Like many other sports, tennis has significantly influenced the world of film – and some of the best directors in that field have made movies on the sport. There have of course been iconic films – like Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train – that feature tennis players prominently, but this list centers on films that are explicitly about the sport.
In no particular order, here are our picks for five you should watch.
#5 The Journeymen
A documentary, this film traces the story of two American journeyman players – Mark Keill and Geoff Grant. The term journeyman refers to a player who makes a career of playing tennis, but never hits the big time, or is not exceptional.
The two players in question, both now retired, see their struggles on the Tour, and survival, encapsuled in this film – which features some tennis heavyweights – among them No. 1 Andre Agassi, Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic and Pat Rafter. The three icons are interviewed as part of the documentary,
The seniors are refreshingly honest, open, and friendly with both Keill and Grant, shattering some many well-believed myths on the egotism of top tennis players.
This one’s a great look into what it’s like for the vast majority of players who get into tennis – while the top 10 to 20 players of every generation are the ones who invariably stand out.
# 4 Borg vs McEnroe (yet to be released)
This one comes out in late 2017. What we know so far is that Marmite actor Shia LaBoeuf, who finds himself at opposite ends of the like-and-dislike spectrum, will be playing John McEnroe.
I can, and am being, serious.
Swedish actor Sverrir Gudnason, who acted in the second series of TV detective Wallander, plays Borg.
As expected, the film will focus on the pair’s iconic rivalry, considered among the best in tennis. The pair faced each other 14 times on the ATP World Tour, with each taking 7 wins. Equally matched in terms of skill, the players met largely at finals, but interestingly never faced each other on clay.
Four of those 14 meetings were at Grand Slam finals, with McEnroe winning 3 and Borg, 1.
The two had famously polar personalities, although both were popular with fans. Borg, always cool and collected, was in stark contrast to the fiery McEnroe, who was very prone to outbursts and serious anger.
It was Borg’s only Majors win over McEnroe – at Wimbledon 1980, that is regarded as one of the greatest Slam finals of all time. That match had been so closely contested that the pair’s fourth set tie-break lasted 20 minutes, with McEnroe winning it 18-16 – and still eventually losing the match in the fifth set.
The rivalry thawed into a friendship in later years.
Despite Borg retiring at only 26 from burnout, it was McEnroe who persuaded the Swede to buy out his Wimbledon medals, which had been due to be auctioned, and the pair are said to talk even today.
Although there may not be a very obvious physical resemblance between McEnroe and LaBoeuf, the two share identical hairstyles – and prosthetics and makeup can work wonders. Temperamentally, though, this looks like it’ll be a great fit – both are angry, believe they are ‘misunderstood’, and known for a very specific persona.
It was LaBoeuf who says something in him ‘resonated’ with McEnroe.
Seeing this iconic rivalry on screen should be entertaining – and the pictures already look convincing. This might be an interesting watch.
#3 Battle of the Sexes
What’s the trend with tennis films and very obvious titles? This one is about, obviously, the iconic Battle of the Sexes – the 1973 showdown between former No. 1 Billie Jean King and misogynistic male professional Bobby Riggs, who said on multiple occasions that no woman would be able to defeat him on the court.
Billie Jean King, who founded the WTA, took him up on the challenge – with $100,000 at stake.
The first of those matches was not short on drama. Riggs wore flashy, loud sponsor-funded jackets, and King, dressed as Cleopatra, was brought in by four men dressed in Egyptian costume on a gold-coloured palanquin.
King won the match 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
This movie has a great star cast, too. Oscar-nominated La La Land star Emma Stone and Oscar winner, although perhaps more universally known as Michael Scott from the Office, Steve Carrell, will play King and Riggs respectively.
With a star cast like that and one of tennis’ most epic stories, we’re looking forward to see how this will be.
PS – Stone looks like a dead ringer for King with a little help from the makeup department!
#2 Venus and Serena
This one’s not a film so much as it is a documentary. 2012’s Venus vs Serena offers a look into the lives of two of the best players of our generation, and perhaps of all time. An off-the-cuff, yet ‘officially sanctioend’ biopic, it touches upon not only the sisters but their tennis-coach parents, Richard Williams and Oracene Price.
Unlike many others sports documentaries, this one is not overtly sanitized, and also features Richard Williams’ new partner and daughter.
It follows the sisters’ entire career trajectory, from childhood tennis prodigies to young adults struggling through a multitude of issues they faced growing up.
Charting their highs and lows, it sees Venus’ earliest injury struggles – and Serena's career lows.
Not so much a film, arguably, as it is a highlight reel of the Williams’ best – and some of their lowest – moments until 2012, the documentary is an interesting compilation of Serena and Venus’ brightest moments.
#1 Little Mo
Before there was such a thing as an ‘Open Era’ and all the records that came with it, was a young American player called Maureen Connolly, raised by a single mother in San Diego, California.
One of the best in the sport, Connolly took up tennis because learning horseback riding was not financially viable for her mother. At only 10 years old, Connolly was scouted and trained – and in only a couple of years, became one of the best baseline specialists experts had seen in some time.
At only 14, Connolly went on a 56-match winning streak, winning the under-18 US Tennis Championships the following year. To say she was a prodigy would be an understatement, although her beginnings with tennis were not as ‘obvious’ as is the case with many other players.
The next year, she became the youngest player to win the erstwhile version of the US Open, and subsequently hired the services of tennis icon Harry Hopman – for whom the Hopman Cup is named – as her coach in 1953.
That would prove to be one of the best decisions Connolly ever took. She went on to win what was known as a Grand Slam – that is, winning all four Majors in a calendar year, the first woman and only second player to achieve the feat.
Having intended to go pro in 1954, Connolly was thwarted by ill luck, thrown from a horse she had been riding. Her tennis career ended when she was only 19.
Her career thwarted in its immensely successful infancy, Connolly was still involved post retirement in tennis coverage and coaching, and worked extensively with her husband, an Olympic equestrian, on promoting junior tennis.
But once again, life had different plans. Connolly was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1966, and after a three-year battle with the disease, passed away in 1969.
Her real life, filled with so many drastic highs and lows, was the stuff of film all on its own – and it was portrayed in Little Mo, with TV actress Glynnis O’Connor portraying the title role.
This is an extremely touching watch, and an insight into the life of a player who was immensely successful but dogged by tragedy for most of her life before an untimely death.
