Royals Prince William Admits He Can't 'Beat' Wife Kate Middleton at This Sport The royal couple never hesitate at a chance to go head-to-head in sporting events By Stephanie Petit Stephanie Petit Stephanie Petit is a Royals Editor, Writer and Reporter at PEOPLE. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 30, 2020 11:26AM EST Game, set, match — to Kate Middleton! The royal mom’s love of tennis is no secret — she’s a regular at Wimbledon, patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and even has a tennis court at the country home she has with Prince William. And she’s not afraid to show off her own skills on the court. Australian former tennis star Rod Laver revealed just how good the Duchess of Cambridge is — admitting that she always wins against her husband. “I’d met William and Kate a few times, and in the Royal Box you get a chance to chat with them a little bit,” the Australian athlete told the Daily Mail. “They play tennis against each other. William told me he couldn’t beat her.” OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Samir Hussein/WireImage Andrew Milligan - WPA Pool/Getty Images Queen of Athletic Wear! See All of Kate Middleton’s Best Sporty Styles Through the Years Kate, 38, and Prince William, 37, never hesitate at a chance to show off their competitive sides and go head-to-head in sporting events. During a boat race during their royal tour of Poland and Germany in July 2017, Kate made it clear that she wasn’t going easy on her husband. “No pressure, but I do want to beat my husband,” she told the crew. (Unfortunately for her, Prince William and his crew were victorious.) The couple faced off in a charity sailing race this summer, acting as skippers of competing vessels to win the King’s Cup. Despite their royal status, neither William nor Kate took the top prize. However coming in third, William did place higher than Kate, giving him bragging rights around the palace! During the prize-giving ceremony, Kate graciously collected a giant wooden spoon — the prize designated for the captain whose team finished last. Kate Middleton and Prince William. Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Prince William. Trevor Adams/Matrix/MediaPunch In 2017, Prince Harry got in on the action when the royal trio stopped by the start line of the London Marathon Community Track in the shadow of the 2012 Olympic Stadium in support of Heads Together, their campaign to highlight mental health. They ran the first leg of a five person relay, with Harry finishing ahead of his brother and sister-in-law, with Prince William coming in second and the duchess placing third. However, it was a tight race. “You nearly beat me!” William playfully said to Kate on the finish line before joking to his teammates that he had tunnel vision during the race. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Can’t get enough of PEOPLE‘s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Kate is already passing her love of tennis down to her children. She reportedly shared at Wimbledon this year that 6-year-old son Prince George’s favorite player is Roger Federer — and the little royal has even played tennis with the sports star!