The Tennis Court

Every one of the world's half a million tennis courts is, at its most basic, an identical blank canvas: a 78-foot by 36-foot rectangle, divided by a 3-foot-high net in its centre, and marked with eleven straight lines. But add in the elements of surface, space, wind, acoustics, crowds, shadows, humidity, and even air density, and every tennis court is unique-a work of art. And some are masterpieces. Nick Pachelli curates and profiles 200 of the world's most beautiful, iconic, significant, alluring, and idiosyncratic tennis courts from across the globe, each breathtakingly photographed. He explores the heavyweights, including Wimbledon's All England Lawn Tennis Club, which employs a hawk to keep stray birds from soiling the meticulous lawns. Arthur Ashe, the Grandstand, and Court 17 in Flushing, Queens, where hundreds of thousands of tennis fans gather every summer for the US Open. And there's Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland-Garros, whose clay seems to take on a different shade-burnt orange, burnt red, burgundy, umber-every time you see it. We visit far-flung treasures, such as Waiheke Tennis Club in New Zealand, where you'll need to take a plane, then a ferry, then a car or bus, and then walk before arriving there. Indoor marvels, including the Tennis Club de Belgique, which evokes the hushed, reverent feeling of a theatre, with skylights illuminating the court and leaving the spectators in the shadows. Hidden jewels, such as the tiny Tennis Club San Stin in Venice, a secret, single outdoor clay court tucked away behind a villa and a 15-foot wall shrouded with vines. There are urban courts, including the Knickerbocker Field Club, deep in the heart of Flatbush, Brooklyn. Academies, like Rafael Nadal's tennis temple in Mallorca, Spain. And the extreme: a single court completely isolated in the wilds of Scotland; a court in northern Spain revealed when the tide goes out, the sand hardens, and the metallic plates that serve as lines re-emerge; and a court in Kenya made out of termite mounds. Throughout, Pachelli not only conducts a masterful, once-in-a-lifetime tour of the world's best courts, but in his writing does something equally immersive: He captures the real passion-some might say obsession-that tennis inspires. Because it's on the court, no matter how grandiose or mundane, whether in an exotic locale or around the corner, where tennis players truly see themselves. Where we come face-to-face with our temperament, our drive, our frustration, our bliss, our longing. "This book made me fall in love with tennis all over again." -Rennae Stubbs, former world No. 1 and six-time Grand Slam champion "How had I been so blind? I'd seen a tennis court as an arrangement of lines, neat boxes, a net. This book reveals so much more: spaces within spaces, quirks and surfaces, shadows and light, and the communities most of all. What a gift. I won't look at the game the same way again." -Louisa Thomas, staff writer, The New Yorker "A pure pleasure to read and peruse." -Christopher Clarey, New York Times bestselling author "From Kent to Kenya, Marrakech to Melbourne. Indoors, outdoors. Seaside and underground. Pachelli captures the magic in this masterful book, which celebrates not just tennis, but this topspinning orb we call planet Earth." -Jon Wertheim, New York Times bestselling author and correspondent for 60 Minutes "I've been around tennis all over the world, and this book truly speaks to the beauty and importance of tennis courts, whether at tennis academies or remote public courts. Every tennis player and fan will enjoy this book." -Patrick Mouratoglou, world-renowned tennis coach and founder of Mouratoglou Academy "This book contains hundreds of beautifully photographed tennis courts. The real joy, though, is found in the stories that unfold about each one." -Katrina M. Adams, author and former president of the USTA "Detailing the remote and far-removed to the legendary courts that have hosted the most storied events in tennis history, this gorgeous book lends us a lens to encounter the world." -Caitlin Thompson, founder of Racquet magazine "Can't travel right now? No worries; Nick Pachelli has got you covered. My recommendation: Open the book to a random page and start dreaming away. And who knows? One day you may find yourself exactly there. A truly dreamy book!" -Andrea Petkovic, former top-10 professional tennis player, host, and writer "A stunning celebration of tennis that speaks to the heart of anyone with a passion for a pastime."-Tom Coyne, New York Times bestselling author

Nick Pachelli was raised on dry, hot tennis courts in the American Southwest, and has had a racquet in his hand since age six. He played the junior circuit in almost every state across the west and attended tennis academies in Florida and California before stopping short of a college tennis career due to injury. He eventually returned and now plays adult tournaments worldwide, mostly on the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Association World Tour. Since 2017 he's written profiles and features on tennis for the New York Times, Esquire, the Guardian, Vice, and ESPN, among other outlets.

