This was originally written on the evening of Friday 12/19/2020 in my journal. I am happy to share this love story with you now.

We’ve only had 2 dates but I think I’m in love with Saif. As I write this we’re texting (and fantasizing) about playing tennis on the courts at the Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy in Kuwait. Our equal eagerness to discuss future plans excites me. I’ve dated A LOT and Saif is unlike any person I’ve spent my time with. Although our connection is new, he speaks to me in the ways I have always envisioned someone would. He is inquisitive, genuine, and kind, with a backbone that would make the men in this city crumble to dust. His humor and intellect thrill me. His ability to speak Arabic and French alongside English makes me weak in the knees. In our first week of getting to know one another, our communication has been clear, both face to face (6 feet apart, of course) as well as text. There have been no hiccups, missteps, or confusion. If this becomes the relationship I hope it does, our story will forever be that we fell in love on the court.

I had always watched and appreciated tennis but had never played until Covid-19 emerged. I decided that I needed a safe outdoor activity to get my body moving and jouer au tennis felt parfait. In high school, I had considered playing but it conflicted with my club softball schedule, so it never happened. There was no time like the present.

Saif just texted me a YouTube clip of the Australian Open Men’s Final between Federer vs Nadal. Roger is his guy. A moment earlier I had sent him photos of Federer’s 2017 GQ spread saying it was the best Roger ever looked.

My Tinder profile said “tennis anyone?” and Saif almost immediately challenged me to a game. Our first date was on the tennis court and so was our second. Who knew Tinder was going be to a superb dating app for tennis singles to meet? There had been a brief moment when I thought I might meet people on the Global Tennis Network but that had never actualized.

I suggested that we meet at Emerald Isle Park on the border of La Cañada and Glendale. It’s one of my favorite local courts. The park is secluded from the city tucked away among tree-lined hills and surrounded by an abundance of nature. I’ve grown to know some of the regulars at the park as I’ve been hitting the courts hard with my friend, Jane Shin. Once in a while, we’ll hear coyotes who live in the canyon erupt with howls when an ambulance siren wails in the distance. Jarring at first and then totally hypnotizing. It’s a magical place and I was happy to share it with Saif.

On our first date, Saif had arrived early and was awaiting my presence, much to my liking. I was also early but he was the earliest of birds. I wasn’t sure what to make of him initially but that’s only because he was very quiet. I would later learn that he was quite nervous which caused his bashfulness. It didn’t take long for him to come to life though. After I crushed him in the first set 6-1, his personality began to come through and I liked it. In between sets he complimented my outfit and said how cute I looked. I was wearing a look from the 2019 Nike French Open Collection made especially for that year’s tournament at Roland Garros. I would later learn that Saif watched matches at Roland Garros while living in Paris. Trés chic!

We played 2 sets, both of which I won. On the court, we’d complement each other on plays and he was blown away by my serve. He couldn’t believe I had only been playing for 3 months, something that had been echoed by many opponents who came before him. He was a gracious loser which I made note of instantly. In my experience of dating men, almost all of them have lost games to me over the years - bowling, fútbol, air hockey - so I was well versed in their petty range of emotions. Saif wasn’t like that in the slightest. Naturally, he wasn’t thrilled with his big loss but he was only complimentary to my game and quickly began to schedule our next match.

We found a bench to have what I called our “post-match debrief” which turned into hours of conversation, all rooted in our curiosity for one another. I learned that tennis wasn’t easy to come by in Tunisia unless it was paid and private but he spent many days on the beach playing beach tennis with friends. I like that he had a competitive spirit and was an honest opponent, with the most beautiful curls atop his head. I was dying to put my fingers through them.

Our first date was on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, amidst a raging global pandemic. Los Angeles is currently the Covid epicenter of the country. Saif and I didn’t touch or kiss, we played a great game of tennis and then chose conversation to end our day. It felt like a perfect first date. A date unlike any I had ever been on before. He must’ve felt the same way because he locked in date number two for one day later on Friday, December 19, 2020. Only time will tell…