The reason I’m not great at tennis is the same reason why I never lose.

I can’t remember the last time I have lost a tennis match. I can remember losing a set only once since high school. The last guy to beat me in a full match was the guy who took the final spot on our school’s team…we were 15. So, yea, for the last 16 years I am undefeated.

My serve is relatively strong, I am tall and quick, and I’m not particularly weak with either my forehand or backhand. I started playing pretty young (about 10) and took regular lessons when I really started getting into it. I had a foundation to really build upon to be a very good tennis player.

Despite my decade and a half of complete dominance, I am not now nor will I ever be “great” at tennis. I’m average. Undefeated & average.

When I play tennis it is exclusively against people in my “class”. I don’t play against people who would beat me. Every time I walk onto the court I believe I am going to win b/c I pick opponents who are just beginning to pick up tennis or who haven’t played in a long time.

Which leads me to the real reason I never lose…

I don’t make mistakes. The reality of my class of tennis is that we aren’t good enough to “win” points. We just rally back and forth until one of us “loses” the point. I learned a long time ago that as long as I kept putting it over the net between the lines, eventually my opponent would make an error.

It totally works. While my opponent is slamming the ball just a bit too long or into the top of the net I am content to just push it back to their side. Sure, sometimes they make a great shot, but over the course of a match or even a set they give me as many points as they take.

When the match is over we walk away. I usually offer a couple of tips to my opponent. The next time I play them I can see them getting better.

I never get better.

That’s the thing about playing not to lose. No risk, but no reward. Undefeated yet perpetually average.