Re: Dirty Tricks that Mother didn't teach me -

> 
> I guess if you're playing someone much better who always beats you it might
> be worth trying above tactics, but I doubt a good player would even notice
> what you're doing between points...?  I'd be focussing on what I had to do
> rather than 'why's he stopped spitting'....

Whisper,

I have found that the quality of player (i.e., skill level) is not
necessarily indicative of their personal maturity.  It's more a case
of gamesmanship.  The person who wanted to bet you $4000.00, even
though obese, probably ascribes to the thinking that if you get the
stakes high enough then you can intimidate a talented opponent.
And, I have noticed that the really good players notice every little
thing that you do...hoping to find a weak spot in your game whether
mental or skill-wise.

Here's something I found amusing that happened during a match I was
playing.  It was a doubles match...my partner and I had split sets
with them.  Before, the start of the third my partner took a bathroom
break.  While we waited, my opponents and myself, I took the balls and
started bounce juggling them on the court.  Then, I went into two or
three cascade styles of juggling and finally finished off with a five
ball juggle.  This whole routine took about maybe five or six minutes.
 I put the balls away except for the three we need to play with before
my partner returned.

When, we started the third set our opponents fail apart.  It wasn't my
tennis that shook them up...it was my juggling skills.  I guess they
thought that I was somehow toying with them.  I will admit I changed
from topspin style of play to underspin.  Plus, since I know how to
juggle...here's one little trick I pulled to start serve with.  I
tossed one ball high in the air...just as it reached its apex - I
tossed the second ball in the air, at a shorter height, and hit it
then caught the first ball.  They, my opponents, just watched sort of
in shock.  They said if they knew that serve was illegal they would
complain!!!  Naturally, I told them I didn't know if there was any
rule which prohibited the tossing of more than one ball at a time
because I only hit one.  Maybe, it could be viewed as an obstruction. 
I don't know - but, it was fun!!!

Your Friend,
Gary
www.awningsleeveshirt.com