“There is usually a daily saga around the sign-up sheet for the court. The rules require a permit from the Parks Department, but also a reservation for the court. The sign-up sheet is posted at the park house first thing in the morning for that day’s play, but I get regular complaints about the fraud going on.

People sign up their friends, a local player even offers it as a service, and there are instructors — both local and not — who hog up the court to give lessons, which is not permitted by the city without a permit and not permitted at all at this location. (Public spaces cannot be annexed for private business.) Then sometimes the sign-up sheet disappears, people’s names are crossed off, etc etc.

“It really has gotten out of control,” one player told me. “All these pros are making good money at the expense of the city and other players who want to use this PUBLIC court.”

———- I want to start playing tennis for the first time next year. Not at this court, rather in Queens. Hopefully everything at the this court is sorted out for next year.