"Can we start now?" Luca Nienkirchen calls out to his coach Georg Hodik. "At least play a bit so I can warm up." The 13-year-old can hardly wait to finally play a few balls. It's Monday afternoon on a tennis court in Bielefeld. Together with five other pupils from the Mamre Patmos special school, Luca takes to the court every week at the tennis club. "It's good that I can finally play again," says the teenager. Training was not possible for a long time due to the coronavirus pandemic.
After the warm-up, it's finally time to start practising serves. "That's the hardest part," says Luca, who has been attending the tennis club for three and a half years. He likes the sport so much that he has also signed up to the club at the same time - so he can play regularly not just once, but twice a week. "Tennis is a fast sport," explains Luca. "It's important to concentrate and always watch the ball." Depending on how hard the opponent's shot is, you have to vary the pace. "Afterwards, I'm exhausted but happy," Luca emphasises. "I like being outside, moving around and playing together with others."