Having travelled the world with the Merchant Navy from a young age, he didn't have the opportunity to take up the game until he was 49.
By then he found there was little encouragement or opportunities for "sub-standard" players like himself.
"Nobody wanted to see me, they used to hide when I came down to the club," he joked.
"I realised the situation is the same everywhere, it doesn't matter which club you go to.
"I thought these poor people, they come down to play tennis but nobody wants them because they don't play to their standard or give a good game."
In 1987 John decided to set up a Friday night group at Haverfordwest Tennis Club in Pembrokeshire, which welcomes players of all capabilities with open arms.
It has been going strong ever since and John has earned himself something of a legendary status in west Wales' tennis circles.
"If it wasn't for John I wouldn't be playing," said Liz Green, who has been in John's group for 26 years.
"When I came back after having my two children I lost my confidence and didn't feel good enough to play on club nights.
"Everybody here will have their own story, but they will all have come initially because they had lost their confidence or didn't feel good enough to play."
Other members described him as inspirational, kind and welcoming.
As well as increasing participation, when John was chairman at Llangollen Tennis Club in 1975 he oversaw a decision to scrap the "all white clothing rule" in a bid to make the sport more informal.
John leads and plays in two tennis groups in Haverfordwest on Mondays and Fridays.
He says he "knows the mechanics of the game" but is unable to demonstrate the shots like he used to.
But his members insist he's still more than capable of hitting winners and loves to challenge a line call.
Not even the recent heat wave has stopped him from playing.
John has played competitively in leagues over the years and picked up his first piece of silverware in a mixed doubles tournament aged 88, but he admits to preferring the fun and social side of the game.
"I don't think you make too many friends playing competitive tennis.
There's an old saying, 'I've got lots of friends I don't like,'" he said.
"We (the Friday group) have a good laugh. Serious play is not of any interest to me."
And John has no plans of hanging up his racket anytime soon, saying "age doesn't matter at all".
John said his all time favourite tennis player is the controversial Romanian Ilie Nastase.
"He didn't play to the textbook like he should have done," he said.
"I don't think he ever had any coaching, but there wasn't a shot that he couldn't make at any time.
"He had so much fun out of the game, almost to the point where it would cost him the game sometimes.
"But he was always trying to have a laugh and a joke and he was such a fluent player."
John favourite current player is Roger Federer, but he refused to be drawn in on who will take the Wimbledon title this year.
And John's love of sport does not stop at tennis, the 93-year-old also has a love of racing fast cars.
When he turned 90, John drove an Aston Martin around Silverstone at 124mph, and harbours dreams of driving a McLaren Formula 1 race car.
Source: www.bbc.com/sport/tennis
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