Tournament Recap: Palm Beach Gardens Les Grandes Dames

Pam Saffran

DATES: Jan 23-28, 2024
LOCATION: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
DIVISIONS: Level 2, 30-80

Stepping onto the court at the Palm Beach Gardens tennis tournament this January was like stepping back into a time machine. After 30 years of exclusively playing doubles, I decided it was time to retire the matching outfits and see if I still could be what my college teammates dubbed me as, “the Golden Retriever.” The last time I played singles, I was an undergraduate at Skidmore College, where I played line #1 women's singles for 4 years and was an All-American for 2 years in a row. What I refer to as my glory days, my kids prefer to call the Jurassic Era, a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I, apparently, roamed the tennis courts.

I will admit it took some getting used to. When I first walked onto the court, I struggled to remember where to serve from and found myself gradually drifting away from the T, much to the annoyance of my opponent. However, as the points progressed, I fell into the groove again and felt as if I had the mind (but not the body) of a 20-year-old again!

As I hit the last ball of my first match with bated breath, I fell to the ground overwhelmed with exhaustion and joy. This was more than a preliminary win, but rather, proof to myself that I could step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself after so many years. The Palm Beach Gardens tournament was the perfect place to make a comeback: each competitor was immensely respectful and shared a genuine love for the game. The tournament felt less like a competition and more like a celebration for tennis, with each player cheering and rooting for each other.

I ended up placing 6th in the Women’s 50s Singles, which was far better than I could have ever imagined. Reflecting on this adventure, I can’t help but feel proud and excited. I am already looking forward to my next tournament, ready to hit the court with the enthusiasm of a college player and the wisdom of a Jurassic veteran.