Herts &amp; Beds


<p>With Wimbledon well underway (<strong>29 Jun – 12 Jul</strong>), it&#8217;s all too easy to watch the action from the sidelines. But put down that punnet of strawberries and glass of Champagne and step onto the court instead. After all, tennis is the holy grail of fun workouts. Don&#8217;t just take our word for it. We spoke to former GB player and tennis coach Roisin Mullins to learn why tennis is so great for both mind and body.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/tenniscover1-1000x667.jpg" alt="tennis player" class="wp-image-91205" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/tenniscover1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/tenniscover1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/tenniscover1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strengthening">STRENGTHENING</h2>



<p>Nadal’s quads. Enough said. Just flicking Wimbledon on for a microsecond should be enough to convince you that tennis certainly knows how to get you out of puff (hello cardio!) and work muscles into a frenzy. “Tennis is incredible for strengthening as it is so legs based” says Roisin. “Everything comes from the ground. It’s all about leg drive, hip rotation, core rotation, stabilising, accelerating, de accelerating.” </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fun">FUN</h2>



<p>It’s one of the world’s most popular sports for a reason. “Fun, dynamic, competitive, unpredictable, chaotic – it’s such a fun form of exercise,’ says Roisin. “And while, yes, it can be frustrating, it’s also really rewarding when you get it right. Who doesn’t like winning?” Additionally, the nature of the sport means it’s entirely ever changing, and no two games will ever be the same. Whether you’re riding solo or teaming up with a partner, there’s a lot of flexibility to play how you like. Time to pull on the competitive hat it seems.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/tennisballresize-1000x667.jpg" alt="Tennis ball and racquet" class="wp-image-91196" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/tennisballresize-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/tennisballresize-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/herts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/tennisballresize.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social">SOCIAL</h2>



<p>Local tennis clubs are&nbsp;<em>the</em>&nbsp;place to put yourself out there and meet new people. Roisin says, “tennis really is a sisterhood sport. At our club, we have so many women playing, like in our ladies’ mornings and mix-ins, and it creates quite a safe environment for women to play. My team are my oldest friends and I’ve seen first hand people at the club making friends for life.”</p>



<p>Want to bring the whole fam? You can do that too. “There’s also a lot of parents that put their kids on a court next to them and then mum and dad play while the kids are hitting balls at the same time, so it’s also a fantastic family sport,” she adds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-low-impact">LOW IMPACT</h2>



<p>Joint-friendly and suitable for all. No matter your age or fitness level, you can pick up a racquet at any age. Roisin says, “I coach one lady who’s 78 and is an incredible tennis player, but she doesn’t move as much and it’s more tactical.” Surfaces like grass are a lot softer underfoot which help cushion joints and makes it a lot less harder on your body than running or other racket sports like squash too. “Obviously there’s a lot of change of direction, but it’s not that repetition like in running where you’re hitting the same part of your knee every time,” explains Roisin. “It also really depends how much you are playing.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-to-play-near-you">WHERE TO PLAY NEAR YOU</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hertfordshire-non-members">Hertfordshire, non-members</h2>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/HoddesdonLawnTennisClub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hoddesdon Lawn Tennis Club</a> &#8211; 6 floodlit all-weather courts</p>



<p><a href="https://wodsonpark.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wodson Park, Ware</a> &#8211; 2 floodlit hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/welwyn/gosling-sports-park/tennis#GTCourtHire" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gosling Sports Park</a>, Welwyn Garden City &#8211; 10 indoor courts, 5 outdoor courts</p>



<p><a href="https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/welwyn-hatfield/king-george-v-playing-fields?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=google_my_business" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">King George V Playing Fields</a>, Welwyn &#8211; 2 floodlit outdoor courts</p>



<p><a href="https://www.shephalburyparktennis.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shephalbury Park Tennis</a>, Stevenage &#8211; 5 outdoor courts</p>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/HitchinTennisClub/AboutUs/PayandPlay" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hitchin Tennis Club</a> &#8211; 3 floodlit outdoor courts</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bedfordshire-non-members">Bedfordshire, non-members</h2>



<p>(Gain unlimited access to these tennis venues with an annual pass, £40)</p>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/AddisonHowardPark" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Addidson Howard Park</a>, Bedford &#8211; 3 outdoor hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/AllenPark" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Allen Park</a>, Bedford &#8211; 2 outdoor hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/BedfordPark" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bedford Park</a>, Bedford &#8211; 3 outdoor hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/linden-road-tennis-courts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Linden Road Tennis Courts</a>, Bedford &#8211; 3 outdoor hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/mowsbury-park" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mowsbury Park</a>, Bedford &#8211; 4 outdoor hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/RussellPark2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russell Park</a>, Bedford &#8211; 2 outdoor hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/southfields-park-bedford" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southfields Park</a>, Bedford &#8211; 3 outdoor hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://memorial.lutonparkstennis.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luton Parks Tennis</a>, Hoo Memorial Park &#8211; 3 outdoor hard courts</p>



<p><a href="https://lewsey.lutonparkstennis.org.uk/?venue=lewsey_lutonparkstennis_org_uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lewsey Park</a>, Luton &#8211; 1 outdoor hard court</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more-try-these">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE? TRY THESE:</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://herts.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/tennis-ace-oliver-tarvet-on-mental-strength-tough-training-and-the-unmatched-feeling-of-victory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muddy meets St Albans tennis ace Oliver Tarvet</a></li>



<li><a href="https://herts.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/whats-on/whats-on-near-me-july-hertfordshire-bedfordshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roarsome! Best things to do near you this July</a></li>



<li><a href="https://herts.muddystilettos.co.uk/most-read/summer-festivals-hertfordshire-bedfordshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Your HOT summer festival guide: Book these in Herts &amp; Beds now</a></li>
</ul>



<p> </p>


Tennis is the sport to try this summer – here’s where to play locally

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