Wimbledon is well under way and I am sure that many of you have already hit the court more than a few times. During my search a pair of classic golf shoes (See here), I ran into this tongue-in-cheek post about court attire from The Glengarry Sporting Club (The first post in well over a year). The article made me laugh which is reason enough to pass it along.
The article paints a picture of the sport that makes it clear to the reader that the “game” is not limited to one’s athletic ability. Tennis in this instance is as much social as it is an athletic pursuit. The post is filled with witty lines about how to succeed on this court. For example,
Color should be provided by the ball, the court surface, and your tan. Otherwise, stick with white. It really isn’t just for Wimbledon.
But what if said quality (old simple shoes) results in discomfort on the court? It has happened to me and all I can say is that there is no better reason to stop play for a drink of water (or a sip of your Bloody Mary if it’s that kind of club.)
The contrast of a clean white crew sock above a scuffed-up or clay-stained sneaker sends a message to your opponent: I’ve never not been doing this.
For those of you that are taking the article (or yourself) too seriously this line will add some perspective.
Naturally, I recommend you take all of this with a grain of salt. If score matters, go technical. None of this need apply in the world of leagues, ratings, or sponsored tournaments. Even I keep a pair of fairly recent (mostly white) Asics on hand for when a match is anything other than fun. (But it’s always fun, really.)
Here is a link for the full read: Playing Court to the Classics