The net result is pure pleasure when a beautiful American amateur tennis player and her Russian counterpart match strokes in a game of love

The first thing that impressed me about Tatiana was her backhand. I watched her playing in a quarterfinal match of a tournament between U.S. and Soviet amateur tennis players. I was in the stands, rooting for my teammate but nonetheless marveling at Tatiana’s graceful, powerful, flawless play. Her serve positively smoked, and her backhand snapped like a whip. Her footwork was impeccable and her shot selection indicated that she thought like a chess master. My teammate didn’t stand a chance.

In recent years the Russians have placed a priority on developing topflight tennis players, and Tatiana is a good example of their efforts. I, on the other hand, am a college... Read More