Courts include:  Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia Kia Stadium, Melbourne, Australia Memorial Drive Tennis Club, Adelaide, Australia Dubai Tennis Center, Dubai, UAE Royal Tennis Club de Marrakech, Marrakech, Morrocco Qizhong Stadium, Shanghai, China Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan Beans Dome, Kobe, Japan Kooyong Tennis Club, Melbourne, Australia Royal South Yarra Tennis Club, Melbourne, Australia Coopers Park Tennis Courts, Sydney, Australia Wodonga Tennis Center, Wodonga, Australia Governor's house of Tasmania, Australia Waiheke Tennis Club, Waiheke, New Zealand Parnell Lawn Tennis, Auckland, New Zealand Queenstown Tennis Club, Queenstown, New Zealand Royal Kings Park, Perth, Australia Loton Park Tennis Center, Perth, Australia Fremantle Lawn Tennis Club, Perth, Australia Cheval Blanc, Noonu Atoll, Maldives Soneva Fushi, Eydhafushi, Maldives Vakkaru, Baa Atoll, Maldives Kandima, Maldives Ozen Life Maadho, Maldives Niyama Maldives Priv islands, Maldives Ritz Maldives, Maldives Anantara Kihavah, Maldives Victoria Park, Hong Kong, HK LRC Hong Kong Tennis, Hong Kong, HK Manila Polo Club "Shell Courts,” Manila, Philippines Valle Verde Country Club, Manila, Philippines Olive Farm of Datca Tennis Club, Datca, Turkey Gorky Tennis Center, Almaty, Kazakhstan Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Lagos, Nigeria Gezira Sporting Club, Cairo, Egypt Sasakwa Lodge, Grumeti Game Reserve, Tanzania Tennis Club La Marsa, Tunis, Tunisia Kids Closer to Sport Uganda Oyebog Tennis Academy, Cameroon Balewadi Complex, Pune, India Poona Club, Pune, India FC College and Law College, Pune, India The Delhi Gymkhana Club, New Delhi, India Wildflower Hall, an Oberoi hotel, Shimla, India Camps Bay Tennis Club, Cape Town, South Africa Fresnaye Sports Club, Cape Town, South Africa Glen Tennis Club, Cape Town, South Africa Yokohama International Tennis Community, Yokohama, Japan Tokyo Lawn Tennis Club, Tokyo, Japan Grass Court Saga Tennis Club, Saga, Japan Karuizawa-kai Tennis Court, Nagano, Japan Jangchung Tennis Court, South Korea Agit analogue (Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do), South Korea Jeju Island Lotte Hotel, South Korea Court Philippe Chatrier, Paris, France Court Simonne Mathieu, Paris, France Court Central, Monte Carlo Club, Monte Carlo, France RCT Barcelona 1899, Barcelona, Spain Caja Mágica, Madrid, Spain Foro Italico, Rome, Italy Mallorca Country Club, Mallorca, Spain Roy Emerson Stadium, Gstaad, Switzerland Stefi Graf Stadion, Berlin, Germany Iphitos Tennis Club, Munich, Germany ROCHUS CLUB TENNIS, Düsseldorf, Germany TC Weissenhof, Stuutgart, Germany Tennis-Club 1899 E.V. Blau-Weiss, Berlin, Germany Baden-Baden, Baden Baden, Germany Tennis Club Palmengarten, Frankfurt, Germany World Club Tennis, Germany Garden Tennis Royan, Royan, France Tennis de la Cavalerie, Paris, France Le Tir Paris, Paris, France Lagardère Paris Racing, Paris, France Tennis Cannes Garden, Cannes, France Nice Lawn Tennis Club, Nice, France TC Du Rosaire, Sanary Sur Mer, France Tennis La Rosière, Montvalezan, France Hotel Cap Estel, Eze, France Tignes France Tennis Courts, Tignes, France Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes, France Mouratoglou Academy, Biot, France Belmond Resort, Portofino, Italy Tennis al Settimo Piano Positano, Positano, Italy Il San Pietro Hotel, Positano, Italy Tennis Club Malcesine, Assenza, Italy Hotel Cipriani Court, Venice, Italy Tenis Club Venezia, Venice, Italy San Stin Pasti Tennis Club, Venice, Italy Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como, Italy Villa D'Este, Lake Como, Italy Hotel Passalaqua, Lake Como, Italy The Tennis Club Milano Alberto Bonacossa, Milan, Italy Parioli Club, Rome, Italy Tennis Club Capri, Capri, Italy Circolo Sport Tennis Vialar, Rome, Italy Santa Agnese Tennis Club, Rome, Italy Tennis Michelangelo, Florence, Italy Domes, Bürgenstock, Switzerland Montreux Tennis Club, Montreux, Switzerland Sportschalet Murren, Murren, Switzerland Grindewald