Raul Garcia was scrambling to survive. He chased a ball across the baseline of the court as it flew into the far corner. The 24-year-old righty gripped a black and neon-green tennis racket and lashed a forehand. Energy rippled through his slim frame. Garcia’s torso wrenched and his feet lifted a few centimetres off the ground, and he was, for a moment, floating. To punctuate the shot, his arm coiled around his head with the force of his follow-through.
Loaded with topspin, the ball looped across the net towards Tyler Stice, a quick, stocky 25-year-old. Garcia watched closely as it landed on the black surface, which was surrounded by two levels of metal scaffolding. The temporary arena vibrated with throbbing electronic music meant to entertain some 500 standing spectators who yelled from above.