12 November 2019

Style and substance; how league play improves your tennis

Chris Mackenzie-Ross

Chris joined the Battersea Park Tennis League in London two years ago, hoping to meet new people to play and get better at the game. Ten rounds of singles and two rounds of doubles later and it's done what he hoped!

I played tennis when I was growing up in Farnham, Surrey at the local club so learned the basics back then. I always enjoyed it but only played the odd game in my twenties then decided to pick it up again properly in my thirties, when I started playing the leagues. 

There’s nothing better when the weather is good and you get a chance for a game. It can be frustrating though, one week you can play really well and the next it’s like you haven’t played in five years. I guess that’s all part of the challenge! But I really enjoy the competitive aspect of it and it’s great to keep fit.

I joined the league to meet other players and to try and improve my game. I’ve met loads of really good players who live locally so the leagues have definitely met my expectations.

My style tends to be an attacking baseline game although this takes practice and consistency so I need to keep practising. Each person I’ve played in the leagues for the past three years has a different style, so being in the league has definitely made me a better player. It's helped me adapt to different types of games. You can play a slow slicer and the challenge is getting enough momentum to play your style of game or someone with a much faster game and you’ve got to keep up with your opponent. I’ve also played some really close matches over 2-3 hours, which comes down to who wants to win the most!

I would definitely recommend the leagues, it’s a great way to meet people in your local area and improve your game.

The next doubles round in Battersea begins on 23 January, 2020 and the next singles begins on 13 February, 2020