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Sports for Life: Tennis Begins With Love

by Barbara Eisner Bayer

When Susan Harrington, a school nurse in Boca Raton, Fla., needs to unwind, she heads straight to the tennis court. “Tennis takes away all the stress of the day,” she says. “Once I’m hitting the ball, I’m happy and feel energized. It’s just wonderful.” The game that begins with ‘love’ ends with joy for the RN.

When Susan Harrington, a school nurse in Boca Raton, Fla., needs to unwind, she heads straight to the tennis court. “Tennis takes away all the stress of the day,” she says. “Once I’m hitting the ball, I’m happy and feel energized. It’s just wonderful.” The game that begins with ‘love’ ends with joy for the RN.

Tennis is a “carryover sport” — an activity to play throughout your entire lifetime. And because tennis can be played in daylight hours, as well as in the evening under lights, even nurses with unusual schedules can, almost always, find time to play.

How important is it to remain physically active throughout your life? According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, physical activity protects against high blood pressure and obesity and reduces the possibility of heart disease. A moderate level of activity for 30 minutes each day will provide health benefits. In addition, clinical trials show that for older folks, regular exercise may improve joint flexibility and reduce the risk of falls and resultant injuries by about 25 percent.

Tennis anyone?

Many sports offer opportunities for enhanced fitness, but the game where you smack balls back and forth over a net with a partner has distinct advantages. A study done at Southern Connecticut State University determined that tennis players were more optimistic and had higher self-esteem than other athletes. They also were less depressed, angry, and anxious. In other research, Ralph Paffenbarger, MD, considered a pioneer in exercise studies, determined that men who play tennis three hours a week cut their risk of death from any cause in half.

Playing tennis also is a terrific way to lose weight. Tennis played competitively for three hours each week burns 1,834 calories, which is more than aerobics (1,612 calories) or inline-skating (1,397 calories). Playing tennis also builds leg strength, tones muscles, strengthens bones, improves balance, and slows down loss of muscle mass. Imagine…all those benefits in the name of fun.

How to start

Unlike an equipment-intensive sport, like skiing or golf, tennis needs only three things: sneakers, a tennis racquet, and a tennis ball. A fancy racquet isn’t necessary—you can pick up a used one at a yard sale, a second-hand store (like the Salvation Army), or a used-merchandise Web site, like half.com. You also can borrow or rent one from most tennis facilities.

The only other thing you need for a great game of tennis is a court! Finding one should be relatively simple. Many local parks have public tennis facilities. You might even have one in your housing complex or know a friend who has one. If not, you can check with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for a facility near you. Many offer introductory programs for beginners at reasonable prices.

Never too old

So what’s keeping you off the courts? Perhaps you think you’re too old. Although people who begin playing at a young age and continue throughout their lives retain the highest level of fitness, it’s never too late to start. You can learn to play—and enjoy—tennis at any age.

Take Dodo Cheney, for example: This 86-year-old grandmother has won more USTA titles than anyone else in the 118-year history of national tournament play. Although she played tennis as a child, she didn’t begin winning tournaments until age 40. Since then, she has won more than 300 gold and silver championship balls, and she shows no signs of slowing down as she approaches her 90’s.

Social benefits

In addition to having fun, feeling healthy, and losing weight, tennis is a great way to meet people. Tennis clubs offer “round robins” (where each member of a group plays against all the other members), tournaments, and tennis parties to enhance the club experience and attract new members.

According to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, inactive women are three times more likely to die from heart disease than their active peers. Consistent exercise reduces the risk. If you love life, choose tennis.