USTA Eastern offers free tennis lessons in Brooklyn

"I grew up in Brooklyn playing tennis," Ferdinand says. "So to be able to come back and teach other people how to play...people from my neighborhood, people who fit my demographic [and] who are like me, I think is beneficial."

The initiative is part of an ongoing organizational campaign to educate the community about the many health benefits tennis offers. As an aerobic activity, tennis improves the heart's ability to supply oxygen to the rest of the body, decreases fat content and increases muscle mass. The game is also particularly effective at raising HDL cholesterol, or good cholesterol, and a study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that playing tennis can increase your lifespan by 9.7 years, a larger increase than any other sport.

Just as importantly, the program helps make tennis more accessible to local residents who maybe wouldn't have picked up a racquet otherwise. 

"To be able to access tennis in your local community center, where you might go to experience other things...is beneficial," Ferdinand says.