Alright, so let me tell you about this whole ‘Hanyu Liu tennis’ saga I went through. I was really trying to up my game, you know? Get some solid practice in. Heard about this guy, Hanyu Liu, around the courts. People were whispering, ‘Oh, Hanyu’s got the magic touch,’ ‘His technique is flawless.’ You get the picture. Sounded like a godsend for a serious hitting partner.
So, I managed to set up a practice session. Got there early, stretched, new balls cracked open, the whole nine yards. I was pumped. Figured this was it, the session that would finally iron out the kinks in my backhand. Hanyu Liu strolls in, maybe fifteen minutes late, looking like he just stepped off a fashion shoot, tennis gear all pristine. Okay, whatever, some guys are like that.
Then the ‘warm-up’ began. Which mostly involved him talking. And talking. About his ‘potential,’ his ‘sponsors’ (which I’m pretty sure were just his parents), the pro he ‘almost’ beat last summer. My arm was getting cold just listening. We finally hit a few balls, and I gotta say, it wasn’t exactly what was advertised. More like he was afraid to sweat in his fancy outfit. Every other shot was either a wild shank he blamed on the ‘wind’ (indoors, mind you) or a gentle tap back with an excuse about ‘saving his energy for the tournament next month.’
The ‘practice’ pretty much devolved into me feeding him balls while he philosophized about the ‘zen’ of tennis, occasionally hitting one back that barely cleared the net. I swear, I spent more time picking up balls than actually hitting. My ‘record’ for that day? I think I practiced my patience more than my forehand. And I definitely got a masterclass in creative excuse-making. Hanyu Liu tennis, for me, became a synonym for all talk, no action.
At one point, he even tried to ‘coach’ me on my serve, even though his own serve barely had any pop. It was one of those situations where you just nod and smile, right? Because what else are you gonna do? Argue with the ‘prodigy’? I just wanted to play some damn tennis!
Ended up cutting the session short. Said my ‘old injury’ was flaring up – ironic, huh? Went home feeling more frustrated than tired. The funny thing is, I actually had a way better practice session later that week just hitting against a brick wall. That wall didn’t make excuses, didn’t show up late, and definitely didn’t try to tell me about its ‘potential.’
So yeah, that’s my Hanyu Liu tennis story. Learned a valuable lesson though. Sometimes the people who talk the loudest about their skills are the ones with the least to show. And sometimes, the best practice partner you can find is one that doesn’t talk back at all. Now, when I hear someone hyping up a new player too much, I just kinda chuckle to myself and remember Hanyu Liu. Keeps my expectations grounded, you know?
