[shap_half]

I suppose you can include tennis in general and not just the WTA.

To clarify: I know that people here have gotten into some pretty heated discussions, and of course, as fans of the sport, I can imagine that debates can happen in the real world, too, but what is the most intense experience you've had when it comes to dealing with your tennis fanaticism in the real world?

I thought I would be more intense about it, but my doubles partner is actually a Serena fan. I can't stand Serena Williams (I supported Justine Henin), but we bond over our mutual hatred for Maria Sharapova.

I think that this sort of over-the-top fanaticism involves team sports, most of the time.

[ptkten]

No one I know watches tennis like I do so not really. The only thing that is affected is that people think I'm certifiably insane because I stay up to watch matches at 3 a.m. .

I definitely don't get into fights over team sports, it's more just good natured trash-talking. It's fun to make fun of each other when the other team loses. The best is the New York-Philadelphia rivalries like the Mets-Phillies or Giants-Eagles.

[shap_half]

Oh, when it comes to soccer, I have decided that I don't like someone because of whom they support.

I used to get up at 5am if Justine was playing in the French Open - and those were during the years when I was in college and never signed up for classes earlier than 11.30am. The guys in my apartment hated me for those two weeks in May.

[hellas719]

Not really, although I had an old tennis coach who hated Baghdatis (he wasn't Greek) and I used to take lessons with a friend who was Greek and we both loved Baghdatis and he always complained about him so that made us think lowly of him

Other than that, not really because most of my non-tennis friends know nothing about tennis. I have made excuses to avoid hanging out with them at times if there was a really interesting match I wanted to stay home and watch

[Miss Atomic Bomb]

My partner was supporting Stosur during the USO final. He has paid for it though.

[wild.river]

there was a time around '08-'09 when i got too obsessed with watching/rewatching/creating tennis related youtube videos. it made me pretty anti-social.

[Dominic]

Hmm no, in person I'm not as intense about that for some reason Plus everyone I know who watches tennis doesn't like Serena and likes Maria so, can't really argue about that

[Julian.]

My brother, my close cousin, my boyfriend, my ex housemates, my best friends and my dad all support Maria Sharapova

So basically everybody in my inner circle are supporting Sharapova I'm the only one who follow tennis religiously though and of course the biggest Sharapova fan among us I've been trying to influence my friends and family to be a Sharapova fan as well and it works pretty well, it's not hard to get them to like her at all Since I know tennis the most, they can't really get into debates or anything with me regarding tennis because they definitely will lose

Even my mom is following Sharapova on Facebook.

My close cousin is supporting Sharapova, Serena and Wozniacki , which is pretty rare

[miffedmax]

No. My younger son and I do tennis stuff together. He's a teenager, so it's actually nice that we have tennis to bond over.

(Well that sounds a little melodramatic--it's really all normal growing up and asserting his own individuality at all the regular stuff--but the tennis is nice).

[Dominic]

Originally Posted by miffedmax

No. My younger son and I do tennis stuff together. He's a teenager, so it's actually nice that we have tennis to bond over.

(Well that sounds a little melodramatic--it's really all normal growing up and asserting his own individuality at all the regular stuff--but the tennis is nice).

You must be a great tennis dad

[miffedmax]

I try. He's okay with me.

[delicatecutter]

Jules, I think I just overdosed on smilies.

[Julian.]

Originally Posted by delicatecutter

Jules, I think I just overdosed on smilies.

Sorry

[shap_half]

Originally Posted by miffedmax

No. My younger son and I do tennis stuff together. He's a teenager, so it's actually nice that we have tennis to bond over.

(Well that sounds a little melodramatic--it's really all normal growing up and asserting his own individuality at all the regular stuff--but the tennis is nice).

My dad woke me up one Sunday morning 15 years ago with a tennis racquet and said, "You take tennis lessons every week now."

[Jalil Sherman]

I've been known to snap at people when I'm watching tennis so I prefer to watch alone. Most people I know don't like tennis.