GET SHOW ON THE ROAD...

Up & coming tennis spin-off is serving up a storm of laughs

- MARK MCCADDEN

WINDING through rush-hour traffic in Bridgetown, our driver points to some markings scratched into the surface of a quiet side street.

"That's an old road tennis court," he says of the faded lines, partially hidden under the wheels of a parked car.

We are on our way to the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, a sprawling multi-sports complex located south of Barbados's capital city, to see a modern version of this indigenous sport.

As we drive into the complex, named after the Barbadian-born West Indies cricket legend, we pass the Barbados Aquatic Centre, the Football Association and Olympic HQs.

Eventually we arrive at a row of courts, all of similar dimensions to the one crudely scrawled into the Bridgetown tarmac - 21x10 feet.

However, these are marked with straight lines, they are immaculately painted and maintained, and have a solid divider, a 'net', rising eight inches above the ground, bisecting each court.

On one, a group of teens play volleyball.

They're handy enough, but it's easy to spike the ball when the net is less than a foot tall.

Next to them, two locals are deep into a game of road tennis and the shots are played with a mix of power and finesse. It's hard-court tennis meets table tennis, with most of the action at ankle height.

SAFE