Terrific piece - wish more were like it. Reminiscent of the great Dave Anderson’s writing - filled with history, love of sport, and a narrative that weaves values without the thread nostalgia.
One loves England for its way of keeping historic places, alive - we might learn from it. Forrest Hills still survives in New York, our city’s other greatest tennis gem does not - Long Island City’s Tennisport lost its lease nearly a decade back for political favors, replaced with generic apt. towers.
With 14 red clay courts inside - and as many hardtrue out - it also boasted one hard court legend says McEnroe built to practice for the US Open.
The red clay lured certain pros to practice for the French in April/May though the lines on those were notoriously slippery; the hardtrue bordered the river, boasting a terrace where one might drink in both a post match beer and the New York skyline.
It was a place for tennis only - no pool/gym - with a homemade feel -one locker room built off another; one might mistake it for someone’s rambling home. The tennis ranged hacker to highest level - and the lovely people working there always could find you a game where it was not unusual to see Virginia Wade, James Blake or either Mac on the next court. (Definitely upped one’s game.) Once I saw Courrier rallying alone - hitting soft & high, then leaping over the net and hitting back to himself - magic (!) yes - but all lost now. I praise folks in the UK for preserving quality.
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Great to see an article like this. Many NYT readers, I imagine, recall some of the players mentioned in this piece. IWhile I never had the great fortune to see tennis played at the West Side Hands Club, remember going to the West Wide Tennis Club (in Forest Hills) many times, watching Pancho Gonzalez, Lew Hoad, John Newcombe and so many others. I'll never forget Newcombe, in double match, having been unable to get the return of serve as he rushed to the net...but as the server he had the second ball still in his serving hand...and with a happy, impish grin threw that ball across the net like he had just hit it. I've used that trick many times myself.