tennis

This week I've once again been thrown in a perhaps surprisingly common situation - professionally covering a sport I know nothing about and have barely watched.

In fact, this week almost certainly marks the first time I've watched an entire tennis match (it probably checks in as the first time I've watched an entire set) in person or otherwise.

I've been covering the Legg Mason Tennis Classic here in D.C. for the Associated Press, an event that's turned out to be far more enjoyable than I expected.

For one, I'm generally always up for immersing myself in a sport I have no experience with (I've played tennis a few times, but I probably have more time in with Wii tennis than the real thing). A few matches have been wonderful to watch, and some of the personalities have been good to deal with throughout the week and I can now talk reasonably knowledgeably about tennis.

Thursday night had some of the best action of the tournament, but was also one of the worst days there.

Most of the time, play has started around 4 p.m. and wrapped up around 11, which works since I've been spending the rest of my time at the day job. Thursday, the last match finished at 1:27 a.m.

The main cause was a 2 hour, 43-minute match Andy Roddick managed to win (the best match of the event by far) - it pushed the whole schedule back. And then the final two matches on the schedule also went three sets and past two hours.

Thankfully, no day job for me Friday. And the matches went gloriously quickly. So I'm headed out to do something I haven't had a chance to do for a while - actually have a social evening.

Then more tennis - two more days to the end.

UPDATE: Of course, after I wrote this we sat through an hour-long rain delay. I'm still getting out before midnight, though.