Okay so here’s the deal – I kept getting stuck waiting for courts at Hunts Point last month. Like seriously, drove me nuts showing up ready to whack some balls just to see six people already lined up. Decided enough was enough, needed to crack the code on quiet times.
The Plan & First Few Tries
Grabbed my phone calendar last Tuesday morning and went full detective mode. Started hitting the courts at random times over two weeks – before work, lunch breaks, weekends, you name it. First few attempts were brutal:
- 7:30 AM Tuesday: Expected empty courts since most folks are asleep right? Wrong. Three retired dudes already doing warmups near Court 3. Barely squeezed in 20 minutes before work.
- Noon Thursday: Figured people are at lunch or working. Nope. High school kids swarming everywhere after early dismissal. Waited 35 minutes just to share a court.
- Saturday 10 AM: Absolute zoo. Every court packed with doubles matches and kids taking lessons near the fence. Packed up my racquet after five minutes of scouting.
The Turning Point
Changed tactics Friday – went straight from work at 3:45 PM. Bingo! Only two courts being used by tennis moms with strollers parked courtside. Snagged Court 5 immediately and played for 90 solid minutes. Saw the crowd start trickling in around 5:15 when office folks showed up.
Confirming Patterns
Next week I tested that sweet spot repeatedly:
- Monday 4 PM: Three open courts
- Wednesday 3:30 PM: Four open courts
- Friday 4:15 PM: Two open courts
Meanwhile checked weekend afternoons just to be sure – still chaos before 2 PM.
Why This Works
Makes total sense now. Before 4 PM on weekdays you’ve got retirees and homeschool kids dominating. After 5 PM it’s post-work rush hour. But that magic window? School’s still in, offices aren’t closed yet, and lunch players already left. Just don’t push past 4:30 or you’ll hit the after-work tsunami.
Final tip from me – don’t even bother looking at court lights after dark. Every time I swing by around 7 PM it’s packed tighter than a subway at rush hour. Now I stash protein bars in my tennis bag and head straight there after clocking out.