NAPLES, Fla. — There's no age cap on being a true competitor. Fred Drillings and Toni Novack, of Naples, are proving that.
"Competition, I love competing," Novack said about why she loves tennis.
"I love the fact that it's social, competitive," Drillings said.
WATCH: Fox 4's Eric Lovelace spoke to the champs:
Both recently won gold at the International Tennis Masters in Bol, Croatia. Drillings won the Gardner Mulloy Cup (Men 80 years and above), and won men's doubles and mixed doubles.
Novack won the Queens Cup with her team (Women 75 years and older).
American teams won three of the six titles at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) 75-, 80-, 85-and-over World Team Championships, which saw a total of 70 teams – representing 23 nations from around the globe.
Both have played tennis their entire lives, about 79 years for Novack, who started when she was 9-years-old.
Although both are fiercely competitive, beyond the gold medals, they said tennis has given them so much more.
"Part of it, is our health," Drillings said.
"It's a lifetime sport, keeps you healthy," Novack said.
But the benefits extend beyond physical fitness. Relationships, they said, will last a lifetime.
"More than that, it's just the enjoyment of being able to meet so many terrific people," Drillings said.
"I love seeing my friends," Novack said.
