AESTHETICS

Pure Aether

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Moat-Minded

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COURT-SIDE STAYS

Sensei Porcupine Creek

Rancho Mirage, Ca

If Wes Anderson designed a wellness resort and hired tennis pros to roam the grounds in perfectly pressed whites, you'd get something close to Sensei Porcupine Creek. Nestled in the Coachella Valley, this former private estate turned luxury retreat is what happens when billionaire Larry Ellison decides to turn his personal paradise into a playground for the rest of us (albeit, those of us with particularly healthy bank accounts).

Beyond the pristine tennis courts that would make Wimbledon blush, Sensei offers the kind of wellness experience that makes "treating yourself" feel like a full-time job. The resort's 230 acres mean you can completely forget about that double fault from this morning while getting lost in the sculptured gardens or pretending you understand the nuances of the sake selection at their Japanese restaurant. Just remember to pack your designer athleisure – this is Palm Springs' poshest corner, and your old college tennis team t-shirt might feel a bit out of place.

COURT-SIDE PROPERTIES

Napa, Ca

©BAREIS

At a modest 8,619 square feet, this Mediterranean-meets-Napa masterpiece is perfect for the Silicon Valley exec who needs everyone to know they've "made it" but in like, a totally casual way. You know the type – they'll host elaborate wine tastings while casually mentioning their Tesla's in the 10-car garage (along with the Porsche they "only drive on weekends"), and their bocce ball court that gets used exactly once per dinner party. The private tennis court screams "I played D3 tennis in college and I'll never let anyone forget it," while the outdoor tasting room ensures your guests know you're not just rich, you're wine country rich. Just an hour from the Bay Area, it's ideal for the tech mogul who wants to pretend they've escaped the rat race while still being able to make their 10am all-hands on Zoom from the home office that costs more than most people's entire house.

THE PRO SHOP

THE NUMBERS GAME

Results May Vary

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AROUND THE NET

—Keys wins Slam, finally giving American tennis fans something to do besides reminisce about Sampras and Agassi.

—Raducanu fires another coach. In other news, water is wet.

—Kokkinakis plays tennis in Russia, Twitter warriors prepare their hottest takes.

—Sinner vs. Zverev: Battle of the "who can look more like they got lost on their way to an H&M photoshoot."

—Sabalenka's racquet meets court in high-speed divorce proceeding. More at 11.

—Aussie crowd somehow manages to make British football hooligans look classy.

—Shelton calls out Aussie broadcasters, proving Americans can serve sass as well as aces.

—Ivanisevic-Rybakina split: Another tennis partnership shorter than your New Year's resolutions.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

If you've ever rage-quit Mario Tennis Aces, you might be surprised to learn that Nintendo's obsession with tennis started in the most unexpected way – with an arcade game that had Mario trading his plumber's wrench for a referee's chair. VS. Tennis, released in 1984, wasn't just another blocky sports game; it became America's sixth most popular arcade hit that year and quietly changed gaming history.

Here's the wild part: Nintendo put Shigeru Miyamoto – yes, the genius behind Mario and Zelda – in charge of design. While other companies were chasing flashy gimmicks, Miyamoto focused on capturing tennis's pure essence in pixels. This wasn't just another sports game; it was tennis distilled to its most addictive elements, created by someone who would go on to define modern gaming.

The game's influence is sneaky impressive. As an NES launch title, it helped prove that home consoles could deliver arcade-quality experiences. Its DNA lives on in everything from Wii Sports to today's ultra-realistic tennis simulations. Yet while modern games track everything from serve trajectories to player sweat rates (seriously), there's something beautifully pure about VS. Tennis's approach – no motion capture, no online rankings, just pure, pixelated fun that somehow managed to capture the spirit of tennis perfectly.

In an industry obsessed with graphics and gimmicks, VS. Tennis reminds us that sometimes the simplest ideas have the most staying power. Next time you're crushing backhands in Tennis World Tour or dominating the court in AO Tennis, pour one out for the little arcade game that started it all – and maybe thank Mario for taking that referee gig.

FAULTY LOGIC

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An endless streak, a constant winner

Can anyone stop Jannik Sinner?

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