Easiest to give and receive, tennis kits reached new peaks this year—from Venus Williams’ EleVen collab with Lacoste, which debuted on some glorious NYC public parks, to the rise of understated on-court elegance from JLindbergh. Our faves represent something appropriate for every skill level—why NOT indulge in a bonkers adidas Originals x Moncler puffer jacket like everyone’s favorite poncho model Stef Tsitsipas or for something more classic, may we suggest our Clare V. x Racquet drop for a seasonally appropriate sweater vest?
For something a tad more casual, the Team Tenez heathered grey shirt is a perennial fave around these parts. For something a tad more formal, half of our favorite perfumer celebrity couple, Kavi Moltz, co-founder of perfumer DS & Durga, recommends an Alo classic black getup: “this dress fits so well and satisfies my specific tennis goth needs.”
In a world where racquets and shoes are so tied up in personal taste and technical requirements, allow us to showcase two of the more stylish entrants into both categories. Nike has long struggled to follow up with their exceptionally successful Vapor shoes, and have finally succeeded with their Air Vapor Attack model. This year Yonex made a rare move and anointed America’s favorite DMV native Frances Tiafoe with his own stick—the minty green Percept. You won’t find a more exciting color at the pro shop.
Semafor founder Ben Smith admits his pragmatism wins out over style: “So I’m obsessed with this backpack: If you’re one of these people (I am) who wants to travel for 2-3 days solely with a backpack, and also wants 2 tennis rackets, sneakers, a laptop, and clothing all in separate compartments, and jamming into even small overhead airplane compartments, it’s incredible. Does not necessarily win me style points, but just the most useful thing I own and my Amtrak/plane companion.”
For those of you living in cold climes, give the gift of anticipation—a trip to somewhere warm to play, watch, or ideally both. Our friends at the Caribbean hideaway La Samanna are putting together a very special tennis week in January 2024, featuring tennis pro James Ward and a full program of instruction and hospitality. If you’re looking for something more up close and personal with the pro tennis tour, we’ve never had a bad time in Baja, and the earlier calendar date for the Los Cabos Open means the tournament falls in February ahead of the Sunshine Double, perfect for a long weekend of beach, tennis and tacos.
Let this 2024 calendar from our favorite tastemaking friends No More Bagel Score—South Korea’s most fun art & tennis collective—featuring some of our favorite on-court and off-court moments of all time sweep you into the new year. Yes, that’s BJK playing the racquet air guitar from our “Ambush Tennis” shoot. For a more stocking stuffer-appropriate package, take Vox’s Alex Abads-Santos recommendation and gift your favorite tennis and scent enthusiast a bottle of DS & Durga’s scent Crush Balls. “Have you smelled it? It’s amazing,” he says.
If hitting up the Gagosian gallery isn’t in your price range this year, you can still snag some art from Racquet No. 15 cover artist Honor Titus (who recently designed the posters for the ATP Finals in collaboration with Artchild), famed LA artist Frederick Kunath, whose work is featured on the cover of Issue No. 9, Deborah Roberts with a collage of Venus Williams for Issue No. 10 or a classic Warhol with a portrait of Vitas Gerulaitis for Issue No. 11.We don’t care if you put them on your coffee table, or in a frame.
