Life — September 17, 1925 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This September 17, 1925 *Life* cover satirizes tennis culture and romance. The illustration shows a young couple at what appears to be a tennis match—she holds a tennis racket and wears 1920s attire with a headband, he wears a striped blazer. They're kissing while spectators watch from the stands behind them. The caption reads "Net Profit," a pun combining tennis terminology ("net") with financial gain. The joke suggests that the real "profit" or benefit of attending tennis matches isn't the sport itself, but romantic opportunities—the couple has capitalized on the social setting by finding each other. This reflects 1920s leisure culture and courtship practices among the affluent.