As a youngster I loved tennis. Probably as it was full of half crazed loons like Nastase, McEnroe, Geralitis and various other unpredictable characters.
Don't think there is any room in the game for them now.
I also thought I was a half decent player until I played someone really good. It felt like an achievement if I actually saw the ball flying past me when 'receiving' serve. Or, more accurately, hearing the ball crash into the fencing behind me. Man, she was good!
Same with cricket. First ball, nice wide half volley despatched to the boundary in textbook style. He didn't like that. Second ball, me in a perfect forward defensive positions while listening to the stumps shatter behind me.