Pete Sampras and the Williams sisters play tennis. It originated in medieval times, became a favorite sport of French and British aristocrats and today enjoys continued popularity among an athletic elite on both sides of the Atlantic. The ball is handmade of cloth, and the wooden racket looks like a big spoon. Strategy is complicated.
Volleys are fast and unpredictable.
The author, an American journalist based in France, has become addicted to the game. He plays on the oldest, biggest court in the world. It is located in the royal palace at Fontainebleau. The only thing more fun than the spirited matches played there, he notes, are the sumptuous lunches served afterward. To purchase a copy of the January 2000 issue, click here .