Fiction · Courtside stories
The comeback calendar
A former junior plans his return. His calendar has other ideas.
At 39, he decided the problem with his tennis was a lack of structure. This was a pleasing diagnosis because it sounded fixable and did not require discussing his backhand.
As a junior, he had never reached regional competition. He retained, however, a detailed alternate history in which better guidance, a larger training budget and slightly different circumstances had changed everything.
In this alternate history, nobody mentioned how often he had practised serving only after someone suggested playing a set.
Monday: a new era
He opened a blank calendar. Strength. Footwork. Tennis. Recovery. More tennis. The week looked magnificent. Almost professional.
Then he added work.
Then the commute, dinner, and the small matter of sleeping. Thursday's athletic development block became a supermarket visit. Saturday's second session was already occupied by a birthday lunch.
My comeback has excellent potential. It is currently awaiting calendar approval.
A smaller plan, with an actual place in it
He looked again. There were a few spaces he could genuinely protect. Not enough for the imaginary career. Perhaps enough for the game he actually played.
This was mildly disappointing for his documentary and rather encouraging for his Tuesday evening.
He closed the calendar. For once, he had written a plan for the person who would have to follow it.
Take the question off the page
Before choosing a program, write down the time you can reliably offer it. Include the full commitment: getting ready, travelling if necessary and the session itself. A program can look excellent and still be a poor match for your week.