Can these bones live?

Wake up call … I got my brains beaten out in both singles and doubles when I played in during a high school tennis practice this past Saturday.  To add injury to insult, I lunged/dove for a ball when trailing and lost my balance falling on my left knee and hand.  Maybe dreams of Wimbledon 1985 are best left behind.

What I think I am doing

The results of what I actually did

My conditioning is actually better than it has been in years.  I never felt tired or winded on the court.  I had not hit a tennis ball since mid-September 2019 prior to my Thursday and Saturday forrays on the court.  Thursday I hit maybe 10 balls so jumping into match play on a cold Saturday morning was probably a bad idea.  Still, my reflexes and reaction time were laughably bad.

Can I get any of my reflexes, reaction time, and balance back?  If so, I can still play.  I am in decent aerobic conditioning for the first time in years.  I have good technique.  I am currently just not match tough.  Yet, is competing with teenagers a bridge too far?  Do I need to get a giant racquet and start hitting crazy slices on everything?  I am 44 after all.

For now, I am opting with trying to get my reflexes back.  Eddie Felson did not give up and neither should I.  I’ve taken plenty of beatings on the tennis court over the years.  Then again, 9-ball does not require reflexes or aerobic conditioning so I reserve the right to buy a snowshoe sized racquet and hit junk shots at any point between now and turning 10,000 years old.  After that, I will take up (disc) golf.  For now, “Hey, I’m back!”