The CK Special: Even at 80, This Tennis Player Still Hits Aces

His opponents call it the 'CK Special'. That's the CK Leung dreaded tennis drop shot, and it wins points just about every single time Leung slices one just beyond the net.

Leung may be 80-years-old but don't mistaken him for a frail, tired old man. He plays at the Upper Ridgewood Tennis Club just about every single day using his 'Special' and a lot of other combinations to outwit his opponents. And there's a good chance he could still whoop guys half his age.

"He really irritates us," says competitor Peter Lewin of the dinky little slice that CK uses against him and others. "He's very quick, he gets to every ball and he runs better than any of us older guys."

Despite his competitive spirit, Leung is enormously well liked at Upper Ridgewood, where he can be seen in his pristine white outfits playing singles or doubles and sometimes mixed doubles. He lines up games usually in the early morning hours but if an opportunity comes along to play and it's the heat of the day, Leung has never been known to turn anything down. And why should he?

"A genuinely nice guy who never makes bad calls," is how Ivan Goldberg, a weekly partner, puts it.

Leung stands just a little over 5' tall and is very wiry. Born in Hong Kong, he lives with his wife Lin in Ridgewood. He retired a few years ago as head of William Paterson University's Economics and Finance Depts and says he misses academia but he says it gives him a lot more time now to compete, and he certainly likes competiting.

That's what he's done all summer long, entering sanctioned United States Tennis Association (USTA) tournaments throughout the state to get nationally and regionally ranked in the 80-and-over group. (There are approximately 15-20 entrants in 80-and-over tournaments but the competition thins once it gets into the 85-90 + age groups.)

Leung has been winning sanctioned matches and says he can't wait until USTA standings come out after Christmas.

"I had to play on grass last weekend and it was just too fast," Leung lamented. "I beat a guy from Minnesota but then lost to someone who was used to grass. I took him to 3 sets, though. It's funny, I don't get nervous. If you compare my footwork with other old guys, a lot of them can't get to balls like I can."

Leung, like other tennis players, has had his share of injuries, pulled hamstrings and rotator cuffs over his 40 year career, yet he's very healthy compared to most men his age. Tennis, he feels, is the reason for it.

"I want to keep myself in shape, to stay younger and active," Leung says. "Of course I wish I was 20, but I think playing all this tennis will prolong my life."