Even though 61 years separate a 19-year-old and her 80-year-old grandfather, last week the duo competed side-by-side in the 2026 Loveland Open.
Loveland teen Kam Otteson and her grandpa Will Reents played in their first doubles match of the tournament Wednesday evening at North Lake Park, located at 2400 Logan Drive, defeating their opponents, who happened to be Otteson’s former classmates.
“We haven’t gotten too much practice time together, but it’s always just fun to play together,” Otteson said.
But after their win, the duo lost in the quarter-finals Thursday evening. Spending the time together is why they play, not for the trophy, Reents said.
“It was the best I’ve served actually. They (opponents) were definitely surprised,” Reents said about his performance Wednesday.
“They’ve never seen you play like that before,” Otteson said about her grandpa.
Both Reents and his granddaughter share the same value in keeping an optimistic attitude and encouraging environment on and off the court.
“We always want to do well, but if we don’t win, it’s not a big deal,” Reents said.
The duo entered the Loveland Open for the first time last year and said they won their first game, but lost the next two, placing them in what they remember to be fourth place.
Reents and Otteson said there isn’t much of a secret to why they play well together, but attribute their ability to have a good time throughout the entire match to the positive encouragement and focus on the fundamentals of footwork, and the shot.
Otteson said even outside of tournaments she enjoys playing with her grandpa because they allow each other to work on the basics, whereas other players may not be so accommodating.
“It’s something we can do to get outside as well and just hang out with each other,” Otteson said. “Help each other, just play, and do stuff we need to work on.”
The two have bonded over tennis since Otteson’s early teens.
“We also enjoy watching tennis, the big matches,” Reents said. “Wimbledon. We watched that together. We like to discuss it and talk about it.”
Otteson, who is entering her second year of college, said her grandpa inspired her to get involved in the sport before her freshman year at Thompson Valley High School, where she played on the girls tennis team.
“He’s the reason why I started to play,” Otteson said. “I was like ‘Oh we can do something together.’”
However, Reents started playing decades before Otteson was even born, when he was 35. The 80-year-old now plays recreationally a few times a week with other retirees in Loveland.
“It’s great exercise and great for old people to make sure their balance is good … and of course, the camaraderie is fun too,” Reents said.
Otteson thought it was funny that she and her grandfather were playing two of her former classmates at Thompson Valley, but Reents paid little attention to it, saying regardless of their age, tennis is always the same game.
“I guess it’s intimidating because as you get older you lose your speed, so you have to concentrate more on strokes than speed,” Reents said. “I mean it’s just mind-boggling how much faster they are when I watch them.”
Otteson said that she and her grandfather often have the largest age gap between doubles partners they play.
“At the end we will be talking (to the other team) and then we’ll say, ‘Oh, he’s 80,’ and they will be like, ‘Huh, what?’ Always a little surprised,” Otteson said.
Kip Otteson said that seeing his daughter and father-in-law playing together Wednesday evening was a special experience, and that he always enjoys seeing them spend time together.
“We should take advantage of all these opportunities because they aren’t always going to be around,” Kip Otteson said. “She’s the only grandkid that played tennis … and that’s why we always say she’s the favorite.”
Otteson is now working on starting a club tennis team at her college, Pacific Lutheran University in Washington. The 19-year-old said she is balancing her summer job, seeing friends and hanging out with family, but knew she had to make time to enter the Loveland Open and spend time with her grandpa.
“At her age that’s what she should have,” Reents said about his granddaughter’s busy schedule. “ … We really haven’t had a chance to play much together, but we are out here to have fun and see what happens.”