This section is devoted to the STP – the Senior Tennis Player. Senior tennis, believe it or not, starts at age 29, and goes way up into the 95’s and 100’s!! That’s why tennis is the sport of a lifetime!!
In USTA sanctioned tennis tournaments, senior age group divisions are in 5 year increments, starting with the 30 & over division; then the 35 & over; 40’s; etc., all the way up to the 95 & over division. You are eligible to play in a division at the beginning of the year that you turn the age of the division – e.g., if you turn 45 years old in September of 2019, you can play in the 45 & over division starting on January 1, 2019 – even though you are still only 44 years old then. And you can always “play down” in senior tournaments – if you are 70 years old, you can play down in the 50’s – but you cannot play up in the 75’s.
There are also family tournaments, which combine the ages of the doubles partners – e.g., in the National Husband-Wife Combined Age 120 tournaments, the combined age of the spouses must be at least 120 years old.
In USTA league tennis, senior age group divisions begin with the 50’s division, and there are leagues for men and women – singles and doubles, as well as leagues for mixed doubles.
For those of you not really interested in competing, please understand that you are not alone. The majority of senior tennis is played at the club level, or in public parks, high school courts and retirement communities. Most people are playing tennis for the sheer enjoyment of the game, for social interaction, fitness, exercise, weight loss, etc. Tennis is a sport that you can play at any age and be assured of having a great time.
This section will provide the STP advice, lessons and tips on, not only surviving senior tennis, but on improving your tennis game so you can enjoy playing even more. ANYONE can learn and improve at any age, and everyone can benefit from the lessons you will learn from me. I regularly give lessons to players in their 80’s – the quest to hit that “perfect backhand winner” never stops. I will cover topics that will include Getting and Staying in Shape, Nutrition, Injury Prevention, Equipment, Tactics and Strategy, Stroke Production, How to Practice, Taking Lessons, the Mental Game of Tennis, etc., etc.
See you on the court!!