JOYCE Ballinger, aged 91, is retiring from playing tennis after 80 years of serving it up to the best of them.
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Mrs Ballinger, who has been playing in the Oberon tennis competition every Tuesday morning at the Oberon Indoor Tennis Centre, starting playing the sport at the age of 10.
She played at Ferndale on the Duckmaloi Road on a gravel court.
"Tennis was very social and there were tennis courts throughout the district," she said. "Churches had tennis courts and there were tennis courts at Black Springs and Hazelgrove.
"There was a very strong competition, but it was also very social."
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Mrs Ballinger (nee Brien) was born at Ferndale and is one of nine children - Claude, Heather, Olwyn, William, Mona, Marvyn, Joan and Arnold.
Her parents, Lyndsy and Min Brien, were also born in Oberon.
She married Fred Ballinger in 1950 and they had five children - Dianne, Doug, Carolyn, and twins Neil and Len.
"We have always been a sporty family," Mrs Ballinger said.
"Dianne competed at the Australian Championships in athletics when she was young. And, of course, Doug, Neil and Len played for the Oberon Tigers rugby league side.
"My husband, Fred, also played footy in Oberon in the local competition which included teams such as Oberon Souths, Edith and The Mill team. Fred went on to captain the Boys Club team before they entered the Group 10 competition."
Mrs Ballinger said Oberon is lucky to have an indoor tennis centre so the sport can be played all year round.
"The women's competition currently has 20 players in our Tuesday competition," she said. "My daughters even travel out from Bathurst to play.
"The men's competition is on a Monday night.
"Tennis has always been a strong sport in Oberon. We used to have tennis four nights a week.
"Nothing has changed in the game over the 80 years I've been playing. Now it's time to hang up the racquet.
"It has kept me going, I enjoyed the exercise and, socially, it has been fulfilling."
