I grew up playing tennis...trained at a high level tennis academy (subtle brag). I had a roommate in college that had been on the men's tour (ATP) but mostly bounced around in the lower level circuit tournaments. Never had a high ranking, didn't last long. By the time I knew him, he was a club pro at the club in Charleston, SC where a WTP tournament was held each year. He was selected to be Serena's hitting partner that week. I went to watch the first day for their practice session. He hit a mid-120s kicker serve to Serena and she just stood there and looked dumbfounded. She immediately told him that hitting that type of serve to her wouldn't help her warm up or practice...that no one on the WTP hit anything remotely close to that. She asked for flat or minimal slice second serves only from him (what would be a 1st serve from a WTP player).

I think most everyone is in agreement that Federer would destroy Williams. The question is how to convince my wife of this. Here's my plan. My wife is a very competitive tennis player. She has a 3.5 ranking, a coach, is in a number of different leagues, and plays at least twice a week. She started playing in high school. I've never played and don't own a tennis racket (or is it a tennis racquet...see, I really don't know anything). But I'm reasonably athletic (current USAT score is a 73). My plan is to challenge my wife to a match, but I would first get two weeks to learn the rules, buy a racket, and get a few lessons. The winner would acknowledge the other as being correct in the Federer-Williams debate.

On second thought, this could be a very bad plan...

You're right...his job was to practice with her...which he did by being able to deliver exactly what she was looking for, every time, without missing. But when she tells him at the outset to hit a normal first serve...I don't think that she was expecting that he was once a low level pro tour player that has the ability to serve in the 130s. She was dumbfounded b/c she wasn't expecting it and likely didn't see it as it went by. She never sees that kind of serve...hence why he adapted to hitting a basic second serve to allow her to practice what she sees as first serves from the other women on tour. My point is that she would get beat, even by someone like by roommate, b/c he has the distinct advantage of throwing shots and serves at her that she never sees, isn't used to, and doesn't have the years of experience to return.

How hot is your wife?