On-Topic Shorts

He was crazy about tennis, she was drawn to his passion. Together, they built a life running the South Oxford Tennis Club in Brooklyn. Now Richard and Ann Northern are sharing their favorite memories, from client events to their own dream wedding.

Mark Kuhn’s homemade tennis court started out as a family project and became a public space beloved by the community, but when his family experienced an unthinkable tragedy, the court became something else: a way to heal.

Built by and for its community, the Maravilla handball courts in East LA are more than just an athletic outlet. They represent the neighborhood’s rich Chicano heritage and generations of diverse players — a sacred site where people can be themselves.

A portrait of a tennis instructor who is tough as nails when training students, but is grieving underneath her sturdy exterior. The only thing that recenters her is practicing her serve. To her, tennis is more than a sport, it’s meditation.