My body isn’t as resilient as it used to be. And my cat doesn’t care.

2024 was a challenging tennis year for me. My win-loss record in USTA league matches was terrible; I was sidelined for six weeks in the summer due to an inflamed Achilles tendon; and my cat Lily peed in my tennis bag.

 Perhaps she was passing her own judgement on the state of my game.

Actually, peeing in my tennis bag was Lily’s way of sticking it to me because I’d left her alone for a week while I was on vacation in Northern Wisconsin in July with my family. Lily didn’t feel sorry for me that I had to sit on the sidelines every day while the rest of my family played the game I love so much in a setting I love so much.

I guess Lily also didn’t feel sorry for me that I was in a boot for two weeks prior to my vacation. Or that I woke up last Christmas morning with a mysterious pain in my shoulder that made serving and hitting overheads extremely uncomfortable until the pain finally subsided in April.

Until I turned 50, I had no aches and pains from tennis. Now at age 64, managing them is a way of life. I used to easily play two competitive matches in a day, and consecutive matches over multiple days. 

These days I need to give my body time to recover.

Still Competitive

Despite my dismal record and chronic pain that year, I still thought Iwas competitive on my over 40 and 55 USTA teams – even playing against younger people. Some were better than me, but I had experience. 

But earlier in the summer, I wasn’t enjoying getting my butt kicked by 20- and 30-something former college players in the Chicago Park District open league. Experience doesn’t help you much when age and ability are on your opponent’s side. 

Okay, so I was a college player, too, but that was 47 years ago when I was a walk-on at Valparaiso University (Go Beacons!). It was also just before Title IX’s impact raised women’s sports to a different level. 

While I decided not to play in any open leagues, my plan is to keep playing on other age- and ability-appropriate teams as long as I feel I still win. 

Winning isn’t the only thing, though. 

Team tennis is also a social outlet that fosters camaraderie and friendships. Until I was sidelined from competition this past summer, I didn’t realize how much I’d miss that part of the game.

However, I know that at some point, I won’t be able to move as well and hit the ball with as much power. I won’t be one of the best players on any of my teams. 

People will still be my friends, but won’t want to be my partner. Team captains won’t choose me for the tougher matches. 

I’ve seen it happen to other older women who stay on competitive teams too long. I’ve always vowed I didn’t want to be “that girl.”

But this girl isn’t done yet. 

I worked hard to heal my Achilles. I eased back into playing matches in the fall. I got my racquet re-strung with bad-ass black strings. After a good scrubbing, my tennis bag no longer smelled of cat pee. 

And, as the wise tennis-playing cartoon beagle Snoopy said, “When a friend is on your side, you’re always a winner.”