Einstein's Forehand

This has nothing whatever to do with Covid. It is just light relief.

COVID TALES: 3

EINSTEIN’S FOREHAND

‘It’s the backswing that gives the power. The control comes from the follow-through.’ She paused. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘I have a problem with that.’

‘Let me show you. This is what you’re doing.’ She picked up a ball and struck, halting the stroke and letting her wrist go floppy. The ball plopped into the base of the net. ‘This is what you should be doing.’ She finished the shot with an elaborate flourish and the ball curved with a graceful top-spun arc to land just inside the far baseline. ‘See. What’s the problem?’

‘It’s the physics. I don’t see how the ball can be influenced by something that happens after the moment of impact with the racquet. Earlier events aren’t influenced by later events. Time would have to go backwards. It can’t happen unless the ball travels faster than the speed of light.’

‘Watch.’ She picked up another ball and repeated the follow-through stroke, with the same result.

‘It’s not the demonstration that’s the problem. There’s something wrong with the analysis.’

She looked at me. ‘Let’s just play.’