Dan Waintrup: Speaker, Author, former Tennis Pro

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Waintrup's Rules Of Winning - June 2006.

Playing Tennis with my Hero's

One of the dreams I have always had as a tennis teaching professional was to play with some of the touring professionals I had idolized growing up. I had always wondered what it might be like to hit a few balls with a world-class player.

I finally got the chance to realize that dream at a charity pro-am that took place in Boston. As I warmed up before the big event with a fellow teaching pro, I started to get a little worried. Would I be so nervous playing with my "idols" that I wouldn't be able to hit the ball in the court? Would I be so self-conscious about how my game was going to measure up to my "hero's" that I wouldn't be able to perform at my usually consistent level and embarrass myself?

The negative thoughts racing through my mind were interrupted by a loud, booming, self-assured voice.

"Hello, I'm Todd Martin…I'll be your doubles partner for the first round of the event…"

Didn't it seem like for the last 20 years I had watched Todd play and win some classic, 5 set marathon match at Wimbledon or the U.S. Open? As he warmed up at the net beside me, I marveled at how his technically perfect volleys looked just as good in person as they did on my Sony Big Screen.

"Hey Dan, why don't you serve first," he said through a winning smile as he handed me a couple of tennis balls.

"Sure, why not," I replied, trying to sound confident, feeling a little weak in the knees as I walked back to the baseline.

Amazingly, I got my first serve in, charged the net and hit a winning volley.

"Nice shot partner...good angle that time...," Todd complimented me as he handed me a ball for my next serve.

I was in tennis heaven!

But the fun was just beginning.

Mr. Martin and I won our round easily. (Actually, it turned out to be fairly easy to play with a guy you kind of knew wasn't going to miss a lot of shots!) After shaking his hand, I reluctantly walked to my next court to meet my new partner and opponents.

I was greeted by a familiar face.

"Hi...I'm Mats Wilander...nice to meet you…"

Was it really him? Was it really the guy I had idolized growing up, the guy who I watched play all those incredible clay court matches at the Italian and French Open Championship's? He looked no different then when he was one of the top ranked players in the world in the 80's, and, indeed, all the former touring pro's participating in the pro-am looked like they could step right back onto the world professional tour and compete.

I was playing against Mats in this round and one point in particular reminded everyone of the speed, quickness, and court coverage he was famous for. I returned his partner's serve and hit what I thought was a perfect offensive lob over his head at the net. He raced back like he was shot out of a cannon, not only reaching the ball but managing to hit a screeching topspin forehand drive right back at me as I was following my shot into the net. As startled as I was that he had even gotten to the ball, I somehow managed to get my racquet on it and weakly half volley it back. As the ball was barely clearing the net, I thought to myself, "Wow, a perfect drop shot…nobody's going to get to that ball…"

Unfortunately for my partner and myself, Mr. Wilander didn't quite agree with this assessment. He had anticipated my weak return and streaked to the net, nailing a perfect crosscourt winner.

"I still got a little speed left in me, huh," the former Swedish champion joked.

Everybody laughed.

For a moment we had all been transported back to 1985, and Mats was playing Boris Becker in the quarterfinals of the French Open at Roland Garros.

Wilander had been off the tour for more than 15 years but he could still turn on the jets if he wanted to, displaying the kind of speed and court coverage that few in the world have ever matched.

The round ended too quickly and, as I wandered to my next court, dreaming about what it might be like to be that quick, my train of thought was interrupted by a voice that sounded like it had come right out of a Crocodile Dundee movie.

"How are you mate...let's hit a few, o.k...just got off the plane…I'm a little rusty you know..., Pat Cash said as he shook my hand in that well known Aussie accent.

Pat was my opponent in the last round, and as I was warming up with him, I couldn't help but think back to that great run he had all the way to the Wimbledon singles title in 1987. Playing against him, my partner and I got to see a little of that fiery, intense, competitive personality that so defined him when he was on the world professional tour. His partner wasn't playing very well and they were quickly down 3-0 in games, with his turn to serve. This may have been a charity event but Mr. Cash had no intention of losing his serve to a couple of teaching pro's. "Time for a little comeback," I heard him say to himself as he ambled back to the baseline to serve. Our friend from Australia proceeded to uncork four un-returnable 120 m.p.h. serves. "Now I know why he was #4 in the world in 1988," I half-heartedly joked to my partner as his last booming serve practically knocked the racquet out of my hand.

I wasn't upset that I couldn't return Pat Cash's serve. I actually found myself enjoying the competition with him and the other great players I had the privilege to play with that day. I found myself being grateful for the opportunity to play tennis with these fantastic athletes, these former world-class players.

I found myself grateful for the chance to play tennis with my hero's.

Want more of Dan’s life lessons on and off the tennis court?
As seen in The New York Review of Books and on national TV!!! Dan’s humorous memoir, It’s Not My Fault — or — Can a Rabbi’s Son Find Happiness as a Tennis Pro?, is teeming with laugh-out-loud stories, priceless one-liners, and comical anecdotes from his country club teaching experiences and reckless forays through life!

Get an inside look into the secret life of a country club Tennis Pro (come on… you know you’re curious!!!)
Experience Dan’s many hilarious encounters with his eccentric (and filthy rich) clients!
Strengthen your forehand, backhand, volley, and serve with the many tennis tips Dan provides throughout the book!
Laugh so hard you'll split your tennis shorts!
And that’s just the beginning!

Dan’s book is available for only $19.95.
Purchase it now by clicking here

To read a hilarious excerpt, please click here http://www.danwaintrup.com/intro.html

“If you are Jewish you will love this book. If you play tennis (or wish you could play tennis) you will love this book. If you’re not Jewish and don’t play tennis, welcome to a world that will keep you smiling from the Table of Contents to the Epilogue.”

Jeff Bukantz, Captain of the 2004 US Olympic Fencing Team

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