It is a rare occasion to write about a negative and unhappy experience playing tennis! That is what I like to do for fun and entertainment. Usually there are four women who play together. When one of the four cannot be there, someone tries to get a substitute. Last Friday, one of our group ran over to the next court to ask Boris, the Russian, if he would play with us the following Friday. I know a little bit about Boris because Gerry has played with him before. I was not excited about having him play, but it seemed perhaps better than playing with three.
So today, my partner and I played against the other woman and Boris. He, of course, has many tricks that the women do not have. Specifically, he has a wicked spin that comes toward you, hits the ground, then takes a ninety degree turn one direction or the other. We lost the first set. I honestly don't get upset about losing. Lord knows, I spent twenty five years losing to my dear husband before getting to the point when I could defeat him from time to time.
At the end of the second set, Boris decided he would give us instruction, and criticized our mistakes, telling us harshly how it is supposed to be done. I found that I was offended by that. He was a guest invited to play, but he was not invited to be our coach. I was not happy. Maybe his criticism was accurate, his observations true; still I was very angry. At least, out of that anger came victory, because we won the next two games.
Unfortunately, he was invited to play again next week; my partner cannot be there. I don't really want to go. Tennis is for pleasure, not for pain! Boris is a pain!
Criticism is an unwelcome guest!
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