A few months ago, I picked up a tennis racket for the first time in years—something I never imagined I’d do in my 40s. I’m an accountant, a wife, and a mum of two boys.
I’d always watched tennis from the sidelines, especially as my son plays and seemed to pick it up effortlessly. Meanwhile, my own memories of tennis were… less inspiring—mostly hitting balls over fences at school and feeling completely out of my depth.
Starting a new sport at this stage in life felt daunting. I’ve played netball for most of my life, so I kept wondering—would any of those skills transfer? Am I fit enough? Will I trip over my own feet? What if I just don’t enjoy it?
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I decided to give tennis a go because I wanted to play with my son firstly—and by that, I mean actually give him a decent game. What I didn’t expect was how quickly it would become something for me too.
This blog should probably come with a warning: tennis is addictive.
I started with cardio tennis sessions, thinking it would be my comfort zone. Fitness I understood. But how hard could it be to combine that with tennis? Well… it turns out it’s very easy to make a fool of yourself! Who knew hitting along a hoop with a tennis racket could be so difficult? Or that you could play a version of hungry hippos using tennis balls? It was chaotic, energetic, and so much fun. I was exercising without even realising it—and learning completely new skills at the same time. And the people? Honestly, they make it. Everyone is so welcoming and up for a laugh.
After a few sessions, I knew I wanted to improve. So I signed up for lessons.
And yes—I struggled. With pretty much everything at first. Getting the ball over the net. Keeping it in the court. Backhands… and don’t even get me started on serving. But here’s the thing: you do improve. Slowly, sometimes frustratingly, but you get there. And when something finally clicks—when you hit that clean shot or land a serve—it’s such a great feeling.
Tennis has this way of pulling you in. In the summer, it’s just glorious being out on court. And in the colder months? You still want to be there. You even find yourself disappointed when it rains and stops play—which says a lot.
One of the biggest surprises has been the people. I’ve met so many along the way and made genuine friends—people I can play with socially or meet up with off court too. The coaches have been incredible as well—supportive, encouraging, and always making it enjoyable, no matter your level.
If you’re thinking about trying tennis, my advice is simple: just do it. There’s no pressure, no long-term commitment—you can just turn up and have a go. You might surprise yourself.
For me, it’s become more than just a sport. It’s a way to switch off, to focus, to laugh—and sometimes, to hit the stress of the day as hard as I can across a net.
And trust me… that’s a pretty good feeling