Over the coming months Healthspan are joining forces with one of the UK’s best known and best loved sportswomen and TV presenters, Sue Barker MBE. We are delighted to be working with Sue as she personifies so many of the qualities that we value at Healthspan – her health, youthfulness, vitality and energy speak volumes about the way she lives her life and values her nutrition!
In a series of articles and interviews, we will explore more about how good nutrition and a healthy, active lifestyle can help all of us keep both our mind and our body as young as possible for as long as possible. This month Sue will be heading the BBC coverage of Wimbledon once again and while many of us shake the dust off our old rackets and head out to hit a few balls, who better to inspire us than the former British number one? In this candid interview, she tells us more about her life and health both on and off the court.
What was it about tennis that first captured your interest?
I grew to love the game because of my family. We all use to go to the local park and play, Mum, Dad, my sister, Jane, and brother, Neil. Those are such treasured memories and because I was the youngest, they all helped me along. Also my sister was the school tennis captain so playing alongside her was a huge learning experience.
I loved the feeling of a sweetly hit shot and being fit and active has always been a big part of my life. Most of all, though, tennis is a contest of mind and body in a one-on-one challenge and that to me was the greatest motivation. Money was never an issue as it was an amateur sport when I started out, so I guess I am just very, very lucky that my beloved hobby and passion became my career.
How old were you when you started to play?
I first hit a few shots at the age of six and at my junior school there was a very enthusiastic PE teacher called Mrs Chadwick who used to set us challenges to achieve certificates. I remember being so proud of them.
What are your favourite memories of Wimbledon?
Wow, where do I start? There are so many.
The two people who have had the biggest impact on me were Rod Laver [because my coach told me to closely watch everything he did] and Billie Jean King.
Billie Jean was such a dominant force in women’s tennis then and she was the queen of Wimbledon, which at that time was the only tournament that I remember being televised back then, so she was the player who inspired me the most.
The back wall on our house was my ‘Centre Court’ and Billie Jean was always my opponent in the final and although some were close, I never lost a match. Shame it never happened in reality!
Which are your favourite places to visit?
I always dreamed of travelling and geography was my favourite subject at school so to choose a career like tennis was perfect: play the sport you love in glamorous places all around the world.
At the age of seventeen I went to live [on my own] in Newport Beach, California, which is about 45 minutes drive south of LA. It is a stunning place with great weather and will always have a special place in my heart, but my favourite country is Australia. I used to spend about two months a year there and loved every minute of it. If I had to choose one city in the world, it would be Sydney. It has changed a lot since I first visited it in the seventies but now it has everything: stunning scenery, beaches, harbour, weather… my list is endless.
As for a holiday destination, then Bora Bora in Tahiti is the perfect place to pamper yourself.
How do you keep fit now?
Fitness has always been a big part of my life and I couldn’t imagine not exercising. If I don’t do anything for a week or more, I feel tired and lethargic. Having said that, I am not obsessive about it. Over the years I have learned to listen to my body. I know when it has had enough but I also know when it’s trying to convince me I have done enough, as it is so important to realise how far you can push yourself safely. I try to do something most days – I may jog three or four miles or cycle for an hour or if weather is against me, go to the gym. This is all ‘job’ permitting of course.
Is it harder to keep fit as you get older?
Oh dear, yes! But never give up as I feel it is more rewarding now than when I was young. Between tennis and training I used to do about four hours a day. Now it is more a case of pushing the body a little for about an hour a day or every other day. Believe it or not I do enjoy it.
What would you consider to be your nutritional essentials?
I always try to maintain a balanced diet. It would probably be easier to say what I try to keep to a minimum. The list includes processed foods, pizza, cheese, sauces, sweets, biscuits, fattening cakes and desserts. Having said that, I will now and again sin! My favourite sin is curry, yum and I must confess to the odd fry-up during Wimbledon. But most of the time it is fairly plain, simple fare. I love vegetables and usually steam a variety of vegetables most nights. My motto is, if I feel fat, I’ll eat simple meals; if I’m feeling slim, I’ll have a treat. Sadly today is a fat day.
Has your tennis career taken a toll on your joints?
I do feel I have been lucky as nothing aches too much. I believe that regular exercise and staying relatively light have helped. Also my mum, who is 87 this month, still swims regularly and walks most days, so I guess it is in the genes.
Do nutritional supplements play an important role?
Yes, they do and always have. From a very young age my coach and my parents taught me the value of keeping healthy and because I was pushing my body to the limit with exercise, I felt it was important to help it along as I didn’t presume that the food I was eating would provide me with everything I needed. I am definitely not a pill popper but every day I take a vitamin supplement and now that I am the wrong side of 50, something for the old joints.
Biography
1956 Born in Paignton, Devon.
1973 Won her first top-level singles title at Eastbourne.
1975 Semi-finals at the Australian Open.
1976 Won both the German and French Opens.
1977 Semi-finals at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open.
1979 Returned from injuries and won four singles titles.
1980 Reached two finals.
1981 Won her last singles title in Brighton.
1984 Played last professional match.
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