Sometimes, ridiculous things bring me great joy. A few weeks ago, at the HTA/RBC Wealth Management Houston Open, another player was using a glass jug wine bottle to carry his water onto the court. I was delighted at the creative form of self-expression.
Reusing a jug wine bottle to carry water for tennis is both practical and environmentally friendly. The one he was using holds 4 liters of liquid, which is more than the stainless steel bottle that I am currently using. It seals with a screw top making it easy to open and close between use. It also has a wide base and extra weight, so it is unlikely to be tipped over by errant balls.
On the downside, glass is likely to break if dropped onto a tennis hardcourt and it is also pretty heavy. However, jug wine bottles seem to have been designed with the idea that they might be dropped. Consequently, the glass is typically thicker at the likely impact points. The narrow neck might make it a little difficult to clean, but since it was already repurposed it can simply be recycled after a few uses.
Seeing this player with his unconventional water bottle highlights how there is room for individuality in tennis. In a sport often associated with strict etiquette and uniformity, touches of creativity bring a lot to the game. Even in competitive environments, personal expression thrives in the sport.
It is important for players to stay hydrated in tennis. This small quirky solution for carrying water onto the court also brought me great joy and sparked a nice conversation. Additionally, it’s a great excuse to go buy a bottle of jug wine… which I think could be workshopped into an alternate tagline for this site.
