Backhanded Complements
At these Hamptons luxury properties, tennis
courts are truly a match made in heaven.
by INHABIT EDITORS
Mid-September marks the close of the U.S. Open and those precious last days of summer, but at our luxe listings out east, the games can go on until you say so. Consider putting one of these incredible properties in your net:
While there may not be a capacity crowd to cheer you on, you’ll at least be able to hear the ocean roar along as you play on this seaside court. After a five-set victory, head back toward the main house to relax under coffered ceilings in the great room or in the open air from the primary bedroom’s private balcony. To really cool off, however, you’d be better suited to catch a dip in the gunite pool or take advantage of the primary bath’s soaking tub. After, you can grab a bottle from out of the wine cellar and retire to the wood-paneled library to read up on backhand technique. It’s all part of the near-endless possibilities across the three acres of this estate.
This setup is a lazy lob waiting to be smashed for set point—it’s can’t-miss. From the charming shingled main house to the equally lovely matching guest house to everywhere on these gorgeous grounds in between, you are at the water’s edge. Even from the surface of an all-weather tennis court, there are picturesque views of Shinnecock Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Frankly, who wouldn’t want to work on their forehand in that environment? Should simply looking not be enough, the blue expanse of the bay is fully accessible from off of a private dock. Just make sure to return before sunset so you can luxuriate on the back deck or hop in the infinity pool to watch that fiery tennis ball go down over the horizon. All in all, advantage you!
You’d be hard-pressed to find any faults at all, let alone double faults, at this ocean liner-sized waterfront compound. Barnes Coy, Sagewood Construction, and Massimo Castagna worked together—as architect, builder, and designer, respectively—in an ace of a team-up. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows dominate the 11,000-square-foot structure, whose exterior boasts a separate 3,100-square-foot stone terrace for all your alfresco needs. Somewhere in between ensuring nearly every room and the infinity pool had a personal waterfront vista, this triples team also installed a tennis court—a down-to-earth bow on the home’s out-of-this-world spectacle. It’s not Roland Garros, but in a setting like the one found here, who’s going to complain?
Nestled into the neighboring landscape—and in perfect view from this home’s side balcony—is a tennis court unlike any you’ll find at a major international tournament. Surrounded by greenery, sand dunes, the ocean, and the bay on the prestigious Meadow Lane, it’s a peacefully secluded spot to work on some volley drills. The same could be said for the 3.7-acre residence it sits on, though you should probably save anything involving a racquet and ball for the court lest a hole suddenly appears in an oversized living room window. Post-match trips down to the beach are all but a given—a private boardwalk leads down from the property to those pristine white sands.
No need to call for a video review here: anyone can tell by sight alone that this estate is nowhere near out of bounds. In North Haven with a Sag Harbor P.O., it’s an enclave making a mark on that esteemed peninsula. Inside, stunning hardwood floors lead across and up nearly 8,500 square feet, including into a living room with ceilings so high—32 feet!—they would make a cathedral blush. Home chefs have more than abundant space to prepare everything from microwave specialties to holiday feasts in a kitchen that wraps around an entire section of the second floor—and has a wood-burning oven. Really, the tennis court is just icing on the cake. If there’s a calmer atmosphere on the East End to serve-and-volley than here among the trees, we haven’t seen it.