Mia Poklepovich hits her target with a satisfying whack. It's one fluid motion, but it's also so much more. Mia isn't just returning a tennis ball; she's releasing the stress of a hard week running her small business, she's spending time with friends, she's getting her heart rate up. (She may score extra laps around the sun, too – a study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found playing tennis increases life expectancy by nearly a decade.)
“There's something very rewarding about hitting a good shot,”from the sidelines. I always leave the court with a full cup.” It's the mix of socialising, endorphins and exercise that has Mia hooked. “I've never played tennis before, not even as a kid at school. I'm a runner, but I was getting bored of doing long distances by myself, so I thought playing tennis would be a nice way to stay fit and have a social life,” she explains.
