First: much respect to Mark and Ken. This is the wildest recreational tennis story you will hear.
And before we get to the mailbag, here’s An Ode to Clay by reader Fernando:
What is Clay? It is tactic. It is point construction. It is defense. It is consistency. It is perseverance. It is stamina. It rewards the serve, but not disproportionately. It is rallies. It is creativity. It is athleticism. It is innovation. It is determination. It is perseverance. It is … The Surface of Truth.