Features
From the Trenches of the World’s Most Obscure Racquet Sport
Stické tennis was invented in the 1870s in England, i’s a hodge-podge of tennis, squash, and real tennis. The game disappeared after the First World War. Just two courts are still playable. Yes, stické is the world’s most obscure racquet sport.
Issue No. 28: Tennis is the Blueprint
“To create one’s own world takes courage.” —Georgia O’Keefe
The Disappearing American College Tennis Player
These days, American college tennis is barely that: American
The Elegant Order of the Court
Sure, game-play conditions may vary, and a maintained court is more enticing for actual play, but as purely aesthetic fascinations, the inherently satisfying rationality of court design endures.
The Morte d’Arthur Was Greatly Exaggerated
Frenchman Arthur Fils—the charisma bomb—is back and looking better than ever.
Dispatches from the Desert
Our Managing Editor Wendy Laird is on the grounds and has Dispatches from the Desert coming in on a regular basis: Today the BNP Paribas Open is over. Long live the BNP Paribas Open.
A Playable Feast
There’s something wonderful about seeing “closed for the season” on a hotel’s website. They’re just four words, but they say so much: we don’t wring every penny from this property; this location has a “season;” this hotel values your experience far too much to stay open during sub-par weather. “Closed for the season” has a lot of sexy indifference to it; it makes you want to visit even more.






