It is the tennis tournament this week. There are more men who play singles tennis so they get split into groups of under 35, over 35, over 45 and even an over 55. The ladies are thinner on the ground and so we have to take our chances. I am the oldest lady so I know my opponent is going to be younger than I am, it is what degree of youth is going to face me across that net.
My first match took place on a sunny Sunday afternoon when I played a Vet in her late thirties. No problem there. Clearly she was worn out from dealing with all those animals and I beat her easily. The next match was Monday evening and this is where I now suspect that I am in fact fairly old. I cannot play tennis in the evening. I was due to play at 6.30pm, which I thought I could probably just about handle but of course I didn't take into account that irritating French habit of always being late. She eventually turned up at 7.30pm, a springy 29 year old, fresh as a daisy. She didn't even play that well but she beat me easily.
My third match was last night and due to start at 7.15pm. At 8 o'clock a small, 25 year old bounced in. It is getting gloomy I said. We were playing outside. She laughed. I lost the first set but won the second, which meant in the near dark we had to play a third. It was exhausting, I was running all over the place. Even though I would have gladly accepted her winning 6 love, or even better me winning 6 love, we matched each other game for game. At 10pm, when normally I am thinking about going to bed, and when I could hardly see across the net, we started the tie break and after all that effort she beat me 8 6. As I was leaving a man asked me if I was going to play in the Veterans' tournament in August. I brightened up. How old is a veteran I asked. Well for men it is over 45 and over 55 but for women it is over 35. Yea right. I picked up my gear and staggered off into the night.
My first match took place on a sunny Sunday afternoon when I played a Vet in her late thirties. No problem there. Clearly she was worn out from dealing with all those animals and I beat her easily. The next match was Monday evening and this is where I now suspect that I am in fact fairly old. I cannot play tennis in the evening. I was due to play at 6.30pm, which I thought I could probably just about handle but of course I didn't take into account that irritating French habit of always being late. She eventually turned up at 7.30pm, a springy 29 year old, fresh as a daisy. She didn't even play that well but she beat me easily.
My third match was last night and due to start at 7.15pm. At 8 o'clock a small, 25 year old bounced in. It is getting gloomy I said. We were playing outside. She laughed. I lost the first set but won the second, which meant in the near dark we had to play a third. It was exhausting, I was running all over the place. Even though I would have gladly accepted her winning 6 love, or even better me winning 6 love, we matched each other game for game. At 10pm, when normally I am thinking about going to bed, and when I could hardly see across the net, we started the tie break and after all that effort she beat me 8 6. As I was leaving a man asked me if I was going to play in the Veterans' tournament in August. I brightened up. How old is a veteran I asked. Well for men it is over 45 and over 55 but for women it is over 35. Yea right. I picked up my gear and staggered off into the night.
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