Fall Tennis in Atlanta

I’ve written about winter tennis and about August (summer) tennis in Atlanta, but fall tennis is perhaps my favorite season in which to play.

Like in the spring, autumn is cooler (e.g. than the summer) without being cold enough to alter the game, as the winter does, but March through June can be quite unpredictable with regards to precipitation, and rescheduling rained out matches is a pain for everyone involved. Although in the fall there can be an element of wind, which can affect some player's games (particularly those that lob, have high tosses and/or weaker serves), I much prefer – and seem to play better – in the fall than in the spring (I don’t know why).

One of the downsides of playing in the fall, however, especially here in the south, is the conflict between playing tennis and watching (and/or attending) football games. But I’ll take missing or having to watch a football game delayed on my DVR over rescheduling a rained out match any day. Another downside is having to blow leaves off the courts; fortunately, our neighborhood employs a lawn maintenance service that minimizes this time-consuming task.

Playing a match in either the spring or the fall can get hot with unseasonably warm temperatures, but the fall generally gets cooler (better) as the season rolls along whereas the spring season gets hotter (which is worse).

All in all, Atlanta is a fantastic place to live if you like playing tennis: not only are there more players per capita here than in any other U.S. city, but one can play outdoor tennis year round.