Tennis courts

To rent or buy?

Best deal for tennis is the outdoor public courts: cheap permits, long season. CPW and Columbus Ave. in the 90s offer easy access to the Central Park courts, plus a ten-minute commute to midtown on the B/C trains. The CP courts draw big crowds, so you might consider WEA/RSD in the 90s, where you're close to the soft clay courts in Riverside Park, and an easy walk to the 1/2/3 trains.

Your friend could have been referring to Manhattan Plaza, at 45th and 10th. There are also private courts in Chelsea. Roosevelt Island and LIC are worth considering, if year-round tennis is a must.

Lots of communities in Southern Westchester and Northern Jersey have courts, if you're really indifferent to location.

If you're truly "agnostic" to neighborhood, West Harlem for Riverbank State Park's four courts (outdoor only). I think they're free.