blood and glory

So im at the courts on a cloudy and windy thursday afternoon.

Of course the bugger is late. No one's ever on time anyway - it's Singapore. I've just bought a brand new KPS88 strung with the gut hybrid i've been looking for, but the conditions are humid, and im not about to ruin a good stringjob.

I take out the other racquet, the not-so-new KPS88 strung with PHT and Xcel. I go thru the usual warm up routine. Serves. Serve 10 up the T. Serve 10 out wide. And 10 into the body. Followed by 20 second serves into anyspot i want.

Got bored really quick.

Anyway, i notice that the guy in the opposite court is also all along. He's serving too. I figure "Eh, maybe i'll ask for a hit."

Th guy is reluctant at first - he's gg to have a match with his friend later and doesnt want to tire himself out. I offer a warmup hit instead - just light hitting. He's fine with that.

The guy immediately takes position as though to receive serve. Im like WTF? I tot we were just warming up? So i feed a nice slow ball to him. He winds up, and cranks a continental grip forehand. It's good. I block it back and he begins to pound away.

All this time im just stroking on the rise - hitting back to him near the service line.

He comes to the net, runs around forehands, goes for a dropper. But eh, i dont care. I just keep putting the ball back right in the centre of his court. After all, he said he was saving up for a match.

Fine.

Finally he cranks a forehand right at me. At my freakin shoes. Now im standing still, and im not prepared for a body shot, so i reach defensively, I come over the ball and just topspin it back in to his side.

The ball lands short, but has tons of spin.

He's not prepared. The ball jumps up right at him. He's too close. The ball smacks him dead on the forehead. But REMEMBER, his trying to hit the ball right? His racquet comes around and smacks himself - right on the bridge of his nose.

First thing he yells is "Oh SHIT!"

Im asking are u all right?

Then i see the blood. He's bleeding from a large gash on his nose. Eeeewww... and he's bleeding all over the place like a stuck pig. It's literally dripping on the floor. He rushes for some tissues.

I keep repeating sorry sorry sorry. But he's fine. He blames himself he says.

Luckily the bleeding stopped after he washed it.

I never made anyone bleed from tennis before.

It's powerful shit. Glorious.