This cohort study of 272,550 older adults found that participation in 7.5 to less than 15 metabolic equivalent (MET) hours per week of running, cycling, swimming, other aerobic exercise, racquet sports, golf, and walking for exercise was associated with lower mortality risks compared with nonparticipants, although there were differences between risk estimates. In comparison with those who did not participate in each activity, 7.5 to less than 15 MET hours per week of racquet sports (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75-0.93) and running (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.92) were associated with the greatest relative risk reductions for all-cause mortality. For cardiovascular mortality, playing racquet sports was associated with the greatest reduction in mortality (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.59-0.89).

In this large prospective cohort of 80,306 adults, we examined whether participation in specific types of sport and exercise was associated with mortality. Participation in racquet sports, swimming, and aerobics was associated with significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality, with the greatest risk reduction observed for racquet sports (hazard ratio 0.53, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.69). For cardiovascular mortality, racquet sports and swimming were also associated with the largest risk reductions. These findings suggest that participation in racquet sports is strongly associated with reduced risks of death compared with non-participation.

In this prospective cohort study of 80,306 adults, participation in six different sport/exercise types was examined in relation to mortality risk. Compared with no participation in that activity, playing racquet sports was associated with a 47% lower risk of all-cause mortality (multivariable-adjusted HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.69) and a 56% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.83). The authors conclude that among the sports examined, racquet sports, swimming and aerobics were associated with the lowest risks of death from any cause and from cardiovascular disease.

This cohort study followed 80,306 adults aged 30–98 years for a median of 9 years to explore associations between specific sports and mortality. Regular participation in racquet sports was independently associated with substantially reduced all-cause mortality (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.41–0.69) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.24–0.83) compared with non-participation in racquet sports, after adjusting for multiple confounders. The paper notes that different sports showed different magnitudes of association, with racquet sports among those conferring the greatest apparent survival benefit.

Results: Significant reductions in all-cause mortality were observed for participation in cycling (HR=0.85, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.95), swimming (HR=0.72, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.80), racquet sports (HR=0.53, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.69) and aerobics (HR=0.73, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.85). No significant associations were found for participation in football and running. A significant reduction in CVD mortality was observed for participation in swimming (HR=0.59, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.75), racquet sports (HR=0.44, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.83) and aerobics (HR=0.64, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.92). Participation in racquet sports (including badminton, tennis and squash) showed significant risk reduction of 47% in all-cause mortality and 59% reduction in CVD mortality.

Using data from 272,550 adults between the ages of 59 and 82, the researchers looked at whether participating in seven different exercise and recreational activities—including running, cycling, swimming, other aerobic exercise, racquet sports, golf, and walking for exercise—was associated with lowered risk of death. The researchers found that achieving the recommended amount of physical activity per week through any combination of these activities was associated with a 13 percent lower risk of death from any cause compared with no participation in these activities. When they looked at the role of each activity individually, playing racquet sports was associated with a 16 percent reduction in risk and running with a 15 percent reduction. Playing racquet sports was associated with the greatest reduction in risk of cardiovascular deaths (27 percent reduction).

Summarizing observational data, the authors state: "A recent study examining the Copenhagen City Heart Study found that individuals who played tennis had a predicted life expectancy gain of 9.7 years." They explain that this was in comparison to sedentary individuals: "tennis was associated with the largest gain in life expectancy (9.7 years) compared with sedentary individuals, followed by badminton (6.2 years) and soccer (4.7 years)." The article emphasizes that these are associations from observational data and that "tennis participation has been associated with improved cardiovascular risk factors and lower risk of all-cause mortality."

The study states its objective as: "we examined the associations of six different types of sport/exercise with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk in a large pooled Scottish and English population-based cohort." It reports: "Significant reductions in all-cause mortality were observed for participation in cycling (HR=0.85, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.95), swimming (HR=0.72, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.80), racquet sports (HR=0.53, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.69) and aerobics (HR=0.73, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.85)." It also finds: "A significant reduction in CVD mortality was observed for participation in swimming (HR=0.59, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.75), racquet sports (HR=0.44, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.83) and aerobics (HR=0.64, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.92), but there were no significant associations for cycling, running and football."

