Bimal Patel - The road to 1,000 matches!!!

Bimal Patel has played an amazing 1,000+ matches with Tennis League Network.  That's absolutely 1,000% amazing. 

He's the 6th player to do it over our 21 year history.

Which league are you a member of?

TennisSanJose League (though I also moonlight in the Peninsula Tennis League!).

How long have you participated in your league?

Over 11 years—I played my very league first match on November 1st, 2014.

How did you first learn about it?

Just a good old Google search looking for local hit partners and competition.

How often do you play?

Usually 2 to 3 times a week.

What do you like most about the league?

The incredible flexibility, meeting amazing people, the built-in fitness, and the mutual commitment among players to show up and give it their all.

Tell us about your most memorable match(es).

There are so many over 1,000 matches, but my 1,000th match against Karthik ranks right at the top. It was a hot, humid day, but I happened to play near-perfect tennis—zero double faults, a sky-high first-serve percentage (I only had to hit three second serves the whole match!), and almost zero unforced errors. It was one of those rare days where everything just clicked.

Who are your favorite rivals in the league? Why?

There are too many to list, but a few special shout-outs:

·         Robert Thevenet: A tremendous athlete, a loving father to his daughter, and always brings a great sense of humor.

·         Guru Nagarajan: Extremely fit and competes fiercely every single point.

·         Lokesh Johri: High Tennis IQ; he always makes me work hard for every point.

·         Andrew Rivera: Lightning fast, a fantastic athlete, and we always have absolute battles.

·         Romi Dutta: Has boundless enthusiasm, is a great friend, and turns every match into a fun social meeting.

Do you have any other interesting comments about your experiences with the league?

The diversity of people you meet is incredible. Where else can you get recreationally paired up with a 1996 Olympian (from the Ugandan Volleyball team) or an opponent who almost made the Indian National Cricket team in the mid-90s? The league brings together fascinating people from all walks of life.

How did you get started playing tennis?

I never had formal tennis coaching. Years ago, I bought a $20 racket from Target and started hitting against a wall. Once I realized I had decent hand-eye coordination, I kept at it because I fell in love with the natural cardio workout the sport provides.

Do you play to compete, or for fun?

Both, but in a strict order: fun first, respect for my opponents second, and competing hard third.

What level player are you? (NTRP rating)

I hover between 3.25 and 3.5, but I feel 3.25 is my true rating home!

What do you love about tennis?

It’s a virtuous cycle: playing tennis gives me great exercise, and I love exercising specifically so I can keep playing tennis!

Who are your favorite pro players? Why?

Rafa Nadal: Because he played every single point as if it were match point, giving 100% effort no matter what.

Carlos Alcaraz: Because he plays with pure, infectious joy that endears him to fans all over the world.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, for example: What do you do? Where did you grow up? What are your hobbies (besides tennis)?

I grew up playing badminton in an industrial township in rural Western India and hadn't even picked up a tennis racket until I was 30. Professionally, I spent my career as a Software Technical Specialist, but my real tennis adventure took off after a major life pivot.  

In late 2009, I was diagnosed with a serious health condition. While not life-threatening, the required treatments were exceptionally harsh and took a heavy toll on my body—I lost significant weight, strength, and energy. As I fought to recover, I stumbled upon the league. Every single match I played became a building block for my physical health, my mental resilience, and my game. 

When I stepped onto the court for my 998th, 999th, and 1,000th matches last week, I felt like I had already won just by being out there. Everything else after that was gravy!

At 64 years old, competing in this league allows me to experience—in a tiny, miniscule way—what professional players feel during tight, high-stakes matches.  I look forward to playing in the league as long as my body allows!

Besides tennis, I enjoy reading, travel, sports and good movies.  

Bailey Boyer - Found his local league to be way more cost effective.

We caught up with Bailey Boyer out of our TennisMoCo.com (North of DC) league. Which league are you a member of?

I am a member of the MoCo tennis league in Maryland.

How long have you participated in your league?

This is my second season in the league, and I’ve been greatly enjoying it. This has been a vastly better experience than any other form of organized tennis I’ve played. When I was involved in the USTA, I found it to be expensive, and I didn’t play as much as I wanted. I also played in high school and college club ball, and found both of those formats to be lacking.

How did you first learn about it?

I searched online for local tennis leagues and found the TLN website. From there, I was able to find my local league in Montgomery County and register my name for the Spring season.

