Gold Balls

Tennis has long been associated with high-profile stars and young phenoms. But a growing group of active people continue competing in the sport long after athletes in other sports have hung up their cleats.

For players aged 80 and over, this is the world of Ultra Senior tennis. Where octogenarians train like young pros, travel like itinerant rock bands, and actually look forward to getting older, if only every 5 years, when they "age up" into the next tournament age category and have relative youth on their side.

Emblematic of this group of overacheivers, and on the verge of what could be their last, best, shot at a National Championship, five elite players will set off in 2014 on a quest to achieve their GOLD BALL dreams.