Three generations play tennis to stay fit

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A trio of local men in the same family have found a way to keep in shape and do it together regardless of age.

John Partington, 83, plays tennis once a week with his son David Partington, 54, along with David’s son Matt Partington, 27. They meet at Kiwanis Park in Fayetteville when weather permits, joined by a family friend, Mike Clark, 60, to play doubles.

The eldest Partington often plays tennis with a group of seniors at The Beach in Jonesboro on most Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

John Partington of Union City is now retired after owning a flooring company in Fayetteville.  He and his wife of 62 years, Janet Partington, 82, stayed fit by square dancing and round dancing for many years. Now they work out in the gym at Christian City.

David Partington of Fayetteville, who works as a tax accountant with AT&T, is an avid runner and bicyclist when not playing tennis with his father and his son. He has run the Peachtree Road Race for the past 30 years. Typically he meets with a group of AT&T employees before work to run in Atlanta, and he bikes often on weekends.

Matt Partington of Fayetteville, a department supervisor with Home Depot in Peachtree City, is following in his grandfather and father’s fitness footsteps. Playing tennis is just one part of his overall fitness program which includes running 3-4 days a week.

Clark, also of Fayetteville, rounds out the doubles teams and was the Atlanta Lawn & Tennis Association (ALTA) team captain in the 1980s when John and David played as partners on several ALTA teams.