How often do you play?

I get on the court for at least three matches per week.

What do you like most about the league?

Where do I start! First, and most importantly, it’s fun. The players are kind, the rules are relaxed, and there’s a strong feeling of sportsmanship amongst the players. The matches are as casual as you want them to be, and there’s no restriction on time, format, or location. Everyone wants to win, but I haven’t met anyone who places winning above getting some good exercise in and sharing the love of the game. I love the website. It’s easy to navigate, and extremely comprehensive in the data it collects. I love looking through my old match records and remembering the battles that took place across the seasons. I also love the email feature on the league page. It makes it super easy to send out an email to the players in my division without going through and copy-pasting email addresses. There’s also no limit to the number of matches you can play. It’s really just as much as you can handle. Most leagues I’ve been a part of only do 1-2 matches per week, but with TLN the only limit is how many people reply to your match request.

Tell us about your most memorable match(es)

I’ve had so many interesting matches and met so many interesting players in the short time I’ve been involved. Everyone has their own unique story on how they got involved in tennis and how they found the league. Two matches I look back on very fondly are versus Kawku Danso and Scott Miller. Kwaku was my first match in the league, and he was super friendly and accommodating. As welcome as he made me feel, I was so nervous to be playing tennis again, my hands were shaking most of the match! He took the win, but it was a fantastic first experience. I was tired to my bones, and returned home with the biggest smile I’d had in months on my face. Later, I played Scott for the 4.25+ playoff finals. He was also a very polite and friendly player. We battled through three sets in the blazing heat for close to three hours. Again, I was terribly nervous to be playing in the finals, but the match was so long, and the competition was so fierce, all my nerves were stripped away as we pushed through thirty long games of tennis. I can’t remember the last time I was so tired.

Who are your favorite rivals in the league? Why?

I have yet to develop any real rivals per se, but I’ve had a few back-and-forth matches against very competitive players. Playing against Dan Langenkamp the first time was a tough win, but he came back and swept me off the court about a week later. I’m greatly anticipating playing against him again. Also playing against Jon Little is always a grueling back-and-forth. Both gentlemen are over 50 years old, yet push me to my limit. I can only hope to be in that good of shape when I’m that old! Great competitors!

Do you have any other interesting comments about your experiences with the league?

I’ve been recommending this league to everyone I know who plays tennis. I would love to see TLN open a new location in Berks County, PA. I’m from Pennsylvania, and I was deeply involved in the tennis scene in my hometown. I know there is an interest and I would love to help my friends and family there get into a league of their own.

How did you get started playing tennis?

When I was in middle school I would watch Roger Federer play on TV. I asked my dad to teach me how to play, and I’ve been playing ever since. I took a 6-7 year break after college to pursue a graduate degree, get married, and get a job. I’ve been playing again for a few months now and it’s been incredibly rewarding.

Do you play to compete, or for fun?

I play for fun. Competition can be fun, however. Many times I have felt myself valuing the win more than the joy of playing the sport, and that’s usually when I end up losing! This is true for more than just tennis or sports: remember your objective. When you lose sight of your original goal, something that’s usually very good can go South really fast.

What level player are you? (NTRP rating)

I am 4.5 according to TLN. I would probably stack up more like 4.0 in a traditional NTRP rating.

What do you love about tennis?  

I love the sport for many reasons. It’s incredibly physically and mentally demanding. It requires great coordination, fine motor control, and rugged endurance. Achieving milestones in the game (learning to hit a variety of serves, developing a big backhand, learning to play the net) are super rewarding, and honing my specific game to a razor’s edge are some of my favorite things. I also appreciate how 1v1 sports bring out a self-reliance and self-mastery that I’ve found in few other sports.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, for example: What do you do? Where did you grow up? What are your hobbies (besides tennis)? (Feel free to share any interesting details about your life.)

My name is Bailey Boyer, I am 28, and I work at an insurance brokerage helping folks find coverage that suits their needs. I live in MD now, but I grew up in PA. I went to college down in DC with dreams of becoming a politician but quickly became disillusioned and now I just want to raise my kids in peace. My wife and I are proud parents of twins. Outside of tennis and being a dad, I have a wide variety of interests. I’ve written short stories, self-published a children’s book, and developed a rudimentary video game. I tend to my property, work on my car from time to time, and dabble in making bookcases for my living room.