Returning the Volley

    As soon as the match began, Irina Ubetekov came rushing toward the net at Wimbledon, returning each serve with more power than she had put behind the thousands she had made during her entire 10-year career.

     This tournament meant much more. It would put the final jewel in the crown on her climb up the summit of the tennis world, and she wanted to leave that world with a flourish on her record, avoiding the dreaded “40-Love” at all costs.

      For she had made up her mind to hang up her racquet for good.

       That final contest meant much more–the first-ever mixed singles event in the storied history of the “world series of the grass courts.” Its winner would garner more fame than any player in modern history.

       Yet, as she charged forward, she had very mixed feelings. Alexi Fortenkov, the top-ranked male player in the world, waited anxiously on the other side of the net. Not just her opponent in this all-important athletic contest, but also the super stud with whom she had carried on a torrid love affair for almost a year.

      She and Alexi had assured each other before the match that, no matter who won, their off-the-court life would continue, and probably intensify.

     Of course, rumors on the net circuit had persisted for years about Alexi’s legendary win-at-all-costs spirit and a hot temper broiling over at times, even in the biting cold of his native Siberia.

      Many of the Russian women’s champ’s female co-stars also had warned that her sport’s most eligible men’s champ could not limit himself to one mate and soon would stray.  In fact, stories long had circulated around the net circuit that he already had made a number of conquests. 

      During Irina’s time with him she either had seen no proof of it or refused to admit that it had happened.  In the eyes of the female champ he had proven himself nothing but a kind and thoughtful lover, and rumors that a marriage proposal would come forward in the very near future had captured as many headlines as the off-the-courts gossip, and almost as many as the Wimbledon Tournament itself.

      In the background, a storyline kept bubbling to the surface about the fascination of American men’s champion Johnny Scaturo with the Russian women’s champion and of a clandestine affair.

     Johnny made no secret of his admiration for the beauty from the East, and both he and Irina time after time vehemently denied any romantic involvement. Proof of it never had gone beyond cheap tabloid speculation fueled by a few chance encounters at late night hotspots and photos supposedly showing them rushing to catch the same waiting limousine. The couple claimed reporters on sleazy tabloids had concocted the stories and doctored photos to sell more copies of fly-by-night second rate media.

     Now, in the final rounds of the mixed singles tournament, at first it looked like the unproven romance rumors would remain in the background, as Irina found herself struggling on the courts and trailing her Russian lover badly.

     The tables began to turn though, as she charged forward and returned volley after volley, finally wiping out Alexi’s lead and capturing the first mixed singles crown in the history of the tournament.

      Alexi came running to center court at top speed after Irina’s victory and the couple kissed and embraced. At first, it looked like the male player would fully live up to his pledge to keep their romance intact no matter the outcome of the match.

     A different story emerged at the post-match parties, as Alexi seemed unusually distant, hardly spoke to her and refused to have photographs taken with his supposed lady love. Then, as she turned to leave the last celebration, she could find no sign of him.

     When the newly-crowned women’s singles champ returned to their hotel room she found all his clothes and belongings missing from the closet he had occupied since their arrival at the tournament and her belongings scattered around the room. Hotel staff told her Alexi had hastily called his limousine right after the party and swiftly departed.

     Irina’s Smartphone then interrupted the stillness of the room, where she stood in shocked silent disbelief, several times. She picked up on the last signal and found a text message from Johnny Scaturo asking her to meet her in the hotel bar.

     She ran to the elevator and through the lobby into the bar, flinging herself into the arms of Johnny who had followed her from the party. She tearfully told him about what she had found in her hotel room.

      Turns out the American’s fascination with her had developed to quite a bit more behind the scenes, and it looked like Irina had done little to discourage it.

      Now, with the Russian champ apparently out of the picture, Johnny pledged to provide his support while she worked out her feelings, but said he would not rush her into a new relationship until she was completely over the Russian and ready to go further with him.

     They said their temporary goodbyes, but a few weeks later, after a number of long walks in the parks of London and visits back and forth between the USA and her Moscow home, they decided they were made for each other.

      The relationship blossomed and they exchanged wedding vows at a lavish wedding six months later. 

       The following year, Irina decided to return to the circuit for a try at one more crown. She and Johnny again signed up to play in the mixed singles tournament at Wimbledon.

      After a grueling few preliminary rounds which had become much harder on her older body, she faced her husband in the finals and again won. Unlike the awards ceremony at the previous year’s mixed singles tournament, Johnny presented the winning trophy to his wife and they hosted a joint victory party.

      Those following the professional tennis circuit found no trace of Alexi, although rumors surfaced of his retirement from the sport and his emergence as a new star on the professional wrestling scene.