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A leaping Jumanne Jahi, a cardio tennis instructor from Northern Virginia, enthusiastically
Tracy Austin high-fives University of Maryland student Dave Lox after a workout. 'I've been playing since I was 2 and I still have this terrific passion,' the former tennis champ said.
Former U.S. Open champion Tracy Austin stretches with students at the University of Mary Washington tennis center during a visit to promote a new workout program called cardio tennis. |
By KELLY HANNON
The sedate, crisp-white-shorts world of tennis is being shaken up.
Cardio tennis ramps up the traditional court game with an extra aerobic twist.
Women's U.S. Open champion Tracy Austin is an enthusiastic advocate for the movement. She was in Fredericksburg Saturday for a quick session with college tennis players from Virginia and Maryland as part of a promotional tour.
There's no score in cardio tennis. The focus is on getting a workout.
"The fitness part of it, the cardio part of it, is actually more important," the 43-year-old Austin said. "You keep moving for 60 minutes."
Music with a pulsing beat blared from the speakers at the University of Mary Washington's indoor tennis center in Fredericksburg. The center was hosting the United States Tennis Association tournament for collegiate nonvarsity players from the Mid-Atlantic region.
Austin was on the court, lobbing volleys playfully--but masterfully--to students.
Several dozen players participated in the cardio tennis session. After a quick warm-up of toe-touches and footwork without a racket, participants switch to easy volleys. Players rotate on and off the court quickly, and jog in place on the sidelines as they wait for a turn.
Austin said cardio tennis is good fit for her current lifestyle as a mother. She does a cardio and tennis workout three days a week near her home in Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband and three sons, ages 9, 7 and 4.
"I try not to schedule my kids' dentist appointments or hair appointments during that time. I kind of make that time for myself to try and stay fit," Austin said.
Austin won the women's U.S. Open title in 1979 and 1981, beating out Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, respectively. She won her first U.S. Open at 16, and remains the youngest woman to win the event.
After cardio tennis, Austin posed for a picture with every college team.
Shelly Morris, a senior at the College of William & Mary, was smiling after her picture was snapped with Austin.
"It was fantastic," Morris said. "I'm actually an aerobics instructor at William & Mary so I think it's a really great idea to play music with tennis. It's a great motivator."
ON THE NET: cardiotennis.com
To reach KELLY HANNON:
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com