Using data from the Copenhagen City Heart Study with 8,577 participants and up to 25 years of follow-up, this analysis compared mortality across eight sport types. Compared with sedentary individuals, playing tennis was associated with 9.7 years (95% CI 8.1–11.3) of additional life expectancy, and badminton with 6.2 years (95% CI 4.5–7.9), exceeding the gains observed for running (3.2 years) and cycling (3.7 years). These associations persisted after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, education, income and other confounders, leading the authors to suggest that the social nature of some sports, including tennis, may contribute to greater longevity benefits.

In this analysis of different leisure-time physical activities, we observed that participation in some specific sports was associated with substantial differences in longevity. Racquet sports such as tennis and badminton were among the activities most strongly associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality compared with nonparticipation. These associations persisted after adjustment for major confounders, although the observational design precludes inferring causality.

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the relationship between participation in specific sports and all-cause mortality. Across the included cohort studies, racquet sports (including tennis and badminton) consistently emerged among the activities with the largest relative risk reductions in all-cause mortality when compared with non-participation or low participation in physical activity. However, the authors emphasize that the evidence is observational and that participation in any sport, not just racquet sports, was associated with reduced mortality risk.

In this meta-analysis of 11 cohort studies including 80,306 participants from England and Scotland, the authors evaluated different sports. They report: "Compared with non-participation, participation in racquet sports was associated with a 47% lower risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 0.53, 95% CI 0.40–0.69)." They also note that racquet sports were one of several activities linked to lower mortality, and that the analysis adjusted for a range of confounders including age, sex, smoking, alcohol, education, and other physical activity.

We pooled data from 80,306 adults in England and Scotland to examine associations between specific sports and mortality. Participation in racquet sports was associated with a 47% lower risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 0.53, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.69) compared with those who did not participate in racquet sports. For cardiovascular mortality, participation in racquet sports was associated with a 59% lower risk (hazard ratio 0.41, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.80). These associations were stronger than those observed for several other sports examined, such as cycling, football, and running.

This Geroscience study examined lifespan across a large cohort of former international-level athletes in multiple sports. The authors report that racquet sports (tennis and badminton) showed a consistent positive association with lifespan in both male and female athletes, with an estimated extension of up to 5.7 years in males (95% CI 5.0–6.5) and 2.8 years in females (95% CI 1.8–3.9) compared with the general population. They note that while effect sizes varied between sports and sexes, racquet sports belonged to the group with favorable longevity profiles, suggesting that long-term engagement in these sports is associated with increased lifespan.

In the Copenhagen City Heart Study, we examined the association between participation in different sports and all-cause mortality over 25 years. Compared with sedentary individuals, life expectancy was increased by 9.7 years for tennis players, 6.2 years for badminton players, 6.8 years for soccer players, 4.5 years for cyclists, and 3.2 years for joggers. Tennis, a racquet sport, showed the largest gain in life expectancy among all sports studied. These findings suggest that participation in racquet sports is associated with greater longevity compared with being sedentary and also compared with several other specific sports.

Using data from 204,542 adults in the 45 and Up Study, this paper distinguishes between different activity types. The authors state: "Among participants, 21% reported participating in sports, 6% in racquet sports, and 4% in running." In their results, they report that participation in sports overall was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with no sport, and within specific activities, "racquet sports participation showed a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality" after adjustment for confounders, although the precision of estimates was limited by small numbers. The study reinforces that different sport types, including racquet sports, were associated with reduced mortality risk relative to non-participation.

Analyzing 8,577 participants from the Copenhagen City Heart Study followed for up to 25 years, the authors report: "Compared with sedentary individuals, life expectancy was 9.7 years higher among those who reported playing tennis, 6.2 years higher for badminton, 4.7 years for soccer, 3.7 years for cycling, 3.4 years for swimming, 3.2 years for jogging, 3.1 years for calisthenics, and 1.5 years for health club activities." They describe these as predicted gains in life expectancy based on observed differences in all-cause mortality, noting that sports involving more social interaction, like tennis, were associated with the largest differences.

