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 theater, 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....

Préface
A fresh approach to a beloved sport, The Tennis Court is a photographic journey of the 200 most breathtaking tennis courts around the world.

Auteur

Nick Pachelli

Résumé
*A fresh approach to a beloved sport, *The Tennis Court is a photographic journey of the 200 most breathtaking tennis courts around the world.

“Nick Pachelli takes us on court in every corner of the world with a sharp eye for what makes our game and the people who champion it so special.”
—Billie Jean King, sports icon and equality advocate

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 center, 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 theater, 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 reemerge; 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.

Contenu
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
Jangc…