Reporterʼs diary: Tennis; A Sport For All


  By Miracle Adebayo

It was another regular day of finding myself in the vicinity of OAU campus Ile-Ife. Having completed my primary assignment for the day, I decided to look for a place to relax before proceeding with my next to-do list. Then the serene atmosphere of the tennis court field on Wednesday evening caught my attention from a distance. On arrival, I found my view to be rather more appealing than I imagined considering the swift but relaxing activities going on there. 


 The bright colour of the field, complementing the peaceful aura of the arena, started to give way to the active bouncing of the soft but firm tennis ball exchanged by the strong-looking professor Isichei Augustin – who appears to be between his early to late 70s – and his opponent.


This view became more appealing upon the discovery that the single players actively competing were of an age group where one might expect them to be relaxed, enjoying the peaceful aura of the environment rather than competing on the court. While the other could as well be engaged with his own means of sustenance as a working professional. 

On one side, there was the energetic grandfather as one onlooker noted, squaring off against a working-class engineer as recognised by the other players.


Described as not just a sport but a game of mental, physical and intellectual exercise, Tennis is recognised as a good sport for maintaining one’s health, fitness, strength and agility. Although known for its intellectual complexity for beginners, the sport is not restricted to a certain age. It is also a means to enjoy social and psychological benefits, as players get to play with a club or other friends and family.

   

This explains the likes of a 74-year-old professor still actively involved in the game. Speaking to Professor A.O Isichei Augustine on the 23rd of September, 2024,  after his first set of games with his opponent, Professor Isichei related that what has kept him in the sport for over 40 years is his interest in the sport. Prof considers tennis an evening sport that allows him to exercise and keep fit. 


However, he cautions that the elderly who are not into it from their younger years might find playing tennis challenging, even though exercise is essential for physical and mental wellness. “Tennis is a physical exercise; it requires you to eat well and properly, stop drinking, keep yourself in good shape; and all of these body specifics must have been worked on and built over the years”.

The sport, which is scored based on the number of games won per set, is not restricted to a particular time but depends on the expertise of the players. According to the rules of scoring the game

1 Set = 6 games

1 Game = 4 points

A winner of a set will have a total of 6 games and 24 points. It can be played by either single players (one player against another) or double players where we have two players against two players.

Barrister Lawrence, a spectator on site who is also a player, mentioned that Tennis is a good way to have good exercise and burn calories without being limited to a certain age, unlike Football, which is age-restricted.

He explained that although the sport comes with its risks and injuries, such as bruises around the leg, dislocation, and the possibility of a heart attack, the Tennis game  is best enjoyed by a well-fitted person.

It is indeed recommended that one of the best ways to keep fit and in shape is continuous exercise. While there might be restrictions in some other sports when it comes to age factor, Tennis is considered one of the most difficult sports with no age limits. However, a major criterion is being healthy and physically fit.    





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