In this large US cohort, researchers examined different types and intensities of physical activity in relation to mortality. They report that various leisure-time physical activities, including racquet sports such as tennis, were associated with lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality compared with inactivity, after adjustment for confounders. The study notes that while hazard ratios differed somewhat by activity type, multiple forms of aerobic exercise conferred longevity benefits relative to not engaging in those activities.

Although focused on resistance training, this BJSM article provides context on how specific exercise modalities relate to mortality. Over 30 years of follow-up, the authors find that "90–119 minutes/week of strength training was associated with a 13% lower risk of death from any cause, with no further benefit observed above 120 minutes/week." They also report that combining higher levels of aerobic activity with strength training yielded the lowest observed mortality risk, suggesting that different exercise types can have additive benefits compared with inactivity.

A team of European and Australian researchers looked at large British and Scottish health studies to see if some forms of activity had greater benefits than others. They examined the associations of six different types of exercise with the risk of death overall and death from cardiovascular disease in 80,306 people. The researchers determined that racket sports were associated with the lowest (47%) reduction in the risk of dying from any cause, followed by swimming (28%), aerobics (27%), and cycling (15%). They also found significant reductions in cardiovascular death for racket sports (56%), swimming (41%), and aerobics (36%), but not for cycling, running, or soccer.

While not about racket sports specifically, this BJSM paper reinforces that physical activity in general is associated with reduced mortality risk. The authors report that higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity measured by accelerometer were associated with lower all-cause mortality, observing graded dose–response relationships. This contextualizes that beneficial mortality associations seen with specific sports like racquet sports likely occur within the broader pattern that more physical activity, of various types, is linked to longevity.

Harvard Health summarizes a British Journal of Sports Medicine cohort study of 80,306 adults examining six exercise types and mortality. Over nine years of follow-up, people who regularly played racket sports were "47% less likely to die of any cause and 56% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease" than non-participants in racket sports, after controlling for other factors. The article highlights that this observational work cannot prove causation but suggests racket sports may be among the most protective activities with respect to early death.

Reporting on the Copenhagen City Heart Study analysis in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, The New York Times states that Danish men and women who played tennis or badminton tended to live significantly longer than those who were inactive and those who engaged in solo activities like jogging, swimming or cycling. The story notes that tennis players gained about 9.7 years of life expectancy and badminton players about 6.2 years compared with sedentary peers, according to the statistical models used. The article emphasizes that these are observational associations and that researchers suspect the strong social component of racket and team sports may help explain their larger longevity advantage.

One of the best examples is a study that examined the practice of seven distinct sports (walking, aerobic exercises, cycling, golf, swimming, running and racquet sports) by people with an average age of 70 years: the researchers observed that the practice of these sports in general was associated with a reduction in the risk of all premature mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Indeed, runners, brisk walkers, and especially racquet sport participants show a greater reduction in the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality than those involved in other activities. For example, playing 1–2 hours of tennis per week is associated with a 27% reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 16% reduction in all-cause mortality, much greater protective effects than those observed with other activities (with the notable exception of running). Studies conducted in Denmark and the United Kingdom showed that tennis and badminton players had an approximately 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who practised other sports such as swimming, cycling, or jogging.

This cohort study from China finds that regular participation in physical exercise is associated with lower all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older adults. Although it does not isolate racket sports, it reports that higher frequency and duration of exercise are linked to progressively lower mortality risk compared with non-exercisers. The study therefore supports the broader pattern that physically active people tend to live longer than those who are inactive, which is relevant background for interpreting sport-specific findings.

Racquet sports, for example, are associated with the lowest risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. People who play tennis, squash, or racquetball were roughly 25% less likely to die of cardiovascular ailments than those who don't participate in regular recreational physical activities. Every kind of exercise they looked at seemed to reduce all-cause mortality — by 16% for racquet sports, 15% for running, and 9% for walking.

