Great at 98

When you’re still playing terrific tennis at 98, people are going to wonder how you do it. But before Tio Campanile rattles off a number of the life-extending factors that keep him in the game, he makes it clear which factor is most important.

“The first requirement is that you marry the right woman,” Campanile said. “If you do that, you’re off on a good course.”

Campanile was 31, and his wife Nancy was 27, when they tied the knot.

"I chased a lot of women for quite a while,” Campanile said. “We got a late start in life, but that just enhanced the respect and adoration we have for each other. We've enjoyed a very nice life together and hope to continue to do it for many years. My mother lived until she was 104. My dad was 95 when he retired.”

So, what else has contributed to Campanile’s long, healthy life?

“Just being mindful of taking good care of yourself,” he said. "Eating well, exercising, keeping active, maintaining a good health profile. I've always done that. And all the years I've played many sports, a lot of hockey, baseball, and basketball. But when I retired, there wasn't anything else to do but play golf. And I quickly gave that up."

Then he discovered tennis.

"I really felt that I needed to learn it in a hurry,” he said, “so I built a tennis court in the back yard, and I made sure that I got some initial instructions so I knew what to do. And from that point on, I'm pretty well self-taught. I've played a lot of tournaments to enhance my skills. Ended up playing in national tournaments in my 90s and was quite successful. I've got five gold balls and one silver ball.”

A gold ball is the highest achievement in USTA tournament tennis, representing a national title, making Campanile a national-level senior champion.

“They schedule them on the various surfaces,” he said, "hard surfaces, two different soft surfaces, and grass. And I've played on all of them. Grass was not an environment I understood very well. That's why I only got a silver in that tournament. But otherwise, I did quite well; I’m quite pleased. But it doesn't mean that I was the best tennis player on the court. I survived and succeeded because I took good care of myself, and I could probably run after balls better than other fellas could. As long as I kept them from hitting the ball and putting it where I couldn't get to it, I could beat them. So, I had a lot of fun doing it. But it just goes to show you, if you stay with it, you can succeed on various levels of play."

Campanile loves playing with his group at the Marco Y. Some of them have played together for decades.

"I obviously have aged right along with the rest of them,” he said. "Some of them, at this point, are probably a little bit younger than I am. But they tolerate me and they allow me to participate on a regular basis. I'm playing three days a week down here on Marco Island. Back home in Raleigh, I play four days a week. And I hope to do this as long as I can. I love it, I enjoy it.”

The Y group all seem to love playing with him, too.

“When I first met Tio, he was 86 or something like that,” said Carl Back. “I used to say to him, 'I want to be like you when I grow up.' When I found out that he's got no kids, I wanted him to adopt me as his son. I was just amazed because that's the oldest guy I've ever played tennis with, and he’s always positive and upbeat. A couple of years ago, Tio was serving to me, and he aced me. He walks over to his bag, pulls out a calling card, and it says, Congratulations, you've just been aced by a 96-year-old tennis player, Tio Campanile."

Thomas de Faria, 27, organizes the tennis round robin tournaments at the Y. He respects Tio and his cohorts.

“It's a lot of regulars,” said de Faria. "We get a lot of the same participants each week, which ends up being a good thing because it becomes more of a tight-knit community. They've been playing here for years. I consider them legends because they've definitely been around for a while. I like it, especially since they keep coming back at their age. It's not easy to do. A lot of people can't do it. So, the fact that they can makes it special."

Campanile’s game impresses de Faria.

“He plays great,” de Faria said. "He moves great. He plays smart, too. What makes him such a good player is how smart he can play, being in the right position. It's really impressive how far you can get in tennis by just playing smart. I think that's what makes tennis and pickleball sports that you can play at an older age.” 

“I just worship him, you know,” said Back. "He’s like the GOAT, The Greatest of All Time. I've never played with anybody else who’s 98 years old. He's a phenomenon."