TC, Grindewald, Switzerland Gstaad Palace, Gstaad, Switzerland Vienna Park Club, Vienna, Austria Vienna Athletic Club, Vienna, Austria SV Schwarz Blau, Vienna, Austria Arsenal Tennis Club, Vienna, Austria Stanglwirt Club, Prama, Austria Tennis Club of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium Leopold Club, Uccle, Belgium Reial Societat de Tenis Pompeia, Barcelona, Spain RCT de San Sebastian, San Sebastian, Spain Club del Sol, Malaga, Spain Puente Romano, Marbella, Spain Nadal Tennis Academy, Mallorca, Spain Tennis Club Betis, Seville, Spain Tenis Playa de Luanco, Luanco, Spain LC La Foz, Porto, Portugal Quinta da Marinha Racket Club, Cascais, Portugal Kalemegdan, Belgrade, Serbia Ljubicic Tennis Academy, center court, Veli Lošinj, Croatia Athens Lawn Tennis Club, Athens, Greece Tatoi Club, Greece Czech Lawn Tennis Club Štvanice, Prague, Czech Republic LTC Praha, Prague, Czech Republic Tennis Club Vysehrad, Prague, Czech Republic Wimbledon Center Court, Wimbledon, England Wimbledon, Court 2, Wimbledon, England The Queen’s Club, London, England Royal Tennis Hall KLTK, Stockholm, Sweden Bastad Norde Center Court, Bastad, Sweden St George's Lawn TC, Surrey, England Hurlingham Club, London, England Malmen-Tennispaviljongen, Stockholm, Sweden Dansk Tennis Club, Copenhagen, Denmark Havnar Tennisfelag, Thorshavn, Faroe Islands Tennis Park Lommerrijk, Rotterdam, Netherlands IJburg Tennis Club, Amsterdam, Netherlands Bunabhainneadar Tennis Court, Isle of Harris, Scotland Cromlix, Dunblane, Scotland Hoar Cross Hall, UK The Nare, UK Burgh Island, UK Rushbrooke LTC, Cork, Ireland Argideen LTC, Cork, Ireland Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City, USA Grandstand, New York City, USA Indian Wells Stadium, Indian Wells, USA IGA Stadium, Montreal, Canada Court Central Guillermo Vilas—BA Lawn Tennis, Buenos Aires, Argentina Charleston Volvo Open, Charleston, USA Cabo Tennis Center, Los Cabos, Mexico International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport, USA West Side Tennis Club/Forest Hills, New York City, USA Knickerbocker Field Club, New York City, USA Riverside Clay Tennis Assoc, New York City, USA Fort Greene Tennis Courts, New York City, USA JTTC, College Park, USA All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club, St. Charles City, USA Enchantment AZ, Sedona, USA Mission Hills Country Club, Palm Springs, USA The Courts, Borego Springs, USA Libbey Park, Ojai, USA The Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, USA Berkeley Tennis Club, Berkeley, USA Alice Marble Courts, San Francisco, uSA Echo Park Tennis Courts, LA, USA LA Tennis Club, LA, USA Rancho Cienega Public Courts, LA, USA Loma Alta Park, Altadenia, USA Vermont Canyon Tennis Courts, LA, USA Seaside Tennis Club Mauna Kea, Big Island, USA Kailua Racquet Club, Oahu, USA Longwood Cricket Club, Mass, USA Chicago Prairie Tennis Club, Chicago, USA Vanderbilt Tennis Club, New York City, USA Miami Crandon Park, Miami, USA USTA National Campus, Lake Nona, USA Diamond Head Tennis Center, Hawaii, USA Kapiolani Park Courts, Hawaii, USA Sunset Park Courts North Shore, Hawaii, USA Santa Fe Indoor historic court, Santa Fe, USA Mount Royal Tennis Club, Montreal, Canada Toronto Lawn Tennis, Toronto, Canada Jericho Tennis Club, Vancouver, Canada Rustico Resort, PEI, Canada South Cowichan Lawn Tennis Club, outside Vancouver, Canada Junior Club, Mexico City, Mexico Cuba National Tennis Center, Havana, Cuba Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, Bermuda The Buccaneer Resort, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands Beachfront Villa, Anguilla Four Seasons Nevis West Indies, Nevis, St Kits and Nevis Club Campestre de Cali, Cali, Colombia Club de Tenis La Paz, La Paz, Bolivia Tennis Club Argentino: Olivos TCA, Buenos Aires, Argentina Mar de Plata, Argentina Leme Tennis Club, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Rio Tennis Academy, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Club Terrazas, Lima, Peru Miraflores Public Courts, Lima, Peru