Meet the 90-year-old tennis player from Guelph, Ont.

90-year-old tennis player celebrates milestone CTV’s Spencer Turcotte meets a Guelph, Ont. man who started playing tennis when he retired decades ago.

A Guelph, Ont. man is celebrating a major milestone while playing the game he loves.

Dan Gillis turns 90-years-old on Oct. 30, but the Royal City Tennis Club celebrated his big birthday when he hit the courts on Tuesday – one of two days he’s guaranteed to play there each week.

He’s among a talented group of seniors who are mostly in their 60s and 70s, but despite being much older, he fits right in.

“He’s quite a character,” said David Euale, who plays tennis with Gillis. “I often say I’d like to be able to play like Dan when I’m 90, but to be honest, I’d like to play like Dan next week. He’s that good.”

When CTV News Kitchener asked if he’s actually turning 90, he chuckled.

“I’m actually there,” said Gillis, laughing. “Or somebody has been telling me lies all along.”

Gillis also plays on Thursdays, or just about whenever somebody calls him and needs a partner.

“Well, I played yesterday too. That’s two days in a row,” said Gillis, who started playing tennis when he retired decades ago.

Around the Royal City Tennis Club, he’s treated like royalty. Everyone knows him and the quirks about his game – like having no backhand. Instead, he switches hands mid-play.

“Oh, I put topspin on everything. I do everything with that. Same as left hand,” Gillis said.

His age and style of play should not be mistaken for needing sympathy because he doesn’t get any.

“I mean, it’s bewildering. The shots that come back are amazing. I leave the court, I’m shaking my head sometimes with the shots that he’s returned that I’ve hit,” said Euale.

What amazes people most is his attitude and the lessons his peers take from playing him.

“Well, it teaches you to get along with others, and to study their methods and your own,” said Gillis.

It certainly wasn’t a tough task to get fellow players to gather and wish Gillis a happy 90th birthday. Several of them sang and ate cake as a way to honour him.

As he spends his golden years smashing the golden balls, he jokingly does have one gripe about how the game has changed.

“The pickleball players are taking up all our courts. You can’t get a court in Guelph on Sunday morning because you’ve got so many pickleball players,” he said, smiling. “They’re coming out of the woodwork. I’m going to have open season on them some day.”

Although, he admits, many local pickleball players do know him and often free up a court so he can play tennis.

As for how much longer he’ll be playing: “Until I get too tired to run.”