Tennis players may live 10 years longer. How the sport boosts physical and mental health

Alexa Mikhail
Updated
Luke Hales Via Getty

The U.S. Open is in full swing—Carlos Alcaraz, Naomi Osaka, and Novak Djokovic are among the big names crushing it on the courts. While many watch these powerful players in awe during the annual competition in New York City, others tune in because of their love of the sport. Tennis has steadily grown in popularity in the last few years, alongside massively rapid growth in its sister sport of pickleball.

Over 23 million Americans played tennis at least once in 2023, and nearly 12 million of them played at least 10 times.

Tennis is a demanding and engaging physical sport, and regular playing can help improve overall physical and mental health. It's no surprise that it helps people adhere to the recommended guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity (or 75 minutes of high-intensity) exercise a week, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.

However, not all sports are created equal, and tennis has unique health benefits backed by research.

You may live longer

Playing tennis may help you live longer compared to other sports.

The Copenhagen City Heart Study, which followed over 8,500 people for 25 years, found tennis players have a better chance of living longer than those who engaged in badminton, soccer, cycling, swimming, and jogging. The study projects that recreational tennis players will live an average of 9.7 years longer than they would have otherwise. (Playing badminton may extend life span by 6.2 years, swimming by 3.4 years, and jogging by 3.2 years.) Similarly, in a 2020 study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science, recreational tennis players who played at least twice a week were less likely to have obesity, felt more energized, and had better overall health.

The benefits are largely due to tennis’s impact on heart health. Playing tennis three hours a week can reduce your risk of heart disease by over 50%, per the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Additionally, a British study found racket sports, as compared to football, cycling, and running, were uniquely associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality.

Playing tennis offers benefits beyond daily movement, improving mental focus, reaction time, and agility. Tennis forces you to stay alert, which keeps the brain engaged and active, and can help boost agility, which can strengthen balance and prevent injuries and falls.

Improved mobility and grip strength 

As you age, you lose muscle mass, and your bones can become more fragile. Grip strength can indicate how well you’re aging and is linked to heart disease, inflammation, and even dementia. Gripping your racket for a powerful shot requires it.

Physical activity counters age-related muscle loss. But weight-bearing endurance sports, like tennis in particular, help maintain bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

You have community 

Compared to going to the gym solo, running outside, or swimming (which are still all good forms of exercise!), tennis requires you to interact with others.

Especially for older adults who are more prone to the health consequences of the loneliness epidemic, tennis can bring diverse groups of people together through exercising in community. Exercising and socializing are critical pillars of aging well, as social isolation is associated with a 50% increased risk of dementia. Maintaining strong social networks also helps prevent mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, helping people feel happier into older age.

If this is music to your ears, you’re in luck, because tennis is popular among all ages and skill levels. So it may just be the time to dust off your racket.

For more on aging well: 

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

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