As some of you may know, I’m an avid tennis player and fan. I play tennis at least three times a week, often more. Here’s a photo of one of my USTA teams that is headed to sectional playoffs in December. I’m the first one on the left in the front row.
I’ve been to the Wimbledon Championships in the UK, so I thought it was time to go to the tennis championships of my own country, especially since my daughter and her family now live near NYC, where the tournament is held. The official site is the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York City, NY. To get to the tennis center from where my daughter lives requires an hour-and-ten-minute ride on the NJ Transit train from Morris Plains, NJ, to Penn Station in NYC. The next leg of the trip is a fifteen-minute ride on the Long Island Railroad that goes from Penn Station to the tennis center. The total time for the trip, stops included, was a little over two hours.
Here are some of the sights at the tennis tournament. The first two photos are of plaques showing former US Open champions from previous years.
The photo below is a photo of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest venue at the tennis center. I had a reserved seat in the stadium, and that allowed me first come, first served general admission to all the other courts, although I wound up only going to Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The photo below is inside Louis Armstrong Stadium, where I saw Naomi Osaka, number one women’s player, play a couple of games before her match was over. Then I stayed around to watch American, John Isner, play one set before I returned to Arthur Ashe to watch Simona Halep, current Wimbledon champion take on American, Taylor Townsend, who eventually won the very exciting three-set match. John Isner is the player on the left-hand side of the photo.
I took the photo below during the Halep-Townsend match. Halep is the one at the bottom of the photo.
The weather was perfect for a day at the US Open, not too hot and not too cool. My seat was in the shade so I didn’t even have to apply the sunscreen I brought. I’m hoping I can go again next year.
You may be asking yourself what tennis has to do with contemporary Christian romance, and I have a link. In a tennis match the players hit the ball back and forth across the net until one player makes a mistake, either hitting the ball into the net or outside the lines of the court. In a romance I believe the hero and heroine are in a way sending their feelings on a back-and-forth journey. She loves me; she loves me not. He loves me; he loves me not.
I know some readers may not like it when the hero and heroine have that struggle with their feelings, but it’s the kind of romance I love to read and to write. The hero and heroine are constantly battling with themselves and their emotions over whether to give in to feelings for the other person that could possibly be all wrong for a variety of reasons. For me, that builds the romantic tension in the story just as in a tennis match where the ball goes back and forth, or the score goes back and forth.
In tennis a player must win four points in order to win a game. The points are scored 15, 30, 40, and game. If the game reaches 40 all or deuce, where both players have won three points, one player must then win two points in a row to win the game. In a deuce game, the points may go back and forth several times until one player finally wins those two points. The longest deuce game recorded at a tournament was thirty-seven deuces.
So when the hero or heroine thinks they might like to pursue a romantic relationship with the other person, there are reasons not to. This leads to the thoughts, yes, I should or no, I shouldn’t. The back and forth of a tennis match is much like the back and forth of an uncertain hero or heroine when dealing with romantic feelings.
What you think about a reluctant hero or heroine debating with themselves about a new relationship?
I will give away an e-book copy of my novella, Second Chance Christmas, in which the hero is a tennis player, to one person who leaves a comment. I will draw the winning name at 9PM MST on September 13, 2019.
Also check out the books in my Front Porch Promises series. Book six is coming in November.
Merrillee Whren is an award-winning author who writes inspirational romance. She is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award for best inspirational romance manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. She has also been the recipient of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of thirty plus years, and has two grown daughters. She has lived in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Florida but now makes her home in the Arizona desert. When she’s not writing, she spends her free time playing tennis or walking while she does the plotting for her novels.
Love the photos and hearing your experience. At the Aussie open its normally 100ish for a lot of the time. If I did go I would love to watch Ash Barty play.
I like your analogy. In real life many people have that does he/she love me or not. While there is love at first sight there is often still that dialogue is it real or am I just imagining it. (I know it happened with mum and dad. Mum fell for him the first time she saw him and while I was to young to think about asking dad as he died when I was 11. I am sure it was. It was several months later on new years eve when someone asked mum who was taking her home and she said Jack (dad) was then turned to him and said that’s right isn’t it. Turns out he was wanting to ask her out but was scared she would say no. so dad had the does she love me).
