Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Bailey's, Bubble Yum and Beyonce

If we know each other in real life, chances are you've seen me out and about in pigtails. Yes, I'm a (very) grown woman and yes I see the "isn't it sad that she's clinging to her youth in such a desperate way" glances. But the truth is I'm just superstitious.

About 5 years ago when I started playing competitive tennis, my hair was too short for the conventional ponytail so I wrangled it into two pigtails and teamed them up with a visor. I guess I won a few matches that season because then it became "a thing". And now, years later, I always wear pigtails with a visor to my matches. Truth be told, I'm kind of over it and realize the absurdity, but I'm also trying to accept the concept that "that thing" is "my thing" and just go with it. 

This little ritual of mine got me thinking: maybe other tennis players have quirky habits too.

And guess what! They do. I reached out to dozens of players and a handful of pros in my local community and asked if they had any tennis rituals or superstitions. Here's what they shared. (First the regular folks followed by the pros at the end.)

Some think it's all about the ball:













But it might be about what goes in your mouth:





Others swear it's all about what they put on:













Or what about what they let out:







Sometimes it's about Karma:











Sometimes it's more complicated:
























Sometimes it's all about the jams:





























And now a word from the pros! Here's what they do or did back in their heydays. 











































In reading through the pros' submissions, one thing became abundantly clear: the only thing standing between me and a higher rating is incorporating more superstitions and rituals! I'll be perusing this list like a menu and prepping for spring season. If only...

This blog was such fun to write and about as much research as I can handle. Thank you to everyone who took the time to reveal their personal tennis quirks and habits. And a special thank you to the person who submitted the reply below. She gave me a good chuckle and a smidge of self disappointment that I hadn't considered her implied angle myself.