Your inner Serena

Every morning, the ladies of Rustic Canyon play doubles at 9 on Court 3. One day I want to be one of them, spending my golden years squabbling over scores and hitting moonballs and saying “Got it!” as I cover for my partner. And I want to do it here, in this bowl of a park between Rustic and Santa Monica canyons in Pacific Palisades, with views of treetops all around and a caught-in-time look that takes me back to my childhood in East Whittier. Which is about the last time I ever had fun exercising, and certainly the last time I ever took tennis lessons. But after rediscovering the sport a few years ago, I’ve become a connoisseur of classes at the parks in my area.

There was my first love, the rec center in Pacific Palisades where, if I lobbed a ball over the fence, a purebred dog would retrieve it, and where my classmates wore Chanel sunglasses and big diamond studs. Then I took private lessons in Santa Monica at Reed Park, down on Lincoln and Wilshire, where the homeless applaud your shots (they know a good backhand down the line when they see it).

But as my addiction to tennis grew, I needed more and cheaper sources. There was the 9 a.m. class at Marine Park near the Santa Monica Airport, where the courts are wedged between a ball field and the backs of houses. (But I loved the teacher.) I didn’t like the teacher at Douglas Park, up at 25th and Wilshire, but everyone else did.

Then I found Rustic Canyon, and I was home. There’s something about the way Rob Myers structures the class, with 30 minutes of forehand, backhand, volley and serving drills, followed by 30 minutes of doubles. (First you practice your technique, then you vent your frustration.) We scream, we yell, we laugh, we whack the living daylights out of the ball or send it into the net. We ask the ladies on Court 3 to return our balls. You can tell we annoy them. But we don’t care because, for this one hour of the day, we’re kids again.

Though Rustic Canyon may be my secret, there are a lot of other secrets out there, about 380 public courts across the county of Los Angeles, many underused, especially on weekdays. (Note to the self-employed: taking advantage of them is one of our job benefits.) With the climate here, this may be the best place on the planet to play tennis.

Neighborhood tennis courts each have their own personality. The kids of Russian immigrants are hitting hard at Poinsettia Recreation Center near the Fairfax district, and the Filipino players at the Brandford courts in Arleta could go head to head with the folks in Cheviot Hills (another group that’s got game). Reed Park in Santa Monica attracts a more leisurely set of hitters.

The tranquil Harvard Rec Center on a tree-lined street near Inglewood is a training ground for future Venuses and Serenas. In fact, when the sisters were younger, they played in tournaments at the granddaddy of all our facilities, the Griffith Park courts on Riverside Drive, along with other homegrown heroes like Pete Sampras and Michael Chang.

“It used to be that each community park had its own team, and on weekends they’d play against each other,” says Michael Davidson, who runs the L.A. Metropolitan Tennis Tournament, which will be 88 years old when it’s held at the Griffith Park tennis stadium next year. “It was an all-day event -- you’d bring the kids and have a barbecue and play tennis, and it was a way to experience the culture of that area. The players from Valley Plaza in North Hollywood would go to Lincoln Park and have carne asada. People enjoyed getting out of their own neighborhoods.”

Now they’re staying closer to home, disinclined to drive, he says. More’s the pity. There are some gems of courts out there, not necessarily in your backyard.

Navigating the system is easier than it looks, with tennis facilities falling into one of two camps. Open-play courts are free and first-come, first-serve, but they usually lack an on-site staffer, because there’s no need to take money. Reservation/pay courts charge an hourly fee and require a check-in with an administrator in a booth (who may also come out to kick freeloaders off the courts, er, advise them of the policy).

If you’re feeling lucky, you can just show up at a pay facility without a reservation and try to rent a court, but it’s safer to spring for a city of L.A. Tennis Registration Card ($15 a year), which allows you to book ahead using a touch-tone phone reservation system. (A recording offers you a choice of eight facilities: Cheviot Hills, Pacific Palisades, Westchester, Westwood, Balboa, Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks, Griffith/Riverside and Griffith/Vermont Canyon.)

Incorporated cities like Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Glendale and Santa Clarita have their own courts, fees and reservation cards -- check out their websites -- but you don’t have to be a resident to walk on and play there.

Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced student, joining a class gives you a built-in set of players at your level to call for spontaneous games. (Very handy during the off-season.) But it can take some detective work to find out when and where classes are offered.

Some public courts have on-site recreation directors who hire instructors, but most are run by concessionaires who offer classes at pay and free facilities (the usual teaching schedule: adults in the morning, kids in the afternoon, adults at night). Then there’s the low-tech way: If you see a class in session, ask the teacher for a card.

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Courts to know and love

Neighborhood tennis courts aren’t just for the neighbors. If your nearest facility is less than stellar (like Sycamore Grove Park, which lacked nets last time we looked), hit the road. These 12 courts, each open to the public and outstanding in its own way, were often mentioned by pros and amateurs as favorite places to play.

You can also check out www.laparks.org, which lists pay-for-play and free tennis courts across the city of Los Angeles (and has downloadable applications for tennis reservation cards), or parks.co.la.ca.us/localparks.html for tennis courts in Los Angeles County. To find public and private courts near your ZIP Code, there’s www.tenniswelcomecenter.com.

Vermont Canyon Tennis Courts, 2715 Vermont Canyon, Los Feliz; (323) 664-3521.

Near the Greek Theatre and across from Roosevelt golf course, this charming tennis center is more Connecticut than L.A., with low stone walls and pine trees for shade. Resurfaced just a few months ago, the 12 courts are usually booked on weekends from 8 a.m. to noon, but pretty empty the rest of the week. And blessedly quiet: Cleanly hit balls echo in the canyon air. Maybe that’s because hikers passing by on their way to a trailhead are shushed with a sign that reads, “Players Appreciate Silence.” On the day we were there, a woman on the upper-level courts, surrounded by green and brown hills, practiced her serve while teachers on the lower courts showed patience with beginners.

Court fee: Free 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; $8 an hour 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; $8 an hour 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekends. No outdoor lights. Private lessons, about $50, based on instructor.

Rustic Canyon Recreation Center, 601 Latimer Road, Santa Monica; (310) 454-5734.

The famous old Uplifter’s Ranch that’s home to these courts is notoriously hard to find but worth the effort (bring the Thomas Guide). Because the park isn’t overly manicured, it can resemble the English countryside, if you don’t count the eucalyptus. An old oak tree shades one of six courts (and drops acorns), a high fence covered with ivy and morning glories eats balls (hit one up there and it’s lodged for good), and the unofficial park mascot, a silly black dog named Willy, likes to trot by and bark at players. Parents taking lessons bring their kids to the playground a few feet away. It’s usually easy to find a court on weekdays, but weekend mornings can be busy after 9:30.

Court fee: Free. No outdoor lights. Group lessons, $80 for 8 weeks.

Palisades Tennis Center, 851 Alma Real Drive, Pacific Palisades; (310) 573-1331.

It’s not fair that the folks who live in the Palisades have one of the prettiest tennis facilities around, but then again they’re probably playing at the private Riviera Country Club, which frees up these courts. The chain-link fence surrounding them is painted green, all the better to view the hillside and the greensward that doubles as a dog run (Weimaraners, Bernese mountain dogs, wheaten terriers -- they’re all here, treeing squirrels). High school boys bash balls at each other on the next court, while 50-ish men wearing neoprene knee supports play doubles on another. The courts could be swept more often (watch out for pine needles on No. 4), but the pro shop will let you “demo” a racket for free, the sea breeze is cooling and the bathrooms have soap and paper towels.

Court fee: $8 an hour. Outdoor lights. Group lessons, about $370 for 14 once-a-week, 90-minute classes.

Rancho Cienega Sports Center (a.k.a. Arthur Ashe Tennis Center), 5001 Rodeo Road, Los Angeles; (323) 299-4631.

The head coach here and his brother gave tennis lessons, back in their days at Southwest College, to Richard Williams, and we all know whom he taught: daughters Venus and Serena. The 12 courts at this Baldwin Hills facility attract adults in the morning, when there’s no wait for a court, but after school the place is packed with kids. Fortunately, there are bleachers if you just want to look at the local talent -- or listen to tennis being properly taught, as 7-year-old girls sing out, “Forty-love, first serve!”

