u/bottbobb

Watching Wimbledon makes me appreciate how classy this sport is. What really sets tennis apart is how a lot of the fanfare and enjoyment is centered on the atmosphere (which players mention in their speeches), aesthetics and beautiful athleticism.

Unlike other sports (mostly team sports like basketball or football) fans don't really have a team obsession. Tennis fans may root for a player but generally want to just see a good game and great performance from either players. Last night, watching Iga and Alex - I felt for both. As long as there's great competition, the fans are happy.

This is probably new for Filipino fans - from sports to politics, most Filipinos have a tribal affinity and will go hard for their supported team/player.

In tennis, the player/s is not as important as the game.

Hopefully with its rise in popularity, more can discover a new way to enjoy sports and a new perspective on how we show up for the competitor we support but honor the competition above all. It can teach us a lot.

I was watching Wimbledon and started looking up their rackets. I already knew some had paint jobs on their racket but I didn't realize how old their rackets were. Apparently most of them use really old rackets painted to look like the new releases.

When I say old, I mean some are decades old. Sinner uses a 10 yr old model that he modified with lead tape and silicone fillings on the grip. Which technically are customizations we can do ourselves too. Nadal was using a 22 yr old racket!

Apparently pros prefer older models because (apart from muscle memory) the newer rackets now despite being marketed as pro/performance rackets are made to appeal to beginners. Stiffer than older models so amateurs have effortless power.

That got me curious who here uses an old racket? How old?