By Christine M. Quirk
WOBURN, MA - Love may mean nothing in tennis, but a love for tennis has been one of the constants in the relationship of Bahar Uttam and Kathryn Soderberg.
Both attended the USTA League district championships over the weekend, but Uttam, owner of the Boston Lobsters, wasn’t at the Woburn Raquet Club to play. He was there to support his long-time companion, Kathryn Soderberg, to whom he refers as both his "sweetie" and his "archrival." Soderberg is a member of the Manchester Athletic Club team.
"I live and breathe tennis," Uttam said.
Uttam came to tennis later in life; when he was in his mid-40s, his son, then at boarding school, asked if he would learn the game along with him. He met Soderberg at the same time and just like that, his life was changed forever.
"Twenty years later, it’s religion," Uttam said. "It is the sport of a lifetime."
He and Soderberg just bought a lake house in Maine, and the couple said one of the considerations was its proximity – four miles – to a great recreational program, which includes tennis courts.
"It’s my only exercise," Uttam said. "We live at a country club, so I have courts in my backyard. It’s nice to have someone to take care of the courts."
Soderberg began playing as a young girl – "I should be better," she joked – and her whole family continues to play tennis. In fact, her parents just celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary and as part of the family festivities, she and Uttam played a match against them.
"That’s why I love this sport," she said. "You can play your whole life."
While Soderberg enjoys the camaraderie of her team, she cited other benefits to the sport.
"For me at this point, the number one reason [I play] is staying in shape," she said. "It keeps your mind sharp because you have to block out everything else in the moment."
One could say tennis also benefits the conscience; as Soderberg pointed out, a great deal of the sport calls for etiquette.
"Sportsmanship is big," Soderberg said. "We don’t have umpires so we have to police ourselves. You not only have to be fair, but there’s also no screaming, no cussing."
"It’s the only sport where you warm up your opponent," MAC Captain Leslie Hoff said. "You have to start with courtesy. … We complement each other on good points, opponent to opponent, even though this is a competition; people are here to enjoy themselves."
The MAC team consists of about 19 players. With an average of eight people involved in each tournament (two singles, three doubles), there are enough people for fresh legs and lots of rotation.
There’s plenty of room for input and new ideas as well. While Uttam excused himself to buy a banana for Soderberg (good for cramps, they said), another team member recommended pickle juice, straight from the jar.
Though it’s uncertain which remedy Soderberg went with, whichever it was must have worked, as her team beat Bass River in the finals. The team’s next competition is in Springfield; the winner of that tournament goes on to Arizona in October – another on the list of countless tennis trips the couple has taken.
"Bahar and I can travel together and we love it," Soderberg said. "It’s a big part of our lives."
Though the Boston Lobster’s season has ended, Uttam remains busy. He is the US Open Gala Chairman and he serves on the US Davis Cup Committee. The couple has traveled the world watching tennis and supporting Davis Cup teams, including visits to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Japan.
And there’s that love thing, too.
"It’s a great way to connect with your loved ones," Soderberg said.
Uttam agreed.
"It has done a lot for me," he said. "I still play with my son. He beats me, but I still play."