Ok, it’s the linecall again.
My partners second serve. The net person called it out and the receiver called it in but failed to return. She immediately said, “serve again.” Then they both said, “second serve.”
In league play, it was our point.
Regardless they knew the rule or not, it seemed gracious-less.
A good post on bikes in China: 晚清一辆自行车价格不低于50两银子，七品知县一年俸禄不够
我们国家被称为“自行车王国”，很多人在短途出行时都会选择使用自行车，方便、省时省力。不过，大家可能对自行车在中国出现、兴起的过程不是很了解。我们结合老照片和文字记载，为大家讲述相关历史。
男子与自行车
清朝同治年间，中国人对自行车有了初步的认识。1866年，内务府官员斌椿奉命率团访问欧洲，5月7日一大早，斌椿在巴黎街头看到这样一幕：“街衢游人，有只用两轮，贯以短轴，人坐轴上，足踏机关，轮自转以当车。又有只轮贯轴，两足跨轴端，踏动其机，驰行疾于奔马。”这是有据可查的中国人和自行车的第一次接触。
北京云飞自行车行
此后不久，中国就出现了自行车的身影。
1868年11月24日出版的《上海新报》有一篇文章写道：“兹见上海地方有自行车几辆，”这是自行车传入中国最早的史料证据。
1870年，另一家报纸报道：“自行车上海己多，或双轮或三轮，不用骡马，人坐踏足于版（板），其版（板）动而其轮转，即其车自行。”
北京街景,有人推着自行车走过
当时人们对自行车的叫法很多，除了“自行车”这一名称，还被称为
其中，以“脚踏车”和“自行车”两种称呼最为常见。
男子与自行车
晚清没有能力生产自行车及其零部件，主要从英、美、法、德、俄、日等国进口。清朝灭亡10多年之后，我们国家才逐渐开设了生产自行车零部件和整车的工厂。
1905年天津海关职员合影,有人骑车
同治和光绪初年，自行车数量寥寥，均由来华的传教士、商人、使节等自行带入，并非商业行为。光绪中后期，上海口岸有了自行车以货物形式输入的记录，英商怡和、德商禅臣、法商礼康等洋行经营之。
上海的人力车与自行车
据记载，1903-1910年，上海一埠共计进口自行车4563辆，总价值172028两海关银，自行车零件总价值达到73155两海关银。推算下来，一辆自行车的进口价大约38两银子，经由销售公司卖给消费者，其价格当不低于50两。
上海,巡捕身后是自行车店铺
不得不说，自行车在晚清属于奢侈品，一般百姓根本买不起。一辆自行车售价50两银子，什么概念呢？我们做个对比，清朝七品知县大人一年的俸禄是45两银子，还买不起一辆自行车。
人们对于自行车这一新鲜事物，无不感到好奇。晚清文人以竹枝词的形式，记录了街头自行车飞驰的情景，如“前后单轮脚踏车，如飞行走爱平沙。朝朝驰骑斜阳里，飒飒声来静不畔”；又如：“前后钩联两铁轮，不须手挽踏芳尘。辘轱捷足趁当道，一蹶还防笑有人。”
(骑自行车的男子。父子与自行车。)
一些照相馆购买自行车作为道具，吸引顾客上门前来拍照，让买不起自行车的人过一把瘾。
缠足女子骑自行车（人工上色）
在自行车普及过程中，争议如影随形。有人认为，骑自行车影响女性健康。1905年，上海《大陆》刊载文章说：“英国妇人，近来多因乘脚踏车，而发之一种病。其病尚无大害，而甚为特别，则足部生疼，其病源因乘脚踏车，辄着底薄踵高之靴，又时由脚踏车跳下之故。”还有人说，骑自行车“碍及将来之怀孕分娩”。当然，这些无稽之谈随着自行车飞入寻常百姓家，已经不攻自破。
Since my first encounter with the GM at the club, I also complained about the noise on the courts, like loud music. Andre Agassi openly opposed the music playing at Volvo International in 1994:
“That was an embarrassment to tennis out there tonight,” an infuriated Agassi said later. “It was a joke and it scars the game. What are they doing, turning tennis into some kind of circus? If it comes to this, playing music between games, then it’s all over for tennis.
“If I had known they were going to do this, I never would have come here. The music drove me nuts. And I’ll never play anywhere again where they play music during a match.”
I didn’t blame him then I don’t blame him now. Eehhhhrrr, it’s just very distracting and taxing. And today, it was the screaming kids at their Bouncing class. Oh boy. .. we ended up moving to Court 7 in the smaller area, feeling like in a paradise: quiet.
It’s not a good night.
A new player came to play. I served to ad court and my ball hit the doubles line. There was the sound and followed by the funny bounce. Yet, the new player called it out.
“Did you hear the sound?”
“Ha?”
Sometimes I wonder if they play dumb to get away with it.
Playing with people with little regard to etiquette is a little disconcerting.
“Let’s have a drink.”
But it’s even number of games.
“It’s ok, we just play for fun…” Hmmmm … then why do you obey the other rules of the game?
Ball on court as my patenter to deliver the second serve.
“First serve,” I said, after returning the ball to the neighboring court.
They all said, “… but, it’s her second serve.”
Speechless.
We lost 2-4, 6-8, and 4-4 when time ran out. My point is, they beat me often, yet, don’t bother to learn the basic rule or courtesy of the game.
Some terrible line calls during the game today. Actually with this group of players, bad line calls is kind of route, to a point, I said something a few weeks ago. But that doesn’t stop the trend.
Today, we were 2-0 up in the first set when I hit a winner to the baseline corner of the ad court. Two balls in, yet they called it out, one player was facing me. I just lost it and went over. One opponent pointed to a ball mark closer to the service line. You got to be kidding me.
“It’s out call.” One said.
“Yes, it’s your call but it doesn’t mean you can call a clearly in ball OUT.”
“It’s our call.” they repeated.
What the heck.
Pro …
My third clinic at the club, the pro is the best, so far. Next to our court, is a father and son, they kissed at the net, very sweet.
