Many active older adults in the metro Atlanta area are finding camaraderie and competition on the tennis court thanks to senior leagues hosted by the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association.
These leagues cater to men and women ages 45 and over as well as specific leagues for players 55 and over. Registration for the spring roster is open now. All adult league registration closes Jan. 19.
ALTA offers a Senior Men’s Day League, open to men 55 and older, which plays on Wednesday mornings during the spring and fall. There is also a Senior Women’s Day League open to women 55 and older. The league plays Tuesday mornings during the spring and fall.
The Senior Women’s League is for women 45 and older. It plays during the summer Thursday evenings. The Senior Men’s League is for men ages 45 and older. Matches are played during the summer on Friday nights. The Senior Mixed Doubles League is open to men and women 45 and older. The league plays Saturdays in the winter.
Tennis players of all levels find teams in and around Atlanta. They play at tennis courts in neighborhoods, clubs and parks. Then, they travel to away matches on weekdays, evenings and weekends.
Tina Jones plays on a senior women’s team out of Dellinger Park in Cartersville. She and her teammates have fun competing against other teams in Dunwoody in DeKalb County and in Canton, Marietta, Kennesaw, and other locations in Cherokee and Cobb Counties.
“Friends make it fun for sure,” Jones said. “And I love knowing that all our matches are against people in my age bracket.”
She also plays in open leagues with younger players and said the senior leagues seem a bit more fun since the competition is more even.
Ron Pinto has played tennis for many years in and around Atlanta and said he’s played in several senior men’s leagues before. At the moment, he’s the captain of a senior mixed team out of Kennworth Tennis Center in Acworth.
“It’s all about the social aspect and being able to play with people you’ve known for a long time,” he said.
Pinto said at his age, he’s played with and against hundreds of players in and around Atlanta. The senior leagues offer him the chance to play with friends and competitors who are around his skill level.
“What I’ve found is that it’s a little bit more relaxed,” he said. “People still want to win and it’s still good competition but the senior leagues tend to be a bit more social in nature.”
For additional information about the ALTA senior leagues, a calendar of registration deadlines, and play dates, visit altatennis.org.
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