Pushing himself to new limits: FutureMap's Parag Khanna

JUST over a year ago - after a few days per week overseas was replaced by a few webinars per day - a friend WhatsApp'd to say, "This must be your dream come true: You get to be everywhere at once!" True - though while we've been online everywhere, there's no better place to have been riding out the pandemic than right here at home.

Singapore ranks in the top tier of any index of livability, but here's the metric most studies miss: tennis courts per capita. I've been a tennis fanatic since I was about four years old. Ayesha says tennis is "the other woman" in our marriage. At least my vices are sporty!

During my weekly pilgrimage up to Turf City, local legend Roy Hobbs drills me until I melt into a puddle in the roasting heat, as does another Davis Cup veteran, Kunal Pawa, at the Singapore Swimming Club. For the past decade I've never been in the country consistently enough to compete in one of the seasonal Singapore Open tournaments. Now I'm gearing up for the next one - whenever that is.