At the age of 66, life begins, at the age of 66, you enjoy it. This has already sang Udo Jürgens, knowing that there is a lot of true things in his now legendary song line and that a lot of motivation for the "senior age" is transported. Joerg Pfuhl that the tennis courts of the world prove that even at the age of 60 in tennis is far from over He wrote a wonderful book about his tennis career, in which he really got started after leaving his career as a successful publishing manager: second serve is his first work published by Edel Sports Verlag. The book title could not have been more apt. How Joerg played in the seniors' tennis world rankings at the age of 60, why after his first serve had to follow a second serve and why he discovered completely new sides and talents, of which the 208-page work acts. Wonderful to read, motivating, animating to smile as well as to think - and not just in terms of tennis! The book is a source of inspiration not only for prospective and more or less active (tennis) seniors, but for everyone who is before the last phase of life. Be excited about our book review and with a little luck, win one of two books that we are giving away by March 10, 2025!
The book "Second Service" starts exactly where the author Joerg Pfuhl's first serve ends. As a successful managing director of a book publisher and co-founder of the Audible audio book platform, Joerg is caught in the Job-Tretmühle, although he always liked to work a lot. Health problems then lead shortly before his 60th birthday, to actually put the thoughts of getting out of the Tretmühle job several times. First of all, nothing special - the reader may think. But together with the exit at Joerg, the question immediately arises as to what he should do with the many free time. Sitting in the rocking chair is out of the question for him. "I need a plan," says Joerg. Just the manager.
So he quickly intensifies his intimate beloved hobby tennis and plays a few hours a week with his teammate several times a few times a week. Tennis has played the author, which claims to be talented, since his youth, but without great ambitions. The fun and the team were in the foreground. As I would say, Joerg goes through a normal tennis career of an amateur player, in which tennis played a smaller or larger role depending on the professional and current life situation.
With international senior tournaments, Joerg then comes into contact for the first time in his temporary home at Tegernsee, where the International German Senior Championships were held by 2019. Joerg not only started as a player at the tournament, but was also in the middle of the tournament as a tournament organizer. Perhaps he already knew where his journey should lead him to "retirement age"?
Book author Joerg Pfuhl
Photo © Patrick Lipke
Internationally, after moving to Hamburg, it continued with his teammates: a trip to England to an international lawn tournament not only brought great fun. Joerg saw how many wonderful experiences and encounters can make a visit to an international tournament away from the square. A very crucial experience that should be repeated very often in the next few years.
Before Joerg actually gets intensively into the national and international tournament scene, it is time to train, training, training. Again, the manager shows up: don't just start playing on it, but systematically train. If you have not yet known what the "Grind" training form is all about. After reading you know it and sure some of you will try it out. I wish you a lot of fun and good sweating now! Hard training with physical and mental borderline experiences, after which things can really start on the "tour".
Joerg in action
photo © Patrick Lipke
At the Rasurnier in England
The forced corona break also uses Joerg positively and plays outdoors in frosty temperatures with poodle hat and ski jacket. Just don't let it get down is the motto! It can go on well afterwards: first to national senior tournaments, then to international tournaments up to the World Championships. From the tennis lesson to the tournament victory, everything is included.
Here Joerg describes his tournament experiences from very different perspectives: When it comes to tennis, he is looking for the "right" senior tennis that suits him and his style of play. How can it succeed that he wins with his powerful, but also error -prone game and not only plays well and well? How do international tournaments run off, how are trained and regenerated? How are double and mixed partners? And what happens away from the tennis courts? This experience is openly and honestly reported.
As a reader, you really get the feeling of traveling, playing and creating with you. Funny anecdotes on the tennis court, but also touching encounters, the emergence of friendships around the world. Oh, what tennis can do! How exactly Joerg's tournaments ran, where he has actually opened everything to date and why he suddenly became a gifted mixed player, we don't tell you at this point.
National successfully in the mixed
photo © Tennisverband Rhineland-Palatinate
At the World Championships 2021
Joerg also lets his readers participate in things such as training planning, equipment and further training and gives very interesting and useful tips. So everyone can immerse themselves in different areas after the book reading.
Many may get the impression in advance when reading the book cover in advance that Joerg is a senior player who, with the same ambition as on his professional days, acts on the tennis court: in the next victory and overheating in all matters. Certainly the two adjectives fit everyone who operates one thing so intensely in advanced age. Earnity and ambition are actually needed, but both live Joerg in a positive sense. Always with a goal in mind and a specific plan. Something that I put great respect for him. So Joerg keeps tennis and the tournament scene young and, above all, fit. Physically and of course mentally.
I read the book during a short vacation. Or rather, devouring with a lot of joy, because when reading it will be really warm around the heart of every tennis fan who is a bit older. The overwhelming passion with which Joerg lives his tennis room, stands up for it and "excited" it is simply stirring. But not only the core history towards the active, international senior tournament player, but also and especially the stories away from the square inspired me. Due to the relaxed writing style, I often had the feeling that I was literally on and next to the tennis courts in the world. I felt almost with me when he hit his very personal "second serve" several times.
Sure, there will certainly be some among you who think: Is there nothing more important than to stand on the tennis court for hours at the age of 60, to travel around and to specify the highest goal, to get into the senior world rankings? There are definitely "more important". But for me, the book transports a completely different, much more important content than tennis. To set yourself a goal, regardless of the age, no matter how absurd it may (others) appear - this is something fundamental for everyone. To reorient yourself, motivate and face new things, generally inspire, motivate and let a completely new world to discover - even at an advanced age! This is simply a wonderful message of the book. And in connection with tennis as a "enabler" all the more beautiful! A perfect double for life, right?
We are giving away two copies of the book "Second Service". If you want to win a book, you can either fill out the form below by March 16, 2025 Instagram or Facebook .
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