I traveled to Newport, RI yesterday to the International Tennis Hall of Fame to watch a match between the Frenchman, Nicholas Mahut and Alejandro Falla. Mahut made history at Wimbledon this year with his 11 hour, five minute match — the longest in history. He beat Falla in a speedy hour and half yesterday in a staggering heat wave. The Hall of Fame is a gorgeous place to watch a match. The shingle-style facility, the fin de siecle grandstand, the slight ocean breeze blowing in from Block Island Sound. I couldn’t escape fast enough.
The car thermometer says it all. I suspect it was exaggerating just to impress on me how hard it was working.
Newport’s Tennis Hall of Fame is the only “casino” I’ve ever visited — and hands-down the most civilized and charming casino anywhere. I’d be on board with building more casinos in Mass. if this was what Gov. Patrick et al had in mind…