May the focus be with you

May’s been a quiet month. It’s a time of transition from the indoor season to outdoor, so that may explain the lack of events. I’ve spent the month fine tuning my skills at the local club and recreational league, prepping for the next provincial tournament. My immediate goal: to get my first real win on the circuit…without byes, defaults, acts of God or anything like that…just a regular win.

Critics would argue that my successful achievement of such a goal would indeed require an act of God...a big one at that! Pffttt. Granted, in years past my impetuousness would have incited a mighty wrath, but such comments have less effect on me now. I’ve come to realize that my biggest weakness on the court is not my lack of skill, but rather my inability to stay focussed. To deal with this, as well as some other issues, I’ve turned to ancient eastern philosophies and practices, enlisting the help of acupuncturists, Japanese massage therapists, and literature on Tai Chi and other meditative practices. How well all this will translate on the court, only time will tell, but I think it’s safe to say that I have become a master of focus, and I will continue to refuse taking actual tennis lessons to better my game. Why? Well, because to do so would be trivial. A tennis lesson only makes one better at tennis (if even that), but the other therapies/techniques/sessions I’ve mentioned, aim to help an individual improve overall, and lessons learned can be applied universally…even to tennis, the very meaning of life.