The world's 7 weirdest tennis courts
With Wimbledon in full swing once more, homeowners around the UK will be dreaming of having their own tennis court in the garden. To serve up some inspiration, we take a look at some of the more outlandish options around. From rooftops to underwater, here are the world's weirdest tennis courts.
7. On the roof of your own home
Don't have room in your backyard for a net? Why not try tennis on the roof instead? This home, which is being built in Mud Creek, New York, will offer its own rooftop turf court, in addition to seven bedrooms, 2.1 acres of land and an infinity pool waterfelling to a spa. The price? $21.9 million. Advantage, Douglas Elliman.
6. On top of a train station
Photo: Jeanlouis_zimmermann
How do you top a private roof court? Try one tucked away above one of Paris' busiest and largest train stations. Gare Montparnasse, in the 14th and 15th arrondissement of the French capital, forms the basis of the Tours Montparnasse tower, built in 1973. Boxed in by the skyscraper and other buildings is Jardin Atlantique, which covers the station's tracks and platforms - and also contains its own array of tennis courts. Perfect for those wanting to hear departure announcements mid-second serve.
5. Opposite the Eiffel Tower
Photo: www.tennisdelacavalerie.fr
Jardin Atlantique isn't the only hidden tennis hub in Paris: who knew there was a court directly opposite the Eiffel Tower? La Cavalerie is located on the sixth floor of an art deco building dating from 1924, directly above an Aston Martin dealers.
The club boasts period locker rooms and shower rooms, while the ceiling is a honeycombed wooden affair of parabolic arcs, designed to replace the previous one, which was blown off in a 1999 storm. Combined with a heated green court, La Cavalrie (which has over 150 members) promises "the casual chic of the most famous English clubs". All that and a view of the Eiffel Tower? Ace.
4. Inside a French apartment
Photo: Benedettobufalino.com (via Dezeen)
No garden? No problem for this Dijon art gallery, which saw two of its apartment rooms converted into a strictly non-regulation tennis court last year. Artist Benedetto Bufalino's installation, which carpeted the interior with green turf and replaced the doorway with a net, encouraged visitors to pick up a racket and play a match. Even Roger Federer would struggle hitting winners past the radiator and fireplace.
3. On top of water in Doha
What makes a tennis champion a tennis champion? The ability to play on water. This floating court in Doha was created to promote the new ATP season in 2011 - and Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were invited to play a match on the surface. "I had a great experience," said Roger Federer on his blog, describing it as "awesome".
2. Underwater in Dubai
Photo: 8 + 8
Where else would an underwater court exist but in Dubai? The emirate, which has established itself as the leader in wacky architecture and extravagant attractions, was the target of recent proposals from Polish architect Krysztof Kotala to erect one near the man-made Palm Islands.
There are numerous obstacles in the way of such a feat ever being achieved - from the need of a continuous pane of glass measuring more than 108-feet wide and the water pressure upon the dome to the fact that the sunlight refracted through the glass and water could be strong enough to blind tennis players.
"I can’t imagine players not finding the fish distracting, either," Sarah Fray, director of engineering and technical services at the Institution of Structural Engineers in London, told The Daily Mail. Health and safety concerns make it even more unlikely. On the other hand, who wouldn't want to watch tennis underwater?
"This will be something original. It should be somewhere where there is the tradition of tennis. Dubai is perfect for this idea," the owner of Warsaw's 8 + 8 Concept Studio said. We agree with the last part.
1. On top of a hotel
It sounds like something out of a Mission: Impossible movie, but unlike Dubai's submerged sports concept, this tennis stunt actually took place. In 2011, the year for crazed tennis antics, the Burj al Arab temporarily turned its green roof into a court for Roger Federer and Andre Agassi to have a knock-about on.
The result? A court even windier than Centre Court on a blustery day - and, at 1,000 feet in the air, the highest game of tennis in recorded history.