Best public tennis courts

Playing tennis on Boston Common (near the junction of Boylston and Tremont Streets) is as close as you can get to experiencing the thrill of Wimbledon competition: the crowds in the park nearly outnumber the spectators at a grand slam, the guy carrying the JESUS OR HELL? sign regularly cries "Fault!" through his megaphone, and a pigeon is just as likely to shit on you as those unforgiving commentators would if you were on TV. Sound like fun? It is, but what makes these courts the best, clearly, is their proximity to the delicious fare in Chinatown and the shops at Downtown Crossing, which are excellent postgame destinations -- unless you'd prefer a shower first. Try persuading the concierge at the Four Seasons to take you in, but don't expect top-seed treatment unless your credit card says "Monica Seles."