WYCKOFF, N.J. — Maggie and Jesse Adler may have met playing coed softball but they are now a match set on the tennis court.

“I was living in Hoboken and my best friend introduced us,” said Maggie. “Jesse caught wind that I played softball in college and he insisted I join his intramural coed softball team.”

Maggie and Jesse soon became friends, won a few softball championships, and have now been married for five years.

Once they moved to Wyckoff, they put down the bat and glove and picked up a tennis racquet.

“We started playing tennis together while on a vacation in Hawaii,” said Jesse. “When we returned home we started taking lessons and started taking our game more serious.”

The couple joined the Indian Trail Club in the fall of 2020 and started to play competitive tennis during the spring of 2021.

“We are both competitive on the court but Maggie definitely takes it up a few notches,” laughs Jesse.

The competitive spirit is what they like about playing tennis.

“We like playing tennis because it helps us get out some of our competitiveness, said Maggie. “Plus it’s a fun way to get in an exercise while having fun!”

The extra points scored while playing tennis have been new friendships.

“Maggie plays women’s doubles with new friends and I have met new friends playing men’s singles,” said Jesse. 

The couple recently started playing mixed doubles tournaments and were finalists in the 2022 Indian Trail Club Mixed Doubles Tournament.

During the fall and winter months, the couple move their game to indoor courts at Quest in Mahwah and the Fair Lawn Racquet Club.

“We love playing outdoors during the Spring and Summer months at Indian Trail Club,” said Maggie. “We are looking forward to more tournaments next year.”

The couple calls tennis their “extra workout.”

“We both love to work out and it definitely helps our tennis game,” said Jesse. “We both like to cross train with lifting weights and add in cardio when we can to improve our endurance on the court.”

The Adlers have a home gym including a Peloton treadmill and Maggie works out with a personal trainer.

The athletic couple, who are parents to 19-month old Peyton, were also high school athletes. 

Maggie played softball and was a catcher for the Ramapo High School Girls Softball team. She continued playing the sport at Ramapo College. Jesse played goalie for Bergen Catholic’s hockey team.

“Thankfully, my softball eye-hand coordination from my years of playing softball translates seamlessly for tennis, “ said Maggie. “It’s another neon yellow ball I’m trying to hit to win!”

Another similarity is ball speed.

“While playing at the net, the shots are much faster and it reminds me of catching 70 mph fastballs,” she adds.

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