Nick Pachelli was raised on dry, hot tennis courts in the American Southwest, and has had a racquet in his hand since age six. He played the junior circuit in almost every state across the west and attended tennis academies in Florida and California before stopping short of a college tennis career due to injury. He eventually returned and now plays adult tournaments worldwide, mostly on the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Association World Tour. Since 2017 he's written profiles and features on tennis for the New York Times, Esquire, the Guardian, Vice, and ESPN, among other outlets.