Yahoo Lifestyle The 20 Best Tennis Movies to Watch Now
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It's been a summer of exciting tennis news, from Carlos Alcaraz's Wimbledon victory to Serena Williams giving birth to her second child. Now, as the U.S. Open takes place, even more fans are falling for the sport. So if you have already binge-watched Break Point, Netflix's tennis docuseries and but are looking for some fictional tennis stories, why not watch a tennis movie? From documentaries about Andy Murray and John McEnroe, to romantic comedies and dramas starring the likes of Will Smith, Kirsten Dunst, and Emma Stone, here are our favorite 20 tennis movies to watch right now. (And if you're looking for tennis books to read, we have you covered, too.)
King Richard
This biopic follows Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena, and both Williams sisters were involved in the making of the film. "People have gotten the story wrong, or media have portrayed my dad in an untruthful light. We want to get this story right," Serena told Forbes. Will Smith portrayed Richard, in a role that won him an Oscar.
Battle of the Sexes
On September 20, 1973, Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King played in what is now known as the "Battle of the Sexes." This film portays what happened leading up to the match, and the aftermath, starring Emma Stone as King and Steve Carrell as Riggs.
Borg vs. McEnroe
One of the most famous rivalries in tennis in the last few decades was between Björn Borg and John McEnroe. This film, starring Sverrir Gundason as Borg and Shia LaBeouf as McEnroe, focuses in on the 1980 Wimbledon finals.
Wimbledon
Wimbledon, a 2004 romantic comedy, stars Paul Bettany as a Peter, a fading tennis star, and Kirsten Dunst as Lizzie, a young up-and-coming player. It's a charming, heartwarming tennis romance.
Citizen Ashe
Arthur Ashe was more than just a tennis player—and Citizen Ashe follows his personal evolution from history-making athlete to global activist.
Strangers on a Train
Alfred Hitchcock's 1951 film isn't exactly a tennis film, but one of the main characters is a tennis player, so we're counting it. Two strangers—Guy, a tennis player, and Bruno, a psychopath—meet on a train and "swap murders." Plus, a tennis match features in the movie!
Strokes of Genius
Strokes of Genius follows the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and centers on the 2008 Wimbledon championships. (It was released on the 10th anniversary of the match.)
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis
Released in Italian as Il giardino dei Finzi Contini, this historical drama follows the Finzi-Continis, an Italian Jewish family in the 1930s. After Jews are banned from the local tennis club, the family allows their friends to use their courts. It's not really about tennis, and more about antisemitism in Italy during the fascist era—but a moving, powerful movie. It won Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 1972.
Seven Days in Hell
Seven Days in Hell is a silly sports mockumentary, a parody of the John Isner/Nicolas Mahut match at Wimbledon in 2010 (which lasted for 11 hours and five minutes over three days). Starring Andy Samberg and Kit Harrington, it traces "the longest match in history." It's filled with cameos of real tennis players and honestly, it's a blast.
Match Point
This thriller is less about tennis and more about infidelity but the main character, Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is a retired tennis pro who marries into a wealthy family and has an affair with his brother-in-law's fiancée, Nola (Scarlett Johansson).
The Royal Tenenbaums
Another tennis-adjacent film is Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums, where Luke Wilson plays Richie Tenenbaum, a tennis prodigy who loves his adopted sister Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow).
Final Set
Final Set, a 2020 French sports drama, follows the story of Thomas (Alex Lutz), a former tennis prodigy, who decides to compete at the qualifying rounds of the French Open one last time.
Break Point
Break Point, a 2014 comedy, features Jeremy Sisto and David Walton as estranged brothers and doubles partners who try to play at a grand slam one more time.
Love Means Zero
Tennis coach Nick Bollettieri is the subject of Love Means Zero, a fascinating documentary about the price of winning. As Showtime notes, "No other coach has matched his success, his dominance or his fame. His greatness, though, came at a terrible price - broken marriages, financial ruin and a fractured relationship with his surrogate son and most cherished student, Andre Agassi."
The Witches of Eastwick
When you think "tennis movie," we doubt you think Witches of Eastwick, but hear us out, because the tennis scene from the 1987 film is so iconic and pivotal it had to be included.
Andy Murray: Resurfacing
This documentary follows Andy Murray's journey through his injuries and chronic pain and attempts to play tennis again. It's really all-access to Murray, and follows him in hospitals and rehab and training.
Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday
Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, released as Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday in the U.S., is a 1953 French film that features the bumbling adventures of Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati), who vacations at a French beachside hotel, causing chaos in his wake. The tennis scene is a classic.
The Squid and the Whale
Director Noah Baumbach's breakout film follows two boys dealing with their parents' divorce. The very first scene features the family playing tennis, and their mom, Joan, begins dating their tennis instructor. While ultimately more family drama than tennis movie, still worth a watch.
McEnroe
John McEnroe's career is traced in this 2022 documentary, which features interviews with Patty Smyth, Keith Richards, Billie Jean King, Björn Borg, and more. McEnroe was also filmed and interviewed for the documentary, where he wrestles with his "bad boy" legacy.
Challengers
OK, Challengers isn't out yet (it was pushed to a spring 2024 release date due to the SAG-AFTRA strike), but we're so excited fort his tennis drama starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor.
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