Tell us about the most visually stunning tennis courts you’ve ever seen:
Wendy Laird, editor and frequent Racquet contributor: This is a difficult question. My fondest memories of tennis on a beautiful court are dependent on my knowing where I was at the time. Playing in Civenna, above Lake Como, was wonderful, but the view from the court itself was minimal. However I knew the lake and the mountains were right there and so I remember it as gorgeous. The same goes for the court at Chateau de Queynac in Limeuil, France. The tennis court was down a gravel trail, past donkeys and a little tower ruin. No view to speak of, but it was all ours for a week and the location was spectacular. And, hey, donkeys.
“Stunning” need not always equal “pristine,” either: Friends have a court at their house in Tuscany. It’s gradually being subsumed by ivy, and there are cracks in the surface, but it’s surrounded by olive groves and there’s a tiny fire pit next to it so we can warm up between games if it’s chilly. My god it’s delightful.