Graham Pink is chief executive of development firm LSHP and in his spare time he plays tennis at club level at East Wavertree Tennis Club

AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE of LSHP, a leading Merseyside development firm which specialises in the healthcare sector, I am no stranger to thinking about health and wellbeing.

Outside of my working hours, its a focus that best manifests itself through my love of all things sports-related, particularly playing tennis.

Ive played tennis on and off throughout a lot of my life, and have always loved the game.

I used to play at Rainhill Tennis Club when I was just a teenager, which is also where my father played when he was the same age, so a passion for the game has definitely been in my family for a long time.

I stopped playing for a while to concentrate on playing cricket, playing for Rainhill and Widnes in my later teens, but I picked the game up again as an adult and quickly got the bug for it once more.

A few years ago I started to play regularly at Wavertree Tennis Centre and soon decided to try playing at a competitive level, too, so I joined East Wavertree Tennis Club.

Now I can be found practising and playing at Wavertree most Thursday and Friday evenings.

During the summer months I have also been playing league tennis for East Wavertree Tennis Club, which I particularly enjoy.

I tend to go and play straight after I leave the office as I find its a great way to wind down and relax at the end of the day, and also a really great way to help me ensure that I stay fit, active and healthy.

As chief executive at LSHP, Im obviously responsible for all aspects of the company from overseeing new building developments, to looking after day- to-day company operations, sales and marketing, HR and finance the demands on my time can be pretty big, so I find its a really important outlet for me to have.

Ive actually just won my first tennis title at club level with East Liverpool Tennis Club, too, since we were this years league winners for The Liverpool & District Group of the Lancashire County Lawn Tennis Association.

Its not exactly an Olympic gold medal or Wimbledon title, but we were pretty pleased to have won it all the same.

I also really enjoy watching the game. I find watching the top players really inspiring especially in rare years such as this one, where we have actually had some British success for once.

One of my biggest tennis heroes of all time is John McEnroe but my admiration is more for his style of play rather than his notorious temper.

I once met him, too. It was during the Wimbledon tournament in 1982, which he was competing in.

But I bumped into him at a small music gig in Londons Oxford Street during a night out.

Im not sure you would find any of todays tennis stars out at a gig like that in the middle of a major tournament . . . then again, perhaps thats why he was defeated in the finals by Jimmy Connors that year.

Almost every evening, for me, is fairly active, and when Im not playing tennis I can be found playing five-a-side football with a team of other building professionals.

Despite that, tennis is my first love when it comes to sport. I have no delusions of grandeur in the game, but its really good fun to play. Its easy to pick up at any age, it doesnt cost a lot and its a great way to stay fit and healthy.