Court fee: Free. Outdoor lights. Group lessons, $80 for 8 weeks. Private lessons, $44 an hour.

Echo Park Recreation Center, 1632 Bellevue Ave., Los Angeles; (213) 250-3578.

On a busy intersection at the edge of Filipinotown, these are among the oldest courts in L.A., built in the early 1920s. They must have been picturesque then, before the 101 Freeway came along (it looms overhead behind squat palm trees). But these six courts are filled on weekday afternoons with recreational hitters in sweatpants and tank tops. A colorful hand-lettered sign announces an “Echo Park Tennis Club Tennis Tournament, $10 each,” one of those no-pressure, just-show-up kind of things (the best kind).

Court fee: Free. Outdoor lights.

Balboa Tennis Center, 17015 Burbank Blvd., Encino; (818) 995-6570.

With its 16 well-lighted courts, this is one of the best parks for night play, because you can see the ball without squinting -- not the case at most places, where the lamps lack amps. It also feels relatively safe after dark, with plenty of runners and cyclists, baseball and soccer games, and dog-training classes just north of the courts. The city keeps them in good shape, washing them clean of dirt and grit once a month (so there’s less stuff to slip on). They were resurfaced in the last year, so the balls bounce true and don’t skid. In the heat of the Valley, courts are busiest in the early morning (starting at 8) and after 6 at night. The windscreens mean you can only hear (and not see) the games of the hard-hitting Russians and others who play here (good for them, not for us spectators). But you can definitely hear the hum of traffic from the boulevard.

Court fee: $8 an hour. Outdoor lights. Group lessons, $25 a class ($20 each for four classes).

La Cienega Tennis Center, 325 S. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 550-4765.

Talk about a great use of space: These 16 tennis courts are on the roof of a public parking garage (which means your car will never be broiling after the game). There’s a pro shop where you can buy cold drinks and try out new rackets ($5 for top-of-the-line models, $2 for the rest), a locker room with a shower, a ball machine you can rent on center court ($8) and a friendly staff. It’s a clean, well-lighted place that’s busy on weekday mornings and evenings and booked solid on weekends until noon. And we mean solid: Witness the Sunday morning when two women, overstaying the court we’d paid for, offered to buy the time out from under us. Gee, no thanks.

Court fee: $5.50 residents, $7.75 nonresidents (7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays); $6.50 residents, $9 nonresidents (weeknights and weekends). Outdoor lights. Annual Leisure Services Card required ($5.75 residents, $13.25 nonresidents). Group lessons, $180 for 15 classes (residents); $210 (nonresidents). Private lessons, $65 to $80 an hour depending on the pro.

Studio City Golf and Tennis, 4141 Whitsett Ave., Studio City; (818) 769-5263.

You can tell by the way the players are dressed (pressed shorts on the men, snappy skirts on the women) that this place bridges the gap between country club and park. It’s a privately owned facility with no membership fee and 20 sparkling courts (with cut corners, so the balls ricochet back instead of collecting). High green wind-screened fences are the tennis equivalent of an English topiary maze, but players waiting outside their courts can point you to yours. This place bustles with tennis teachers, students from Buckley and Harvard-Westlake schools during the day, and adults who love the “Mixed Doubles Drop In Nights Mondays and Fridays.”

Court fee: $7 an hour weekdays; $12 an hour weeknights; $14 an hour 9 a.m. to noon weekends. Outdoor lights. Refundable reservation deposit: $14 an hour. Group lessons, $50 for four classes. Private lesson: $55 an hour.

Old Ranch Tennis Club, 3900 Lampson Ave., Seal Beach; (562) 598-8624 or (714) 842-1376.

Orange County is about to become the envy of L.A. with the transfer of this private club into public hands. In a quid pro quo for the right to develop elsewhere in Seal Beach, the Bixby Ranch Co. will grant the property to the city on Sept. 22. With a clubhouse, snack bar, pro shop, high-quality courts and pink and white oleander landscaping, “it’s a jewel,” says Ray Ybaben, a member of the City Council. “Fees will be priced in line with the existing public courts in the area. And of course it will be open to everyone, not just Seal Beach residents,” he says. Once the city finishes the required safety and disability upgrades, the courts should open to the public in January. (Hint: The northern courts are quieter than the southern ones, in the shadow of the 405 Freeway.)

