5 reasons to try tennis at university

Tennis is a fun and energetic sport. It is perfect to blow off steam, get that cardio exercise you always avoid doing and to have a great time with your hitting partner.

1. The satisfaction you get when mind and body achieve the same outcome is incomparable to any other sport

If you have ever watched tennis on TV, you will have thought ‘surely I could pull that off’. We’ve all been there, but unfortunately, those of us who have already been on court know that that’s mere naivety, especially when first picking up a racquet. However, once you have played for a while and the racquet starts magically doing what your mind wants it to do, you’ll think instead: ‘What is this sorcery? Have I actually done that shot? Move along Rafa, there’s a new star in town.’

2. Playing tennis is a mindful exercise

When you are on court there is only one thing and one thing only that matters: the ball. The game is so fast paced and requires such a full commitment to what you are doing, that it ends up being a very mindful exercise. Before you know it, an hour has gone by, and you have not thought about any of those everyday worries, and have used that time to recharge your body and mind instead.

3. Tennis can be an individual or a team sport

If you like individual sports, tennis is perfect for you as it can be played as a single player (1vs1); but if you like teamwork, fear not, as tennis can also be played as a pair (2vs2). And if you like playing with even more people, you should then come along to our social sessions, meet lots of new people, and have a footloose hit with us! We currently have 70 social members and 16 team members and whatever group you’ll end up joining, you’ll find people ready to have your back and push you to improve.

4. Tennis teaches transferable skills for other sports, and it is one of the few sports that can be played throughout life

Learning how to play tennis gives you transferable skills for other sports. You’ll achieve that hand-eye coordination that can be used in other racquet sports such as badminton, squash or padel. You’ll develop self-control and calmness under pressure, which are pivotal in tennis. Any player will testify to how important strength of mind is when playing; on its own it can make a difference between winning and losing a match. Moreover, tennis is one of the few sports that can be played as we gracefully get older. Your feet may not be as fast as they were, but your technique will stay with you and will give a hard time to any young opponent!

5. Lucy Cavendish College Tennis Club is a friendly and welcoming Club

We pride ourselves to be a friendly and accessible Club. You do not need to have picked up a racquet before to join us. Total beginners are very welcome as we have all the equipment you need. We have teams’ members, who play competitively against other Colleges and represent Lucy Cavendish, and social members, who play with each other at social sessions. Both our social sessions and teams’ sessions/matches are a great opportunity to meet other students, blow off some steam and dive back into that essay feeling refreshed.

Article by Virginia Alessandrini
Captain of the Lucy Cavendish College Tennis Club

If you would like to join the team or find out more about our clubs and societies, please get in touch with the Students' Union.