Family Tennis

How is it the sport for life can tear tennis families apart? They say tennis is the sport for a lifetime, but over the years I’ve seen it tear families in two. Just name the relationship – married couples, siblings, parents and children – and I’ve seen a fight break out on the tennis court. At a mixed doubles tournament, I once saw a husband berate his wife to the point of tears. Although both were outstanding players, their opponents had figured out that they could lob over the wife whenever her husband charged in on his serve. Later that afternoon, I tried to console her as she sat glumly beneath a tree. “That’s the last time,” was all she said, and the sheer hatred in her voice and expression chilled me. Within months, the two were divorced. Tennis can be just as brutal on parents and their kids – especially teens. Consider the pro tour. Where else can you find so many athletes in therapy?...