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Hey, everybody, and this is Michael Costa. You're listening to Storyworthy.

And tennis, just like life, love means nothing.

Welcome to the Story Worthy podcast.

Here are your hosts, Christine Blackburn and Hanna Sfini.

Welcome to Storyworthy.

My name is Christine Blackburn, and I'm here with Hanna Sfini, and we're coming to you from

the Lake Park tennis courts in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Woo! These are the courts that my father always played tennis at. Your dad played tennis? My dad, he was a fat man, and yet he played tennis. I did not know that. He did. It was one of the few healthy things I ever saw him do. And did he do that later in his life? Or was it, you know what I mean?

It was when I was a kid.

So because a lot of our listeners know that your father suffered from depression and ultimately committed suicide. Yeah, but I was like 10 when this happened. But so I was, yeah, because I was thinking that tennis is like such an anti-depri- Right. Right, of course, while he was playing tennis,

he would get into fights with people over because they had these—you'd have to get a permit. It was so popular. There's only five courts there. And this was Lake Park, the biggest and finest park in all of Milwaukee. Designed by the guy who designed Central Park in New York City in case you were watching, that's right. Is it indoor courts or outdoor courts?

So you can only play two months a year.

So there's only like, yeah, there's two and a half months out of the year.

For most of the year, it's under snow and you're looking at it like, I know there's a tennis court under there somewhere. Anyhow, so he would, of course, you know, there'd be like disputes over who had the, you know, what time it was and it's 258 and your tennis time is 3 o'clock and, you know, what time it was, and it's 258, and your tennis time is three o'clock. And, you know, so anyhow, you would think that would have helped. Fighting on the tennis court is so ugly. You know what I mean? Because it's like, I play tennis. It's very passive aggressive. Well, first of all, let me tell you this. Our guest tonight, Michael Costa. Michael Costa is here. He's a comedian. He's doing a lap around the studio right now.

He was also a professional tennis player. So what do you think caught my eye? Comedian or tennis player?

I think comedian caught your eye and tennis player caught your crotch.

Because you love anybody who plays tennis. You are, okay.

Rafian O'Dahl, number one, of course, is your boyfriend. He doesn't know it, yes. No, we know that. His poster is in my bedroom. He's boyfriend to how many millions of women around the world do you think? It doesn't matter, because I'm the most important girlfriend. That's all that we need to say. Sure. Anyway, so Michael Koss is here. girlfriend to Rafi and O'Dell on your block.

He brings forth the topic,

my first professional tennis tournament. all that we need to say. Sure. Anyway, so Michael Koss is here. You're the most important girlfriend to Raphaine Liddell on your block.

He brings forth the topic, my first professional tennis tournament. So I'm just thrilled to talk to him about it. Professional tennis, you know, this is cool because you're used to amateurs. Well, okay. But not you're used to amateurs. But we all know amateur tennis players. We've all played amateur tennis. That's a different thing.

Right.

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