At 101 years old, Henry Young lives up to his last name more than the number that precedes it.
He finds it “ridiculous” that he regularly participates in international tennis tournaments where his opponents are sometimes several decades younger than him.
But he finds it even more ridiculous that more elderly people are not attending court.
“There’s no reason why everyone shouldn’t be there, it’s just a matter of taking care of yourself and having fun.” he said.
Henry Young regularly serves opponents decades younger than him. (ABC News: Stephen Cavanagh)
The World War II veteran, who plays tennis recreationally up to four times a week, said age should not be a barrier to enjoying life, especially when it comes to his beloved game.
“People give up tennis too soon,” he said.
“Medicine is so good these days that when things wear out, they can be renewed – I am a living example of that.
“I have varicose veins that have been ripped out or tied up, I have two new knees, a new hip, a pacemaker, lenses in both eyes so I can read the newspaper without glasses, a hearing aid in my left ear and a cochlear in my right ear, but I think the rest of me is completely natural.”
Mr Young said his competitive spirit, keen eye for opportunity and healthy breakfasts of cornflakes and fruit were among the keys to his longevity.
Henry Young flew various aircraft during his military service. (Provided: Henry Young)
As a young man living in New Zealand during World War II, he signed up as a fighter pilot and was sent to England to get his wings.
Once there, he was offered the opportunity to complete his training in the United States.
“A 20-year-old for 13 months in the United States, you can imagine what it was like,” he laughed.
Henry Young trained as a fighter pilot, notably on the marine variant of the Spitfire aircraft. (Supplied: Australian Defense Force)
“I had a wonderful life and this was one of the highlights.”
A love of competition
In 2023, a man then aged 99 Mr Young played at the Australian Open, sharing the court with tennis heavyweights Alexander Zverev and Francis Tiafoe, as well as compatriot Leonid Stanislavsky..
This weekend Mr Young will compete in the Queensland Senior Championships on the Gold Coast.
Henry Young with his friend Geoffrey Reed during the 2023 Australian Open. (Provided: Geoffrey Reed)
“I like the competitive aspect and it’s good to know where you stand in the pecking order,” he said.
“That’s what tennis does: it ranks you and that’s not a bad thing because you can’t improve if you don’t know where you are or if you don’t know how good you are.“
After playing on the Gold Coast, the centenarian plans to travel to Croatia for his next masters tennis tournament later this year and may visit European snowfields.
“It’s a beautiful part of the world so I’ll play tennis there during the week and then it’s close to Switzerland so maybe I’ll do a bit of skiing,” Mr Young said.
Henry Young enjoys the challenges of skiing and hopes to visit Switzerland later this year. (Provided: Henry Young)
“I’m lucky, I love my skiing, it’s competitive and it’s nice to test myself.”
Of all the life lessons he has learned in his 101 years, Mr Young said “seizing opportunities” was the one he most wished more people knew.
“You have to look for them and catch them, and that’s what I’ve been able to do throughout my life and it’s been wonderful,”
he said.
“We (Australia) are a lucky country, but you’re only lucky if you take your chance.”
