Veterans' Tennis

The Men's Vets group plays at the club twice a week, on Tuesday mornings and Friday mornings. The group is always looking for more players and it's free to join. The latest LTA definition of a veteran is 35 so all are welcome over this age. Play usually starts around 8.30, continuing until around 11.00.

Both the Men's and the Ladies 'seniors' play regularly, many of them more often than younger members. The vets play social tennis, usually doubles, rather than getting involved  in local veterans' leagues.

Duffield veteran players - by Keith Murcutt 

'Probably our oldest member is an ex-RAF Spitfire pilot who is now in his 80s and initially became a member in the 1960s. At least one more ex-RAF member plays regularly in the group. Another One of our veterans used to be the Chief Executive Officer at Ley's Castings in Derby. Two or three members unsurprisingly worked for British Rail, some joining Duffield soon after the war. An ex-Manchester City player regularly joins the group and he can take a couple of months off, pick up a racquet and play as if he'd never been away! One or two top LTA personnel used to be Duffield members and one newcomer to the morning veterans is an ex-J.P. Years ago, the M.D. of Lake's and the chairman of Rolls Royce both used to play regularly.

Some of our veterans are well known for their forthright views and keep committee members on their toes with their knowledge of tennis, the rules etc. They also apply this keenness to their game, their line calls and their enthusiastic attitude!

On the Ladies' side, whilst there is no particular veterans group our senior ladies play alongside younger women on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Amongst our senior ladies is one who has been a member since 1960, over 50 years. She has always played in bare feet but last summer she became injured but, after a brief interruption, she has now returned to playing. Occasionally, and very reluctantly, she puts on shoes but still prefers to play in bare feet.

Some of our older members remember when the clubhouse overlooked 3 grass courts and a crown bowling green, where the bottom tennis court now sits next to the river. Seating was on deck chairs in front of the wooden pavilion which had 2 separate rooms, a changing room with a shower - with an entrance on one side for the men and on the other for the ladies. Tea was brewed on Primus stoves and food was eaten on the grass between games. There was only one squash court with the booking sheet at the White Hart.'