So glad you had the opportunity to go to the Open! Thank you for sharing your special day!
Hi Merrillee, how fun for you:)
I like stories where the hero and heroine struggle with their feelings. Makes for an interesting story:)
Blessings:)
I’m glad you were able to experience something you love. Blessings
Hi Merrillee,
How fun to see your experience. Thanks for sharing!
My husband was reluctant for 3 years, while I was ready to marry the first day I met him. I would prefer our sons to be a bit reluctant before they make a lifetime commitment. So I think that reluctance in a hero/heroine to be fine.
Great pictures and a wonderful opportunity to go to such an important tennis venue and to be able to watch. Your analogy of love and a tennis match is spot on but also continues on in our daily lives with each of us serving up feelings to another and waiting to see if they volley them back or totally miss the court
Glad you could go to see tennis. Commuting in NYC is not for the faint of heart. It still amazes me and it isn’t something that would be a good idea today , but my mom as a young child would get on a bus by herself and go across NYC to visit cousins.
My son just got married after a 10 year back and forth relationship. My daughter said she kept dreaming they would elope!
Oh, the book sounds good!! Like your analogy of the back and forth with tennis. I have to admit, I’m not a tennis fan. To me, that’s as boring as watching golf! I’m glad you got to go and watch, though. I do like the back and forth in books, too. That just adds to the book, when they aren’t sure how they feel and aren’t sure about the other person, either. It’s that way in life, too, quite often.
AusJenny, I love Ash Barty. She is so fun to watch. I hope I get to see her next year when I go to the tournament. Going this year just made me want to go again. So fun! The story you tell about your mum and dad show how people are reluctant to put themselves out there for fear of getting rejected.
Paula Marie, thanks. It was fun!
Wemble, it’s so fun to see what will finally make the hero or heroine be brave enough to express their feelings.
Lelia, thanks so much.
Michelle, you’re welcome. Sometimes figuring out whether someone is right for you takes time.
Beth, that’s so true. Our interactions with others can always create some uncertainty.
Diana, that is amazing that you mom made the trip across NYC to visit cousins. You’re right that you couldn’t do that today. I had already taken the train to Penn Station so that part was easy. Just finding where to buy tickets and catch the LIRR took a little searching. Congratulations on your son’s marriage. That was a long courtship.
Trudy, I do understand how someone who doesn’t play tennis or golf would find those two sports boring to watch. I record the matches on TV, and sometimes I even fast forward through some of the matches that are really lopsided. Yes, we all put ourselves out there, hoping others will like us.
I never really cared for tennis but my grandmother was a good player. She even went to a national championship once. I do like the idea of comparing tennis to love.. there are many back and forth feelings in life (before AND after h and H accept their feelings for each other). It’s how we deal with those feelings that define the relationship in my opinion. And the decision to continue playing to keep the ball running (not to win a set).
Priscila, how exciting that your grandmother went to a national championship. You are so right about back and forth feelings.
Tennis is definitely an overlooked sport in contemporary romance. My father is an avid tennis player and fan (but unfortunately I am not a tennis player or fan though I don’t mind watching the matches).
MJHS, you’re right in that tennis does wind up in many romances. You read about football, baseball, and hockey players more than anything.
I think a hero/heroine might be reluctant to start a relationship if they’re in the middle of a stressful situation, feel the timing isn’t right, or is just getting over a broken relationship.
I think watching tennis in person would be pretty cool! Lucky you.
Arletta, live tennis is amazing compared to what you see on TV. The balls are so much faster in person.
I watched the US Open on tv but I bet it was more spectacular in person! I like it if the hero or heroine is reluctant because it makes it feel like real life.
Lori, it is fun to watch in person.
What’s so good about Ash is her temperament. if she loses she is gracious in defeat. Unlike one Australian male player who I wont mention (partly cos I can’t spell it and partly cos he doesn’t need to be acknowledged) actually we have a couple male players who are definitely not role models.
Dad had come back from the war and was 36 at the time and I don’t think he or mum had had any relationships before. I know mum was content to be single and never really wanted to get married.
Sounds like a great trip.
What a great time you had! Thank you for sharing!!!