Wimbledon is rapidly approaching. Many of us, gripped by tennis fever, will soon be dusting off old racquets and getting back onto the court. Others, suitably inspired, might end up trying it for the first time. And, no matter what level you are playing at, a few games can provide a raft of health benefits, from preventing heart disease and strokes to improving balance and even social skills. According to some research, it may even help you live longer.
But with rival racquet sports such as padel increasing in popularity, is traditional tennis still worth playing? Robert Neal, a tennis coach at Paddington Sports Club, believes so: 'Tennis is a full body workout involving your arms on both sides and your legs. But not just that, there's the mental side of things – because when people join tennis clubs, they interact with other people. That social element helps people, too.'
Is tennis healthier than other kinds of sport?
It turns out that, of all sports, tennis might just be the best for your health. In 2016, a research team led by the University of Oxford analysed data from more than 80,000 adults over nine years, comparing the impact of racquet sports, swimming, aerobics, cycling and football on health. The results, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that people who played racquet sports were 47 per cent less likely to die from any cause than those who did not exercise. They were also 56 per cent less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, including stroke. By comparison, running and football showed no link with a reduced risk of early death, while running, cycling and football displayed no protection against cardiovascular disease.
Then, in 2018, a 25-year study by Danish researchers found that tennis players lived an average of 9.7 years longer than people who did not exercise at all. That was more than three times the longevity seen in joggers and more than six times that recorded among regular gymgoers.
What other health benefits does tennis have?
Dan Roberts, a celebrity trainer and tennis coach, said the benefits of tennis depend on what a person is hoping to achieve – but that they can include weight loss, lower blood pressure, stronger bones and improved fitness. He said regular games can help with agility, reactions, hand-eye coordination, mobility, strength and both aerobic and anaerobic fitness – when the body performs high-intensity exercise without exerting a lot of oxygen.
Away from the physical benefits, he said tennis can improve mental wellbeing by relieving stress, encouraging social interaction and helping people build confidence by learning a new skill. Roberts added: 'When you have a support network you can talk to people and sports, particularly for men, is a good way of doing that. You learn about your body under pressure and you get earned dopamine – not like scrolling TikTok dopamine – which you've actually worked for because you're developing a skill.'
Is padel or ping-pong as good for you as tennis?
While Neal also coaches padel – the world's fastest-growing racquet sport – he believes tennis offers greater overall health benefits. He says: 'Ultimately tennis is a lot harder to learn. But the overall benefits are higher, I would say.' Roberts describes tennis as 'one of the most well-rounded' forms of exercise, alongside ballet and Muay Thai, a form of martial art. He adds that table tennis can also offer some similar benefits, particularly when it comes to reaction speed, hand-eye coordination and mental stimulation. However, he admits that it falls short of traditional tennis. Roberts says: 'You get a lot of the same benefits, but because you're not moving as much – unless you're a pro – then you're not really getting the weight loss or cardiovascular benefits.'
How often do I need to play tennis to see results?
Both Neal and Roberts believe the average person should aim to play tennis two to three times a week to see meaningful fitness benefits. Playing once, Roberts says, may leave people feeling frustrated if they can't grasp the technical side of the sport, while playing five times per week may put a person at risk of injury. Roberts – who trains ATP tour tennis players – says: 'When they do twice a week, people they actually see improvements. After eight sessions they'll actually realise, "oh, I can serve now, I can do a backhand, I can do this". That gets them more excited about the sport and they tend to not give up. In my experience as a coach, when it's new and technical, I say twice a week.'
What are the risks of playing tennis?
Joint health experts have long warned of 'The Wimbledon Effect' – a predictable rise in tennis-related injuries among amateur players that begins around the time of the famous championship. The mistake, they say, is throwing yourself into a series of demanding matches having done little-to-no exercise prior to that for months. Tennis injuries are common due to repetitive movements, sudden changes in direction and the impact of playing on hard courts. Grass, which can be slippery, also carries inherent risks.
According to Wimbledon Physiotherapy Sports Injuries Clinic, the most commonly seen problems are shoulder pain and tennis elbow. The latter, medically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a painful repetitive strain injury. It occurs when the forearm tendons that attach muscles to the outside of the elbow become inflamed, thickened or damaged due to overuse, causing pain and tenderness around the bony bump on the outside of the elbow. Knee and ankle injuries are also a risk. Experts advise warming up gradually, avoiding long matches or playing on consecutive days when first returning to the court, and carrying out strengthening and mobility exercises to help protect the joints.
Are there some people that shouldn't play tennis?
Tennis is suitable for all ages, shapes and sizes, say experts, because it can be played in a variety of ways. For those with energy to burn – or looking to lose weight – Neal recommends trying 'cardio tennis'. He says: 'It's a high impact version of tennis involving drills, potentially wearing heart rate monitors and set to music. It's circuit training, gym based activity on the court.' However, in regular tennis games, the intensity can be adapted to suit the individual. He adds: 'Unlike a sport like football which is always high impact, in theory you can keep playing tennis as long as you're able to stay active. We have people in their 80s playing tennis and they do it for that social interaction and general wellbeing.'
Heart experts do caution that, due to the 'stop and go' rapid bursts of movement in tennis, those with unstable angina should play with caution. People with advanced forms of bone-thinning disease osteoporosis may also need to take care, as changes in direction lead to the skeleton and joints absorbing a large amount of shock.
