Debbie Baker shares the highlights of her two year tennis journey.
Debbie Baker did not have any interest in the sport of tennis before hearing the words, “go from couch to courts in 4 weeks!” The ambitious claim inspired her to enroll in the Eno Community Tennis Association’s “Try Tennis” program for adult beginners. Two years later, Baker enjoys regularly playing alongside a team of women in the Durham area, as she applies the lessons she’s learned from match to match.
“It came at the right time in my life,” Baker said. She learned about the opportunity to “try tennis” through a neighborhood-to-neighborhood listserv. Prior to the program, Baker claims she couldn’t even keep score. From the start, the Eno CTA’s co-chairman of adult programs, Kim Cusic Roberts, encouraged Baker to give the sport a go and insisted that she continue match play after the program’s end.
“Without her, I wouldn’t be playing tennis,” Baker said. Another key factor in Baker’s steady devotion to the sport is the relationships she shares with her teammates, or as she so endearingly refers to them, “the sisters.”
“All the ladies that I’ve met, played with, and made new friends with, right now it’s still fun for us. I always want to hopefully keep it fun with the sisters, the women,” Baker said. But how does she deal with situations on the court that aren’t so fun?
“We never won a match...losing just sort of takes the life out of you,” she said of her first season after finishing the “Try Tennis” program.
“But we just kept going and we improved. And next thing you know, we were winning.”
Despite describing her own journey as slow, Baker feels that the opportunity to progress has pushed her to improve her mental and physical game.
“It’s a learning process. You have to have patience with yourself and you have to have patience with others as they’re learning,” Baker said.
She asserts that patience is essential in the midst of miscommunication with teammates and opponents. Navigating calls and plays can be tricky for anyone, but competing against other beginner-to-intermediate players presents unique challenges.
“It can get tense. And sometimes, you misunderstand each other,” Baker said of challenges with opponents.
“Communication is key with your partner and with your opponent,” she continued.
For Baker, partner communication dominates match play. She prefers to play doubles because she can combine her skill set, including her strengths and areas that need improvement, with the skill set of her partner. In one example, she recalled how a lack of proper communication cost her team the point, when a hard-to-get ball sent Baker diving to return it.
“I got it, but I tripped and fell. I left about eight inches of skin on the court. The first thing I said was ‘Did I get it over?!,’” Baker said.
“My partner said ‘Yes, but I was so concerned about you that I didn’t get it back!’”
“Some people just give up on the ball. I don’t like to give up,” Baker said. And she has painful-looking bruises to show for it.
Having played the sport for only two years, Baker feels she is in a good position to offer advice to those who are just starting to play, or considering playing.
“You’ve got to take the chance of doing it. Make friends. Ask questions. Find out how you can play and where you can play,” she said.
“If you’ve got an interest, you have to ask questions and network...start with the community programs,” Baker said.
She encourages those who are interested to visit local parks during the season and make contacts from there.
For Baker, getting off the couch was the hardest step. Today, she praises the victories and defeats she’s experienced, understanding the value of the lessons she’s learned. Forming close relationships with new teammates/friends has made her ever developing tennis journey worthwhile.
“Don’t think it’s just going to happen. With anything, you have to make it happen,” Baker said.