Our Town Inagi 2016: Munetake Imai

Continuity Becomes the Power to Fight: 77th All Japan Veteran Tennis Championship 2015 (Doubles for 50 Years and Older) Champion

Mr. Imai, a resident of the city and a member of the Inagi City Tennis Federation, won the All Japan Veteran Tennis Championship organized by the Japan Tennis Association, which took place from September to October last year.
Veteran tennis is one of the categories divided within the association, which includes juniors, professionals, and corporate teams. It is categorized by age groups of 5 years, for individuals aged 35 to over 75, and involves tournament matches. The tournament he participated in is the highest level of competition in the country, with strict entry conditions allowing only 16 pairs from across the nation.
This was Mr. Imai's fifth participation, and reflecting on the tournament, he said, "This time, my partner Mr. Sato and I were able to advance vigorously to victory." The secret to their success, he mentioned, is to move the opponent around the court. Tennis is a sport where the one who makes mistakes loses, and he shared that they have honed their skills to move the opponent around the court and score points.

Imai-san mentioned that he first met Sato-san, who participated together, during high school. They reunited at a later tournament, where they were rivals at the time, but at the age of 45, he was invited to play veteran tennis and ended up pairing with Sato-san.
Imai-san, who started playing tennis in elementary school, says that he has been able to continue thanks to the "people" around him. He has been practicing recently with someone he met at a previous tournament. He also mentioned that he has had the understanding and support of his family, which has allowed him to build a tennis career spanning over 40 years.
When asked about his future goals, he said, "I want to continue competing until my 60s, aim for the top four every year, and keep playing without injuries."
We will continue to support Imai-san, who embodies the saying, "Perseverance is strength."