On a spring evening in SoHo, New York, the Wilson flagship store closed for a private event. The newest Blade racquets, lined in rows of dark green, and Clashes in matte black framed the space, while folding chairs filled Thomas E. Wilson Park, an indoor atrium tucked behind the store’s typical floor of mannequins and clothing racks. Conversations moved over Brazilian sparkling wine from Bom Dia and a near regulation-size tennis-court matcha brownie, backed by sounds from Philly natives Astro 8000 and Zappa, who made the trip to New York for the Wednesday night party.
The event, Off the Wall, was organized by Sara Morano, known for her monthly “…Anyone For Tennis?” series that draws a New York crowd to the courts in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. The evening carried the same underlying energy: tennis as conversation and culture.