What constitutes being a nerd?
A) Having a 4.0 GPA
B) Going to the library three days a week, even without the delicious task of completing a research paper
C) Staying home on a Friday night to play Scrabble with your friends
D) Swapping a TV show for the Pickwick Papers
E) All of the above
Being a nerd has many advantages. Certainly in the classroom, nerds strive for straight A’s and always complete their homework assignments in a timely manner. The occasional nerd will sometimes go above and beyond the assignment and include portions of their own research when turning in homework. Nerds often have their noses in books. In my opinion, nerds are also knowledgeable on various subjects. They aren’t strictly “nerdy” about one specific area or topic. They indulge in everything and yearn to learn!
What does this have to do with tennis, you ask? Being a nerd has many advantages on the tennis court as well as off. Think about the best tennis players. Pete Sampras and Steffi Graf were students of the game. They didn’t get to the top or reach their tennis peak by neglecting their “studies”. Sampras learned to hit a one handed backhand because it would make him a more intelligent and efficient tennis player. He learned from the best coaches in the industry and maintained his focus throughout his career. Graf was a versatile player on clay, grass and hard court surfaces. She did her homework by spending hours before her matches warming up and stretching in preparation of her task.
Intelligence in a tennis player is too often overlooked. Tennis is a physical game. Perhaps more importantly and primarily, tennis is a mental game. The mind is involved strategically in reaching the next level for every player. Tennis nerds know all about the industry. They can tell you which racquet to buy if power is your goal, or if control is your desire. Tennis nerds know which racquets are head-light or head-heavy. They know the difference between a backhand topspin and a flat backhand. They can feel the difference. With intelligence comes a keen sense of intuition. Scholars are so familiar with their studies they can often dispute any argument to the contrary.
Intelligence alone does not make you a winner. Students who study the most do not always go home with the best report cards. Similarly, tennis players who know every move in the book or read Tennis Magazine religiously, are not always at the top of the ladder. One must have the mental capacity to apply their knowledge. Tennis players must possess the talent to apply their knowledge of the game during a match. Talent is the precursor. Intelligence adds to strengthen that talent. So, not ALL nerds have the advantage. But it would be a crying shame to not be a tennis nerd if you really loved the game.
I think a real nerd is someone who writes about being a nerd. Hmm…
“Baby you’re so smart, you know you could have been a schoolbook”
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