Arroyo Seco Park, 5566 Via Marisol, South Pasadena.

Right off the Pasadena Freeway in a vast sycamore grove of a park, these 11 courts get our vote for most scenic. The six northernmost attract beginners and intermediates, while the five others, near the park entrance, serve as an ad-hoc club for local hitters -- doctors, lawyers, brokers, a policeman, and teachers who start arriving after work on Tuesdays and Thursdays and also play on weekend afternoons. They welcome all comers, though, so just hang out and let them know you’re waiting. (Then they’ll limit themselves to one set.) But the big draw here is the landscape, not the conditions. If a lightbulb burns out on a court, it can take weeks to be replaced. As for dirt removal: Fortunately, some of the retirees who play on weekday mornings from 8 to 10 bring their own blowers.

Court fee: Free. Outdoor lights.

Peck Park Community Center, 560 N. Western Ave., San Pedro; (310) 548-7580.

“Cheapest place to learn tennis in the Southland” doesn’t do this park justice, since its rolling hills and stately old pepper trees would be reason enough to play here. But group lessons on one of the six courts cost only $30 for 10 classes, taught by head pro Jerry King. (He also leads free tennis clinics for children younger than 16 on Fridays, 4 to 6 p.m.)

Seasoned players pack the four upper courts on weekend mornings, chatting on benches while waiting for sets to end. But they’re friendly: One Ted Turner look-alike asked us if we wanted to join them (we were just enjoying the view of two tanned and shirtless guys on the next court). Like most public courts, they’re not washed often enough, but one man who plays on weekday mornings has been known to hose ‘em down himself.

Court fee: Free. Outdoor lights. Group lessons, $30 for 10 classes.

Live Oak Park, 1901 Valley Drive, Manhattan Beach; (310) 545-0888.

A lot of superlatives apply to these six courts, including cleanest (they’re washed weekly) and most civilized, with chimes at the top of the hour reminding you to “please release your courts.”

But the atmosphere isn’t formal; this is still the laid-back South Bay. Umbrellas on four round tables shade you while you wait, staffers smile (we would too if we worked here), and no one curses at bad shots. (That’s good, because there’s a children’s playground next to Court 5 and a batting cage on the other side at Dorsey Field).

Saturday and Sunday mornings are busiest, no surprise. The pro shop is stocked with fliers for lessons offered by the city or by private instructors, like this intensive course: “For Women Only. Tennis. Learn in One Week. Honor Yourself.”

Court fee: Residents, $4 an hour (7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays); $5 an hour (5 to 10 p.m. weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays). Nonresidents, $6 an hour all times. Reservation ID card: $5 (residents only). Outdoor lights. Group lessons, $44 for eight classes. Private lessons, about $50 an hour, based on instructor.

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No partner?

Who needs a tennis partner when you have a backboard?

“Hitting against a wall helps improve reaction time, since the ball returns faster than when rallying with a partner,” says Rob Myers, head pro at Rustic Canyon Recreation Center.

But a good hitting wall is hard to find. Consider yourself lucky if you live near any of these:

Balboa Tennis Center, 17015 Burbank Blvd., Encino; (818) 995-6570). The best wall in town, this former handball court has about 400 feet of hitting space. What’s hard is finding it, not near the tennis courts but northwest of the gym.

Riverside/Griffith Park Tennis Courts, 3401 Riverside Drive; (323) 662-7772. The backboard is on Court 11, but as is usual with pay-for-play facilities, if the court isn’t booked you can swat balls against the wall for free.

Stoner Recreation Center, 1835 Stoner Ave., Los Angeles; (310) 479-7200. This former handball court is just east of the teaching court and in full view of the residential neighborhood surrounding this sweet little park.

Rancho Cienega/Arthur Ashe Tennis Center, 5001 Rodeo Road, L.A.; (323) 299-4631. A traditional green-wood backboard north of the courts can accommodate four hitters, two to a side, with a view of the Dorsey High playing field.