"c'est" or "il est" for use with adjective

Question

Je ne joue pas au tennis parce que c'est trop difficile pour moi.

Je ne joue pas au tennis parce qu'il est trop difficile pour moi.

Which one is correct, or both? If both are correct, is there a difference in meaning?

Similarly,

J'ai une table. Elle est grande.

J'ai une table. C'est grand.

J'ai une table. C'est grande.

Answer 1

In the first series, the second one does not work. Only the first one is possible. That is probably because ce refers to the whole jouer au tennis, to which cannot really be assigned an il or elle. It's more of an "abstract" thing than required for il or elle.

In the second series, only the first one is possible. The other two are broken. It's the reverse here: table is pretty clearly a feminine noun for a concrete thing. So elle not only works, but is even required.

Let's try this:

Je monte sur la table. Elle est grande.

Je monte sur la table. Ça me fait du bien.

Both are possible. In the first example, elle clearly refers to the table. In the second example, ça on the other hand refers to the action of monter sur la table.