The world of women's sports is experiencing a renaissance, with record-breaking viewership and a surge in participation among younger girls. But the challenge lies in sustaining this momentum beyond adolescence. Lindsay Davenport, a former world No. 1 tennis player and International Tennis Hall of Famer, argues that women's sports need more than just fans; they need more players. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of American women aren't getting enough leisure-time physical activity to meet basic health guidelines. And today, adult men are nearly twice as likely as women to have played a sport in the past year. This disparity highlights the need for women to engage more in sports, as even just a couple of hours a week can provide significant benefits for physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. Sports are among the most effective forms of physical activity, and a 25-year study by U.S. and Denmark researchers found that social sports like tennis, badminton, and soccer can add an average of nearly seven years to individuals' lives compared to their sedentary peers. Even modest participation can have a measurable impact. Just three hours per week of racquet sports is associated with a 56% reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 47% reduction in all-cause mortality. Sports are one of the few activities that consistently combine exercise with built-in social interaction, two factors that are independently linked to better mental health. Adults who participate in group sports report lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression over time. For women, who are diagnosed with depression at nearly twice the rate of men, those benefits are especially meaningful. A 2021 longitudinal study found that adults who belonged to a sport or exercise group reported significantly fewer symptoms of depression up to four years later. Regular sports also build confidence. It's no surprise that 94% of women leaders in C-suite roles played sports in college. Sports reward discipline, resilience, teamwork, and strategic decision-making, even if it's just a couple of hours a week. However, the challenge isn't that women don't want to play; it's that once women leave organized sports, there are few obvious ways to return. Recreational leagues can be intimidating, often male-dominated, and require a level of skill too high for casual players. Tennis, however, is one sport that lowers these barriers more effectively than others. Women make up roughly 43% of all annual tennis players, making it far more likely that a beginner can find a partner at a similar level. Tennis is widely accessible, with nearly 270,000 courts across the U.S., many of them public. The cost of entry is relatively low, too, with a partner, a racquet, a handful of balls, and access to a court being all that's needed to try it out. Tennis is a sport people can play at any age, unlike many high-impact team sports. It can be adapted to different fitness and ability levels, making it a practical long-term option for adults who want to stay active over decades. Tennis also bolsters community at almost any phase of life, providing a social outlet that can become a landing place after a move, a weekly anchor amid a busy worklife, or a new social circle in retirement. U.S. tennis participation has grown for six consecutive years, and more than 20 million players returned to the court in 2025, evidence that once people start playing, most keep coming back. And its health benefits might be part of the reason why. In the same long-term study, tennis was associated with a 9.7-year increase in life expectancy, nearly double the gain observed for many other forms of exercise. Tennis delivers a holistic workout that is sustainable and, frankly, fun. One hour of tennis can burn from 500 to 800 calories, about the same as one hour of running on a treadmill. And because the whole body is involved, tennis improves muscle composition, grip strength, and coordination. Women's sports shouldn't be thriving only in stadiums and on TV. As demand for jerseys and ticket prices rise, so should casual participation. Tennis is a sport that delivers precisely what many adult women need more of: a sport that is accessible, social, physically sustainable, and genuinely enjoyable. Davenport concludes by emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for women to engage in sports, not just as spectators but as active participants. By doing so, we can ensure that the current surge in interest in women's sports becomes a lasting trend, benefiting the health and well-being of women across the country.
