Perfect Match

Perfect Match

By

BL Weinman

Bjorn scanned the crowd, searching for Rachel as the match began. She was always easy to find, with her notebook computer in her lap pounding away at the keys - a habitual gesture during matches that confused him and played on his mind. What was she criticizing now, he wondered? He yearned to show her he was more than an aggressive player who couldn't solve his opponent's defensive game.

Bjorn had been trying to get Rachel's attention since he first met her as the college newspaper's sports reporter at the start of the year. But no matter how many opponents he crushed with his powerful groundstrokes and booming serves, Rachel's eyes seemed to glaze over during his matches against Tim, his tournament finals opponent today. Her focus was always locked on Tim's court movement, dissecting every high-looping defensive backhand or untouchable drop shot and analyzing how he neutralized Bjorn's blistering pace from the baseline.

In her weekly tennis articles, she praised Tim's "brilliant defense" and "uncanny anticipation" while critiquing Bjorn as "one-dimensional" and "reckless." Those biting words stung every time Bjorn read them, feeling like Rachel purposely minimized his talents. Did she not realize how difficult it was to repeatedly crush serves at 120 mph or rifle crosscourt winners on the run?

As if the criticism wasn't enough, Bjorn also had to suffer through Rachel constantly fawning over Tim's "beautiful" and "aesthetically pleasing" game. He'd overhear her gushing to teammates about how Tim's high-looping groundstrokes seemed to defy physics and bring the ball down just inside the baseline. Bjorn felt his jaw clench every time. To him, Tim's pushing was just a cheap defensive tactic to let opponents self-destruct, not some art form worthy of praise.

But Bjorn's real frustration came from his inability to beat Tim's maddening consistency despite playing him dozens of times since childhood. No matter how brilliant Bjorn's winners were struck, Tim always found a way to get one more ball back over the net. It was unbearable. Tim refused to blink.

The match started poorly for Bjorn as Tim's deep topspin shots threw him off balance repeatedly and caused him to make unforced errors. He saw Rachel shake her head, typing notes that would most likely criticize Bjorn's lack of discipline on the court.

With his back to Tim across the court, Bjorn took deep breaths as he lost the first set. He knew Tim had the upper hand because he needed to rein in his grip-it-and-rip-it playing style, which caused him to make too many unforced errors. He began by mixing his powerful strokes with different spins and sharp angles, tactically bringing Tim into the net and throwing him off his rhythm. He followed his powerful serve by charging the net for easy volleys and began to move him from side to side in rallies, then hit behind him. But despite Bjorn's efforts, Tim refused to back down and continuously chased down every ball with his frustrating defense.

After missing several match points in an intense final set tiebreak, Bjorn finally sealed the win with an overhead smash on his fifth opportunity, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6. He looked at Rachel, hoping to see admiration and validation in her eyes for solving the "pusher" puzzle.

But Rachel had already left the stands without even sticking around to get post-match quotes from the finalists. Bjorn's heart sank, worried that his determined performance still hadn't changed her long-standing opinions of his game.

As Bjorn made his way to the locker room feeling dejected, Tim caught up to him. "Hey man, great match out there!" Tim said with a smile. "Rachel seemed really into it based on that huge grin she had when you hit those incredible passing shots down the line."

"Grin?" Bjorn asked, confused. "I thought she was upset and left right after it ended without even getting any quotes from me."

Tim laughed heartily. "You really have no idea, do you? Rachel has had a huge crush on you all season! She only talks about my game because I was the one who first taught her how to play when we were kids."

The realization hit Bjorn like a slap in the face. Rachel's constant criticism was tough love, pushing him to reach his full potential instead of relying solely on his natural power. And all her praise for Tim's style was her subtle way of complimenting the tennis lessons that first sparked her love for the sport.

As Bjorn processed this revelation, he saw Rachel appear around the corner with a warm smile on her face, notebook computer tucked under her arm.

"It took you long enough to figure out how to play my brother," she joked. "Wanna grab a bite and discuss the match?"

Bjorn grinned and gave her an enthusiastic nod.

Bjorn beamed at Rachel, his heart soaring. "I'd love that. And maybe after lunch, we could hit the courts for a few practice rallies?"

Rachel's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Only if you promise not to go easy on me. I want to see that new game of yours in action."

They shared a laugh, the tension from his previous misunderstandings melting away. As they walked out of the tennis complex together, Bjorn couldn't help but marvel at how a simple change in perspective could transform everything.

He glanced at Rachel, admiring how her hair caught the golden light of the setting sun. "You know, I've been trying to impress you for so long, but I never realized that you were actually rooting for me all along."

Rachel bumped his shoulder playfully. "My brother is a piece of work. I never could beat him, either. Sometimes, the things we're looking for are right before us. We just need to see them from a different angle."

Bjorn nodded, feeling a newfound sense of clarity and purpose. Not only had he finally grown mentally on the court, but he had also discovered a deeper connection with the girl who had captured his heart.