt awesome.
Mistakes I Won’t Repeat Next Time
Almost ruined the day by forgetting critical stuff. Reminder to self:
- NEVER skip sunscreen – shoulders got roasted
- Bring 4 waters minimum for two people
- Check net conditions online first
- Wear shoes with ankle support (nearly twisted mine on a slide)
Still, beating old tennis balls against concrete somehow fixes a crap mood every time. 10/10 would suffer sweaty shirt again.