Fuller began playing tennis through her father, Irving Lawner, a tennis professional; later, she discovered Ping Pong. Always keen on learning something new and keeping her mind sharp, Fuller decided to start table tennis table playing as part of Santa Fe Table Tennis Club members in 2016. Ellen Fuller may be getting older, but this local artist remains determined not to show it.She enjoys painting, meditation, and table tennis.Fuller is no stranger to table tennis; she competed at last week’s U.S. Open in Ontario, Calif. She proudly represents Virginia this week at their U.S. Open event for table tennis competition.
Simply put, her workout diet involves drinking lots of water and bananas occasionally as snacks, nuts, and fruit for nourishment.Fuller is originally from Brooklyn but has made Tesque home for more than four decades and will participate in multiple matches during this tournament, such as women’s doubles for competitors 75 or older, mixed doubles with players 40 years or older, and women’s singles matches without age restrictions.Over several days, she will compete in seven events.”That is absurd!” The actress laughed in an interview on Friday as she prepared for her travels.
She noted how playing table tennis offers coordination and a creative spark similar to drawing and painting: both require concentration, focus, and presence.Her work now — portraits, animals, and nature sequences with photorealistic qualities — has been showcased at several exhibits locally in Santa Fe and nationally
“Chess is an intellectual challenge; you must learn all its moves,” she explained and added: “I like playing competitively to improve.
She pointed out that as people age, they become complacent and don’t do as much activity anymore, she encouraged. Being active is essential.
Fuller prefers living what she describes as an idyllic life — free from television, an iPhone, and anything that might distract from painting or meditation.
She owns a flip phone but usually turns it off, driving family and friends up the wall.
At an early age, she knew she wanted to follow in her mother, Frances Lawner’s footsteps as an artist and wanted nothing but drawing. “I was an odd child,” she admitted. “I would go into my room, close the door, and draw.
Table tennis may not seem hazardous at first glance, yet Fuller has experienced more than her fair share of accidents and injuries while competing. Once, during her warmup routine, her right hand smacked into the table, tearing ligaments, yet Fuller played through with likely clenched teeth!
Calmness often overcomes her when working at her studio on canvas, not on the tennis table.
She described feeling very “nervous, absolutely nervous.”
Qualifying for the U.S. Open, which continues through Thursday, has been both thrilling and nerve-wracking for her, but one thing she has come to appreciate about tennis is how learning new aspects doesn’t stop just because one may lose.
Playing doubles requires extra coordination and caution; “it can be dangerous; you could trip, get knocked over – I know because I’ve experienced that first-hand!” she warned.
She believes her backhand to be superior, especially her “smash,” the practice of firing fast shots to score points in one stroke.She has participated in regional and national competitions, such as Utah’s Huntsman World Senior Games, where she earned gold.One of her most enjoyable memories comes after winning.”I love telling people my age after beating them up and seeing their surprise when I reveal my true age!” ” she said that everybody gets surprised every time they hear.