Written by: Mohammad Shoib Memom Loya
Edited by: Chen Kexin and Lydia Ong
Photos by: EusoffWorks
Even during this pandemic when I interviewed the captains of Eusoff Tennis I did not feel an ounce of discouragement. I could still see the burn and passion in those eyes. Wilbert Loh and Lee Shu Ling serve as the perfect leaders to their team. This uncertain time is no reason for them to not give a real fight this upcoming IHG.
Tennis is a game played by rackets between two players (singles) or four players (doubles). The objective of the game is to hit the ball back and forth while keeping it above the net and inside the court. This rally continues until the ball is hit out of the court, hits the net without passing it to the opponent’s side or bounces twice before a player can return it to his opponent. The player who accumulates four points over their opponent with a difference of at least two wins the game. A typical match of tennis comprises either 3 or 5 sets. The player to win the best of 3 or 5 sets is declared to be the winner.
Wilbert Loh, the male captain, finds Tennis to be the sport of the optimist. He quotes “Great part of tennis is that you cannot run out of the clock. As long as you are playing, you still have a chance”. Wilbert was introduced to tennis by his dad when he was 6 years old. He finds the scoring system to be the most fascinating part of tennis. Unlike other sports, tennis scores are not counted in a conventional manner of 1, 2, 3 and 4 but as 15, 30,40, GAME. He argues that there are many explanations to this unconventional scoring system. The most common one compares the scoring system to a clock. In a complete revolution, the hands of the clock go from 00 to 15 to 30 to 45. Wilbert explains that 45 was replaced with 40 to introduce the concept of deuce. On being asked of a funny moment, he described the recent event of his nose bleeding in training. At first, his team members were scared but after ensuring everything is safe, they all shared a laugh. He motivates his players and pushes them to give their best.
Lee Shu Ling, the female captain, was also introduced to tennis by her parents. She started playing when she was young but took a break in secondary school. She felt the pull of tennis once again when she was in JC and realized that she could not love any other sport better. Shu Ling believes that nothing feels better than hitting a good shot. She also argues that you could be a very good tennis player even if you do not have much strength. Tennis is a sport which does not hold a disadvantage to short players as well! She feels strongly about basics and strong foundations. Basic moves like having a strong groundstroke (when players stand at baseline and they hit a strong forehand or backhand) or a good service (an advantage to the player starting the serve, as they make it hard for the opponent to return the ball) are moves that can make or break the score. She commends her team for always trying their best. She loves seeing the whole team improve together. However, nobody is perfect: In one of the recent trainings, the team was trying to teach her how to run. She jokingly said, “Apparently I have been running wrong my whole life”. Shu Ling believes that be it for competing or for fun, one must simply enjoy and give their best.
Apart from managing their teams well, both captains hold good relations with each other. On being asked about the other team Wilbert said that the girl's team has very good chemistry and they stand together united. Similarly, Shu Ling believes that the boy’s team is very inclusive, and they leave no man behind. Together, they patiently lend a helping hand to the new players for them to develop the relevant skills. Seeing the dynamics of both the teams I think it is safe to say that Tennis should be a sport to watch out for! Let us all support and look out for them this upcoming IHG!
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