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ELEVATOR TENNIS

If you have ever participated in District Championships, Section Championships or National Championships you have played what I like to call “elevator tennis.” This is a phenomena that occurs when you are wandering around a hotel filled with tennis players, some of whom you may actually play against.

It’s easy to let your imagination run away a little bit when you are interacting with fellow tennis players for a whole weekend. It’s not quite like gladiators who may be forced into the arena with the purpose of “kill or be killed,” but it has some similarities.

Everyone is very pleasant and sportsmanlike in these exchanges, and the foundation for new friendships may even be formed. It’s common for total strangers to happily discuss tennis that has been played or has yet to be played. When in the elevator, it is nearly guaranteed that this conversation will happen. The main topic of discussion is always centered on where you are from, what level you are playing and how your team is doing. Most of the time this conversation will eliminate you as potential opponents, but on occasion the opposite is true and you find yourself face to face with players on a team you will soon be playing against. In these situations, elevator tennis takes place whether you are aware of it or not. Will you be on the court against this particular player from that team? The wheels are turning and you are wondering how good your opponent is just by looking him or her over. Is he as fast as me? Is he aggressive or tactical? Will she hit her forehand with topspin? Two hand backhand? How big is his serve? Will she get frustrated if I get ahead of her? You know what I mean. We all have unique games and the questions we ask ourselves during elevator tennis are just as unique as our actual game.

Gladiators would be sizing up their potential adversaries in a similar manner. A scar would indicate a significant weakness. Is he going to try to beat (kill!) me by using speed or power? What type of weapon will he use? I wonder how good his reflexes are. One good fake and he’s mine.

We are not, of course, limited to playing “elevator tennis” with players at our own level. There are many times that elevator tennis begins before finding out if someone is at, above or below our level of play. Once we’re in the hotel and this type of tennis starts, it’s not so easy to control.

You may even wind up playing a little “retro elevator tennis.” This is when you see someone you have actually played, and as soon as you see him you remember a particular point. It may be a clean winner that gives you satisfaction or it may be a point that ended the wrong way and needs a little editing. It is possible to edit this memory now, but it’s much more common to play out the point in your mind just as it was on the court. It is a form of personal torture. The memory isn’t always good for your disposition, but you find a way to show good sportsmanship with a smile.

If you have had the opportunity to play “elevator tennis,” consider yourself lucky. You are among the minority of USTA tennis players who qualified to play at these great events. It should be your goal to play elevator tennis every year, because this would mean you have once again made it to the District Championships with a chance to move on to even higher levels of elevator tennis. --- Curtis Gross