Courtship - by Laura Bailey (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

COURTSHIP is a photographic ode to the most beloved of racket sports spotlighting the beauty and allure of the tennis court, ranging from high-altitude to wild and secret locations, taking in riviera chic clubs and inner-city brutalism along the way.

For a tennis fan, the quest for a court and a game on the road is eternal. Bailey and Arrigo have documented a range of tennis courts, from iconic European showcourts to hidden gems in city and country settings, capturing the spirit and locale of each court and club in evocative photographs shot exclusively for this book.

They pay tribute to one of the great global sports and their passion for it in words and images.This is a book about style, travel and the quest for the dream court. It's about the love of the game and the power of community spirit for both friends and strangers. From the Côte d'Azur to the wilds of Loch Lomond and the peaks of the Swiss Alps, COURTSHIP invites you on an intimate adventure chasing Grand Slam beauties and the local courts that can anchor and inspire a village.

Bailey contributes an essay that depicts her life on the court, expressing the joy and the moments of enlightenment she has experienced through tennis. A selection of quotes and short stories from heroes of the game- and the arts- and community leaders, accompanies a series of curated photographs evoking the legends and lore of this most stylish of sports.

A celebratory and inclusive volume designed to capture the spirit of tennis, a well as support grassroots access to the sport via the LTA Foundation. COURTSHIP is timeless and collectible and a love letter to the game.

Review Quotes

"A photo book captures both the energy and serenity of the tennis court, from the remote to the renowned." -- New York Times Book Review

"...Courtship serves up the photographic splendor of some of the world's most desirable courts, from the white-lined grass lawns in Positano to the handsome terracotta-clay arenas in the Swiss village of Grindelwald. It's the kind of book that will have you reaching for a racquet this summer. Now the ball's in your court." -- Monocle

"With the growing global popularity of tennis, the genre of books about the game has become more popular--but Rizzoli's newest, Courtship: For the Love of Tennis takes a novel approach. Divided into two sections, the tome spotlights hidden tennis courts (with photography by Mark Arrigo), and then features a series of love letters to the sport from a diverse range of contributors, including Billie Jean King, Black Girls Tennis Club founder Kimberley Seldon, actor Eddie Redmayne, champion Naomi Osaka, the former British no. 1 (and current Wimbledon board member) Tim Henman, and many, many more." -- Town & Country

"The courts featured in Courtship, and the writing that accompanies them, honor moments in the expansive lifespan of the sport, underscoring a singular reasoning--the space that hosts the game is part of the magic: this dance is not a duet nor a double's match, but a trio, the beauty a product of the place, the sport, the practice." -- Flaunt

"Dear Tennis, I love you, I love you not, I love you." -- Naomi Osaka

"...who knew that a two piece rubber shell filled with pressures gas and clad in fuzzy yellow stuff could promise so much? This is the sport." -- Eddie Redmayne

"...the characters, the style, the drama...I loved it all. The play, the competitive spirit, and of course, the haircuts." -- David Beckham

About the Author

Laura Bailey is a London-based model, writer, and photographer, an ambassador to Chanel, as well as a long-term ambassador for Save the Children. A contributor to VOGUE internationally alongside independent art and fashion commissions and collaborations, Bailey's passion for travel and culture, style and sport fires her wanderlust, creative endeavours and tennis addiction. Mark Arrigo is a Maltese-British photographer, filmmaker, and author.