I watched the play from the sidelines, trying to keep up with the musical chairs approach to tennis and the ever-friendly participants. Mixed up doubles tennis has been held on Saturday nights at Weston Racquet Club for more than 25 years. It's similar to regular doubles tennis in that men and women are paired together. But the club does this format one better for sociability's sake, having partners switch every half hour. With three hours of play, everyone gets to play four half-hour matches with four different partners.
Players relax during two half-hour breaks in a lounge overlooking the courts.
As with the Boston Ski and Sports Club's volleyball night, Weston's mixed up doubles tennis is equal parts competition and sociability. There is room for everybody, big personalities and shy types, young and old. Louise Reed, a recently retired fourth-grade teacher, holds down the older end of the age scale. It's too much fun. Between matches, the players excitedly examined cards to find out where they'd be playing next and with whom.