Ode to a Wall

Ode to a Wall

I live near a tennis wall. It is about 40 feet wide and 15 feet high, green with a white line at net height. It is said that Federer once played at it. It is fronted by two tennis court halves, blue and white, so as to simulate real play. The wall is part of the tennis complex at the historic Biltmore hotel. I cycle over there nearly every day for practice: it’s a ten-minute ride and free. I’ve been doing this for over ten years. I calculate I have spent around 4000 hours there. It is a very pleasant spot. It is, as they say, my happy place. I often talk to people there, young and old; it is part of the local tennis community. But the point I want to emphasize is technical: it’s a great way to learn to play tennis and hone your game. It teaches you to keep the ball down. You don’t need a partner. You can focus on specific things that you need to improve. You make steady progress. I have been working consistently on my two-handed backhand for the last two years (I used to be a one-hander but I got an injury to my right arm). The wall has enabled me to get over this switch of style. I can now hit drive and slice two-handed backhand and forehand, as well as do the same one-handed (the right arm is a lot better than it was). I owe this to the wall, my steady companion. This is a much-loved wall, and not just by me. Rumors sometimes circulate that it is scheduled to be torn down, which would be a tragedy; but so far, so good. I think every community in which tennis is played should have such a wall—it really adds to the quality of life. People are happy there. Hence, this ode.