This mental block I had developed made me feel I had two selves. One that was relaxed and confident, and the other tense and timid. What separated the two was the occasion. It was only in sports, though. Like a twin entwining around the other. In all other walks of life, this sort of block never surfaced. I was always ready to take up challenges.

Tennis was another great love. Having never watched tennis, I tried to learn and understand the game, its terminologies, and nuances by just reading sports columns. The descriptions in those days were so vivid, clear, and precise. Much later, after buying a TV and watching broadcasts of tennis games, did I really know how it was played. All along, I had been under the impression that tennis nets were like badminton nets and used to wonder how balls could be hit so high and into the other side. How many tennis courts were there in India at that time? Where was the opportunity to watch any game? So, I do not feel ashamed.

But then I quickly picked up. Time permitting, I would never skip watching any match that was being telecast. Having read in the newspapers about the Newcombes, Frasers, Roches, Rosewalls, Stan Smiths, and Lavers, and wondered with awe about their exploits, I never got to see them playing even on TV.

My live watching time starts around the Jimmy Connors/Chris Evert era. Some of the great names I recall are Nastase, Vilas, Lendl, Borg—a great favorite—McEnroe, Courier, Agassi, Chang, Sampras, Roddick—I always considered him unlucky—our own Vijay Amritraj, Ramanathan Krishnan, Ramesh Krishnan, Sashi Menon, Paes, Bhupathi, Sania, and many others. From the women, I recall Evert, Goolagong, Mary Joe, Sabatini, Seles—an all-time favorite of mine—Graf, Clijsters, Justine Henin, Novotna, Mandlikova, King, Navratilova, and so many others. I am sorry if I have not remembered many other great champions.

From the contemporary era, almost I would say Federer was a hero to me. Nadal and Djokovic, not any less though. I have stopped following tennis and look at the final results. My sight does not permit me to watch this fast game any longer.

During my first visit to the U.S., once in a moment of foolishness, I tried to play tennis. However hard I tried to hit; the ball would not move beyond five feet. After five minutes of intense effort and pain, I gave up. And during future visits, I am amazed to see my tiny grandsons hit the balls with such ease!

Continued in 246 - Words Without End - Part 1