"The depressing thing about tennis," comedian Mitch Hedberg once quipped in his classic deadpan, "is that no matter how good I get, I'll never be as good as a wall" (source).

We hear ya, Mitch.

While the wall never gets physically tired or mentally worn down, tennis players inevitably do. As you well know, tennis is not for the faint of heart. Seriously. Players must be extraordinarily fit with some serious mental toughness to boot.

It's easy to psych yourself out on the court, but you have no chance of becoming a successful tennis player if you can't keep your cool. Unlike a certain Tenenbaum. There's a reason why there are at least five million books written on that subject alone. At least.

Okay, maybe we're exaggerating. It's probably more like four million. Just search for the keywords "tennis" and "mental" on Amazon, and you'll see what we mean.

See, as an NCAA student-athlete, you're not only expected to perform on the court (which includes daily workouts and practices, as well as frequent matches and tournaments often in mystical, faraway lands such as Ohio).

Nope, you'll also have to deliver in the classroom. That part of the gig includes the same homework, reading, studying, library time, study hall, and exams that are required of everyone else. You know, the not-flunking-out-of-college stuff.

This will be a juggling act like you won't believe. It'll be harder than the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Just don't be this guy. In a battle between your racket and the wall, we guarantee the wall will win every time.