So last weekend I’m scrolling through my feed when this ad pops up about some new sport called Nava Tennis. Looked like ping pong and tennis had a baby. Thought “what the heck, let’s try it.”
The Setup Disaster
Ordered this starter kit online – came with two weird paddles and a flimsy net. Tried setting it up in my backyard. The instructions might as well have been in alien language. Took me like forty minutes just to get the net standing without collapsing.
First Swing Fails
Grabbed my neighbor Larry to try. The ball’s lighter than a tennis ball but heavier than ping pong. First serve went straight into my rose bushes. Second one smacked Larry’s gut. We looked like drunk giraffes trying to dance.
What I learned after three days:
- You gotta swing sideways like sweeping floors, not whacking like tennis
- Those fancy spin moves? Forget it. Just keep the damn ball in play
- Shoes matter – my gym sneaks nearly made me faceplant twice
The Unexpected Win
By day four something clicked. Started having these crazy long volleys – felt like meditation with a paddle. Sweat was pouring but I wasn’t gasping like after running. Best part? My bum shoulder that always hurts after tennis didn’t twinge at all.
Here’s the kicker though. Yesterday my 70-year-old mom visited. Saw the set lying around and wanted a go. Figured we’d do two gentle hits. Ended up playing 30 minutes! She’s booking her senior center’s rec room for next week now. Who knew watching your mom beat you at a sport would feel this good?
