Tennis has always been more than a game.
It’s rhythm and instinct, tradition and rebellion.
It’s the quiet pause before a serve,
the snap of strings meeting the ball,
and the confidence to carve your own path.
In Milan, that spirit found new ground.
A Court Rises in Milan
While Milan Fashion Week pulsed across the city, we stepped into something different. SEASE turned the piazza at Portrait Milano into an exclusive tennis club in the heart of the city, choosing this stage to unveil their Tennis_Kit, a collection blending Italian tailoring with athletic performance.
Broken Rackets shaped the event alongside SEASE, curating and managing all on-court activities. From inviting a global network of players and coaches, to producing dynamic visual content for SEASE’s digital channels, we helped bring the energy and experience to life.
We also showcased our recently released Paradise Courts book throughout the weekend, now available at the renowned Antonia store, which reminded visitors that tennis travel can be as much about style and storytelling as the game itself.
For three days, matches, lessons, drinks, and conversations played out on a court paved with interlocking tiles in a deep Pantone clay red. Over those days, we watched strangers connect and saw tennis find its place in Milan’s cultural conversation.
Saturday Strings and Sunshine
By Saturday afternoon, the piazza burst with energy. Guests arrived from places like Los Angeles, Mallorca, New York, and Paris. Sunset Tennis Club brought a taste of California, setting up rounds of King of the Court doubles that filled the courtyard with fun competition and daring shots.
Our friend Polina Radeva, head coach from the Rafa Nadal Academy, stepped out courtside with focused purpose. Her coaching mixed technical precision with easy warmth, earning immediate respect from everyone watching.
Near the court, cameras clicked as journalists angled for glimpses of the Tennis_Kit. Fabrics caught the sunlight, their textures vivid against the red court. We moved through conversations, connecting friends and soaking it all in.
As evening settled in, aperitivo hour arrived. Glasses of prosecco shone under café lights while the air held the scent of warm stone and hints of green from nearby gardens. People traded stories about tennis and fashion, eager to learn about the craftsmanship woven into SEASE’s designs. The sun dropped behind the rooftops, and lanterns bathed the court in light.
Sunday Rallies and Candlelight
Sunday dawned under an open sky. Franco Loro Piana, who founded SEASE along with his brother Giacomo, took the court with steady confidence. Between points, he shared, “SEASE celebrates the passion for tennis, a sport recognized for its elegance and tradition.” His presence reflected the weekend’s purpose.
Nearby, some guests slipped into Portrait’s Longevity Spa, drawn to the stillness beneath high arches and the soft shimmer of water in the indoor pool. For a time, Milan’s fast pace seemed miles away.
By afternoon, our friend Julien Evrard arrived to lead both private and group sessions on court. His coaching mixed humor and sharp insight, guiding both beginners and seasoned players into longer rallies and unexpected winners.
As evening deepened, the court transformed once more. Tables dressed in white linen appeared where rallies had just played out. Candles flickered while a jazz pianist played, and endless plates of focaccia, mondeghili (Milanese meatballs), and Portrait's signature white pasta arrived one after another. Dessert came shaped like tennis balls, each one a playful nod to the weekend’s theme.
Around those tables, conversations grew richer. People who had arrived as strangers were soon exchanging numbers and planning matches in other cities. A new community formed right there among plates and rackets.
Monday Aces and Farewells
Monday began with sunlight filling the piazza. The court eased into the day with private hits and measured rallies. Soon, anticipation built for the mini SEASE Cup. Friends paired off for mixed doubles, matches brimming with playful taunts and sudden cheers echoing off the piazza’s stone walls.
Later, Feliciano Lopez and Robi Marcora stepped onto the court. Feliciano’s serve moved through the warm air with practiced ease. Earlier, he said, “naturally, I have this ability to serve and to copy and to imitate all the players that I consider that they have good serve. I remember watching players when I was a kid and I was trying to replicate that motion, that swing.”
Each rally felt like a conversation between two players who spoke the same language. When the exhibition ended, applause once again rolled through the piazza. Feliciano and Robi met at the net, smiles broad, shaking hands as if they’d shared a secret performance.
As the final balls fell silent, the scene shifted into one last cocktail hour. Glasses sparkled under lights, words moved between languages, and more tennis-inspired desserts arrived. By then, fashion insiders and tennis fans blended into a single crowd, reluctant for the night to end.
Threads Woven With Purpose
Throughout the weekend, the SEASE Tennis_Kit stood out without needing to shout for attention. Merino wool, hemp, and linen offered comfort and function while looking sharp enough for a table set under candlelight.
The Pro look found its inspiration in fast hard courts, with shades of grey and flashes of Solaro fabric paired with a reversible pinstripe vest. The Club collection drew from British grass courts, showing a crisp white palette, Ellen collar polos, cable-knit vests, tailored hemp shorts with built-in belts and relaxed blazers. For women, it included a sleeveless polo minidress and a hybrid jacket blending hemp and Solaro.
The Resort look drew from clay courts and coastal escapes, adding turquoise seersucker and linen-cotton jerseys that fit equally well beside the pool or on the baseline. Accessories finished the story, from refined tennis bags to caps and towels crafted with the same attention to detail.
Throughout the weekend, the Tennis_Kit proved that elegance and performance can share the same court and belong at the same table.
Where the Game Finds Its Soul
For three days, tennis found a new home in Milan. It stepped beyond the usual lines and into a city that breathes art, fashion, and fresh ideas.
We left Portrait Milano thinking less about scores and more about stories. About serves that became signatures. About fabrics cut for both power and elegance. About strangers pulled together by a love for what happens on and around a court.
At Broken Rackets, we believe tennis deserves to disrupt the ordinary. We live for moments when the sport dares to mix tradition with rebellion, when it claims a place in culture, style, and conversation. Our partnership with SEASE proved that even in the heart of fashion week, tennis can hold its own as high culture. The court may be gone, but its mark on Milan remains.
