Side Order: The Pro Shop
27 items that vaguely have to do with tennis
Surprise! Just like everyone else on this planet, I finally saw Challengers last week and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I don’t have a hot take, I just thought it was really fun. I was so hyped up when I got home from the theater that I almost WENT ON A RUN, which is honestly a testament to the power of storytelling because never have I ever eaten buttered popcorn and Milk Duds for two hours and then thought “I should do cardio!”
I’ve heard that people who actually play tennis have grievances about the movie, as I’m sure they’ll have about this newsletter, but this month’s Side Order is for those of us wannabes who Googled “tennis lessons near me” when we got home from the theater. Are we actually going to sign up for them? No, probably not. But might we wear a cute little pleated skirt this summer or channel our inner Tashi by listening to the Challengers score while on the treadmill? Absolutely.
(To be fair, I actually did take lessons as a kid, and I’ve hit the ball around maybe 5 times in the last 3 years, so that’s not nothing.)
Below, 27 court-adjacent new and vintage items for your closet and home that are less “tennis pro” and more “just for show”:
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