The museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., has some amazing exhibits: Tracy Austin’s iconic gingham dress, the reprehensible Bobby Riggs’ “Sugar Daddy” windbreaker, a holographic Roger Federer. Many treasures remain out of sight in the museum’s archives, though, such as Bjorn Borg’s Fila tracksuit and a picture of Batman and Robin drawn by an elementary-school-age John McEnroe. Hidden from view, perhaps understandably, is the Hall of Fame’s collection of notable tennis socks, which include the pair worn by Nicolas Mahut in his epic three-day, 11-hour match with John Isner at Wimbledon in 2012, and the pom-pom socks Serena Williams wore while winning the Australian Open in 2010. Also out of sight are the contents of Andy Roddick’s racquet bag after his last professional match, at the US Open in 2012, which include not only his dirty socks but also his underwear. Here, Leanne Shapton interprets and abstracts the humble socks that made it all the way to the Hall of Fame. —Racquet
Leanne Shapton is the author of Swimming Studies, which won the 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography.
Featured in Racquet Issue No. 4
