(Photo: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo - Nationaal Archief Fotocollectie Anefo Item number 927-7839)
Now we must come to the net. With our rackets, skills, rushing the net ready for the lob that our opponent always seems to rely on. Ready to slam the shot into the open court that’s all we need now is an opening, a clear chance to take control of this match a double fault an unforced error a slow high bouncing return we can handle, send back with violent force drive our opponent into the fence so we can come to the net for the shot that will make history.
Now we must prepare our rackets, back behind us and ready we just need to keep the ball in play now it is match point but we must have the heart of a champion. We must all be in Grand Slam form: Wimbledon, the French, the U.S. Open, we are down to the last point but this is greatness being born.
Now we must be ready to serve: a hard driving up in your face roscoe tanner look alike. Pushing our opponent back against the fence, telling them we will not be beat. We can then come to the net with our rackets prepared, ready for the lob, checking down the line, determined to turn this thing around because all we need is an opening,
and I know we will be victorious if we all come to the net together.
Afterword:
When I was a young kid, growing up in Washington D.C., I was lucky enough to learn how to play tennis. Even more, my teacher was a Black woman who was secretly one of the best tennis players in the world.
I learned the game from Roumaine Walker Peters, one of the famous tennis playing Walker sisters. I learned it from her in Georgetown at a tennis court called Rose Park. Now and then, a young rising star tennis player named Arthur Ashe came through and volunteered at the tennis camp. I will never forget it. Arthur Ashe will always be one of my heroes. Not just because he was a great tennis player but because he tried to live a life of humility and dignity.
The poem above is inpired by him.