Whoever said tennis is a young man’s game should think again. And no, we’re not talking about Novak Djokovic, 38, still trading blows with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. This is the story of an 89-year-old man who’s not just picking up the racket, but swinging it with purpose. Meet Dave Kern from Dallastown, Pennsylvania. At age 89, he’s set to compete at the upcoming National Senior Games, a goal rooted in a family legacy that goes way back.

Long before Kern ever played tennis, the seeds were being sown at the U.S. Open. Back when it was hosted at the Germantown Cricket Club in Philadelphia, his father worked as a ballboy. His pay? A tennis racket given to him by none other than Bill Tilden, the first American to win Wimbledon, and a dominant force in the 1920s.

That wooden racquet, strung with cat gut, eventually landed in Kern’s hands. He was a teenager when he first picked it up. That’s when his love for tennis began. Now, decades later, that teenage dream has come full circle. Kern has qualified for the National Senior Games, often called the senior Olympics, through a strong finish in the state-level competition. This isn’t his first rodeo either. It’s the seventh time he’s made it to the games. Two years ago, he said, he finished seventh.

Kern plays in the breakfast league at Wisehaven and usually hits the court three times a week. With the National Senior Games starting later this month in Des Moines, Iowa, he’s now upped that to four times a week. He’s also big on fitness. Every morning, he rides an exercise bike to stay sharp. When he steps on court, Kern wears black compression sleeves on both knees and his right arm. “They help me stay together,” he joked.

He’s had both knees replaced, three cardiac stents inserted, and even had his cataracts fixed with new lenses. His eyesight is now back to 20-20. “Soon,” he said, “I’ll be the bionic man.” To manage arthritis, he wears a glove on his right hand. It helps him grip the racquet. This year, he’ll be one of 15 players competing in the 85–89 age group. It’s not a big field. As Kern pointed out, there aren’t many singles players his age. Most prefer doubles. Then again, there aren’t many tennis players at all who still compete like this at 89.

But his 89 years have seen various sports, probably the reason for his longevity.

From high school athlete to senior tennis warrior

Athletics have always been a big part of Kern’s life. He played four sports at Dallastown Area High School: basketball, football, baseball, and track. His basketball team even won the county championship. On the football field, he was an all-county end for two years. That was before facemasks. He once lost a front tooth to someone’s helmet.

He ran track, too. And he credits his speed to growing up in Philadelphia. “I guess the best thing I could do is run,” he said. “Living in Philadelphia, you had to learn to run fast. Everybody was always chasing you.” After high school, Kern leaned into baseball. He played for Dallastown in the old Twilight League. Kern kept going until his 30s before giving it up to focus on work as a manager at the Yorktowne Kitchens plant in Red Lion.

He didn’t quit sports, though. He played softball for his church and even gave golf a shot. But nothing stuck quite like tennis. Wishing Dave Kern all the best as he takes the court. His story proves age is just a number when the love for the game is real.