Sport & Wellness Articles
Longevity has stopped being a medical subject and become a lifestyle one â how you move, how you recover, and who you spend the hours with. This section gathers what is being learned about that around the world and brings it to the club: research where research exists, practice where it does not, and every piece marked as what it is.
Tennis and a longer life
Following 8,577 adults for about 25 years, the Copenhagen City Heart Study recorded the widest life-expectancy gap for tennis â 9.7 years above a sedentary group, ahead of badminton at 6.2, cycling at 3.7 and a health club at 1.5.
Observational study â it shows an association, not that the sport causes the outcome.What racquet sports track with
Across 80,306 British adults, people who played racquet sports had 47% lower all-cause mortality and 56% lower cardiovascular mortality than those who did not. The same cohort showed no significant association for running or for football.
Observational study â it shows an association, not that the sport causes the outcome.The half that is not exercise
A review of 148 studies covering 308,849 people found that those with stronger social relationships were around 50% more likely to be alive at follow-up. Separately, the Copenhagen authors observed that the activities at the top of their own table all need a partner or an opponent, and pointed to social interaction as a likely reason.
Observational study â it shows an association, not that the sport causes the outcome.Before you play
Warm up by moving the way you are about to play â easy rallies, shoulder circles, short runs â rather than holding a stretch still while you are cold. Save the long stretches for afterwards.
General guidance, not a research finding.How to start playing
You need less than you think: flat-soled shoes, a racquet you can borrow, and somebody to hit with. The first session is about the ball going over and coming back, not about technique.
General guidance, not a research finding.What the surface does
Clay is slow with a high bounce, hard courts are the middle ground and the most common, grass is fast and low, and indoor carpet is quick and consistent. The surface changes how a point is won more than most players expect.
General guidance, not a research finding.Reading a racquet
Head size, weight, balance and string tension are the four numbers that describe any racquet. Each is a trade between power and control, and none of them has a right answer â only one that suits how you already play.
General guidance, not a research finding.Scoring, in plain language
Points run 15, 30, 40, game; a set is first to six games won by two, with a tiebreak at six-all; a match is usually best of three sets. The parts that vary between competitions are the ones worth knowing you do not know.
General guidance, not a research finding.Playing better, starting with the serve
Early improvement is mostly consistency rather than power, and the serve is the one shot entirely under your own control. What a coach can see in a minute, a paragraph cannot â so this is the shape of the thing, not a correction.
General guidance, not a research finding.Your first tennis competition: how to prepare, and techniques for getting ready before a match
Your first tennis competition takes preparation on several fronts: your physical readiness, your kit, learning the rules, and rating your own level to match the event you enter.
General guidance, not a research finding.How to choose a tennis competition level that is neither too high nor too low: what to look at
To choose a competition level that is neither too high nor too low, judge your own ability in competition, and look at your results across several matches together.
General guidance, not a research finding.A 48-hour checklist before a tennis match: how to get ready
Preparing for a tennis match should start 48 hours before you go on court: check the schedule and the venue, prepare your kit, drink enough water and rest.
General guidance, not a research finding.Round Robin vs Knockout: the rules, the number of players and the scoring
In a Round Robin, players meet on a schedule and are ranked on their overall results. A Knockout eliminates the loser of each match, and only the winner goes through to the next round.
General guidance, not a research finding.No partner, but you want to play doubles: how Match Me works
You do not have to find your own partner. Give your level and how you want to play, the club pairs you, and the team confirms every pair.
General guidance, not a research finding.Good in practice but not in matches? How to handle pressure and read the game during a match
However well you practise, the pressure of match day can stop you playing your game. Staying composed, focusing one point at a time and reading the game in time help you adapt and play closer to how you practise.
General guidance, not a research finding.How to read the pattern of the points you lose in real matches, and what the patterns are
Reading the pattern of the points you lose in real matches works best alongside a look at other errors too, such as where you hit, how long the rallies run, and how you solve problems under pressure.
General guidance, not a research finding.Tennis and city life: from a sport to a community in Bangkok
Tennis is not only a sport for exercise or competition. It has become part of city life, and a chance to meet people through Social Tennis sessions.
General guidance, not a research finding.Why a club should find your partner
The first reason people never enter doubles is not their game. It is that they have no partner. Match Me by THE SET. exists to remove that reason.
General guidance, not a research finding.It's a match. And then what?
From the moment your pair is confirmed to the first ball on match day, everything happens in the app, and nobody has to hand over a phone number.
General guidance, not a research finding.Your number stays yours
Finding a partner should not cost you your phone number to a stranger. Match Me by THE SET. is built so that everything stays in the app, from the first message to the last call.
General guidance, not a research finding.Doubles at Episode 01 without a partner
THE SET. EPISODE 01, on 30â31 January, lets you enter doubles and mixed doubles before you have a partner. Here is what to know before you press, from the day registration opens to the day the team confirms the pairs.
General guidance, not a research finding.Which Mixed Doubles level should you enter? Choosing MX 3.0, 3.5 or 4.0
Enter Mixed Doubles at the level that suits the pair, judged from your own game and your partner's, so the match stays close and the opponents cannot simply overpower you.
General guidance, not a research finding.How to choose a doubles partner: the best partner is not always the best player
For doubles you want a partner who reads you, talks to you clearly, handles pressure, works as a team and can adjust their game to support yours.
General guidance, not a research finding.Planning a two-day tennis tournament: Singles, Doubles or both?
Over two days of tennis, pace your energy: on day one manage your effort and recover after you play; on day two check how your body feels and adjust your game to the fatigue.
General guidance, not a research finding.Alpine Tennis Club guide: getting there and preparing for match day
A guide to Alpine Tennis Club: how to get there, parking, checking in and preparing for match day, with a checklist to help you get ready before you play.
General guidance, not a research finding.