A Return to the Court

Cindy took a deep breathe, preparing to serve. She hadn't played any legit, physical matches since her severe knee injury last summer. Cindy was the top female player and best athlete at her tennis academy, yet her recent knee injury was so bad it kept her away from the sport she loved.

Not playing tennis and being away from the court for so long affected her mentally. She didn't feel the thrill like she used to. A part of Cindy desired to be that version of herself again, yet another part just wanted to give up.

Cindy couldn't give up. She'd trained since childhood to be a professional tennis player. She had so many fans and family supporting her. She couldn't just throw it all away, because of fear. Maybe she wouldn't be the top player anymore, yet that shouldn't stop her from competing.

In the last few weeks Cindy pushed herself to get back into shape and into her tennis warrior lifestyle. She even spent some cash to purchase a new set of tennis work out clothes cause they were just too good to pass up. Fake it until you make it right?

Cindy finally served the ball over the net, smacking it into the bleachers. It was a damn good shot. Her coaches and supporters clapped and cheered. If she could make those serves consistently, she'd be back in her groove in no time. Cindy continued to work on her serve and other parts of her game for several more hours. She sweat like a leaking oil tanker, yet kept her mind focused and alert. Cindy felt her old self returning. She was about to play her first tournament. Sure it was minor, yet a good starting point. She knew she could win and get back to the top.

After her practice several media members approached her, asking the big important questions like are you sure you're ready to make a comeback? Is it too soon?

" It's been my goal since I was a little girl to be a professional tennis player. I've loved this sport all my life. My injuries were a major set back. Honestly I felt like given up, but I can't do that. I'm not going to let my family, especially all of my supporters down," when the interview hit the news cycle, Cindy's encouraging words gave her fans hope.

Cindy wandered on to the tennis court. This was her first match in months. She was honored by the large, massive amount of fans in the seats. They still believed in her, giving her hope. Cindy was facing a veteran player she knew well. She told Cindy congrats on the comeback, but she wouldn't go easy on her. Cindy nodded her head, thankful to not be considered a push over.

An hour into the match Cindy had already lost the first set 6 games to 1. They were half way through the 2nd set. Cindy was already down two games. She hadn't won a set yet, causing her to feel stressed. If she lost the next point she'd be down three sets, basically signaling defeat.

" Come on Cindy!" a young girl screamed from the stands. Cindy glanced at her for a moment. The girl smiled at her, encouraging her to soar back. Cindy fought back, eventually winning the point. She then went on to break her opponents serve, tying the match at 2 sets. The crowd continued to rally behind her, completely switching the momentum of the match in her favor. Cindy came back and won the second set 7 games to 5 and completely took over the match, winning the third and final set six games to three. After her opponent hit the ball out of play, securing her victory, Cindy burst into tears, falling to her knees. Some of the crowd stormed the court to cheer and congratulate her, finally being removed by security.

" I'm so grateful I came back and won this match. She's such an amazing player. I wouldn't have pulled off this comeback without this amazing crowd. I'm honored by all of those who came out here today to support me on my journey back to the tennis court," Cindy said as she was being interviewed" Thank you and this is only the start of something wonderful." Cindy waved at the crowd, blew a few kisses then grabbed her bags and left the court, returning to the ladies locker room. Cindy was glad to won, yet realized she had a challenge ahead of her. It would be hard, yet she realized then she wasn't alone. She had support and that is all she needed to keep going.

Tennis is one of my absolute favorite sports. It's thrilling to watch these amazing athletes preform and succeed in such a competitive and brutal sport. None of us can realize the challenges of being a professional athlete, especially those who play and compete in tennis around the globe. I was trying to display those feelings within this story. I haven't felt like writing fiction recently, so this tale sort of inspired me to get back to doing what I love. Thank you to all of you wonderful people who read my posts. I couldn't do this without your support. Creative writing is my version of tennis and I'm grateful to have you guys support. Hope yall are doing well. Take care and always be creative!