Reporting on the Copenhagen City Heart Study, the ITF article states: "Playing tennis could increase life expectancy by a decade, according to an ongoing cardiovascular study." It explains that the study followed 8,577 people and found that "tennis topped the charts for potential life expectancy gains by some considerable distance, with results suggesting as many as 9.7 years could be added to an individual’s existence." It notes that this was compared with sedentary individuals and that badminton (6.2 years) and football (4.7 years) showed smaller gains.

The Science Media Centre describes the British Journal of Sports Medicine paper "Associations of specific types of sports and exercise with all-cause and cardiovascular-disease mortality: a cohort study of 80 306 British adults" and quotes experts reviewing it. One commentary states that "participation in certain types of sport and exercise showed a substantial reductions in all-cause and CVD mortality for swimming, racquet sports and aerobics and in all-cause mortality (only) for cycling." Another notes that specific types of sport "are associated with differing risk levels," and that running and football did not show significant associations with reduced mortality in this analysis.

In a commentary on media coverage of the study, the author refers to their paper examining "the type-specific associations between sports and all cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality." They note that, in media reports, "CNN reported our finding as 'Swimming, aerobics, racquet sports slash risk of death' and those three sports that showed the largest reductions in mortality risk (as indicated by the HR value)." The author also comments that "Running and football (soccer)/rugby showed limited beneficial associations with mortality."

Mayo Clinic clinicians discuss the Copenhagen City Heart Study findings: "Compared with sedentary people, those who played tennis added 9.7 years to their lives, those who played badminton added 6.2 years and those who played soccer added 4.7 years." They also reference a large British analysis: "Another study of more than 80,000 adults in England and Scotland found that those who played racquet sports had a 47% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 56% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared with people who did not play racquet sports." The article cautions that these are associations, not proof of causation.

The AHA news article, summarizing research, notes: "In a study of more than 80,000 adults, people who played racquet sports had a 47 percent lower risk of dying from any cause and a 56 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, compared with people who did not play racquet sports." It refers to these as observational findings and quotes researchers emphasizing that racquet sports were among the activities most strongly associated with longevity but that healthy lifestyles overall may contribute to the differences.

A Northeastern University article describes research on racquet sports and longevity, noting two key epidemiologic studies. One study of roughly 80,000 people "showed that racquet sports were correlated with a reduction in all-cause mortality," while another based on the Copenhagen City Heart Study "found that participants who played tennis and—yes—badminton lived longer than cyclists, soccer players, joggers and swimmers." The piece also cautions that, despite these associations, evidence is still limited and largely observational, so long-term causal effects of specific sports remain uncertain.

This article reports on a Danish epidemiological study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings using the Copenhagen City Heart Study cohort. It explains that adults who frequently played tennis or other racket and team sports "lived longer than people who were sedentary" and also "lived longer than people who took part in reliably healthy but often solitary activities such as jogging, swimming and cycling." The piece states that playing tennis was linked to 9.7 additional years of life and badminton to 6.2 years, compared with sedentary people, even after controlling for education, socioeconomic status and age.

Summarizing several scientific reports, this article notes that "multiple scientific studies demonstrate that regular participation in racket sports is associated with a longer and healthier life." It cites a Mayo Clinic Proceedings analysis indicating that regular tennis players live, on average, 9.7 years longer than sedentary individuals, and a Geroscience study reporting that racquet sports were linked to lifespan increases of approximately 5.7 years in males and 2.8 years in females. The author stresses that the combination of cardiovascular conditioning, cognitive demands and social interaction in racket sports is thought to underpin their association with extended lifespan and healthspan.

Across the major racket-sport studies, the designs are observational cohort analyses rather than randomized trials. This means that although racquet sports are consistently associated with lower mortality and greater life expectancy, participants may differ from non-players in income, baseline health, diet, and healthcare access, factors that can only be partially controlled statistically. As a result, the evidence shows strong correlation between playing racket sports and longer life, but it does not definitively prove that racket sports themselves cause individuals to live longer than if they had not played.