Beloved by a wide range of people, from ancient French monks and English Kings to Justin Timberlake, tennis is one of my favorite pastimes.

I love that it connects me to the best memories of my childhood: the satisfaction of moving with speed and precision, the gritty pleasure of wearing myself out in the pursuit of a singular goal, and the joyful camaraderie of being part of a team.

I also appreciate that tennis requires minimal equipment and checks several boxes on my happiness list: it’s social, endlessly physically challenging, and (most of the time) fun! It’s also a form of mindfulness practice: to play well, I must be alert yet relaxed, acutely focused on the ball and other players while keeping my body loose and nimble.

So, in homage to the game I adore, and just in time for Zendaya’s new movie, Challengers, I’ve gathered tennis-themed books, movies, gift ideas, and more below.

Whether you’re a tennis aficionado, know someone who is, or are looking for “tenniscore” summer outfit inspiration, there’s something for you!

Memoir & Essays

Late To The Ball: by New Yorker and New York Times journalist, Gerald Marzorati, this memoir details his attempt - aged 60 - to become a seriously good tennis player. As a reader you vicariously experience, and can draw inspiration from, the difficulties, frustrations, and triumphs of his quest.
Open: Andre Agassi's excellent memoir about growing up as a tennis star and his difficult and ambivalent feelings about everything from his childhood, marriage to Brooke Shields, and life beyond center court.
String Theory: David Foster Wallace’s collected essays on tennis, a game he played competitively as a junior, including his 2006 homage to the beauty and grace of an all-time-great, Roger Federer as Religious Experience.

How To

Winning Ugly: Brad Gilbert’s indispensable guide to making the most of your game while exploiting your opponent’s weaknesses draws on lessons learned from his professional career. I’ve read this book so many times - and listened to Gilbert’s commentary at professional tournaments - I often hear his voice when I’m playing, telling me not to skip his “microwave warm-up” and making sure I pay attention to the all-important “point before the point.” Fun facts: Gilbert is currently Coco Gauff’s trainer and taught Zendaya to play tennis for her role in Challengers.
The Inner Game of Tennis: famously one of Bill Gates’ favorite books, the Inner Game is ostensibly about achieving peak athletic performance, but author W. Timothy Gallwey’s advice and techniques for quieting your inner critic and achieving relaxed concentration apply to every aspect of life.

Fiction

Apples Never Fall: Liane Moriarty’s thriller/family saga featuring the Delaney’s, stalwarts of their community who have just retired as owners of a successful tennis club and coaching program. What happened to Joy Delaney, and did her husband Stan - or one of her four children - have something to do with it?

Battle of the Sexes: my favorite tennis-themed movie is set during the lead-up to the infamous 1973 Bobby Riggs vs. Billie Jean King match. It’s astonishing, maddening - and ultimately inspiring - watching King (played by Emma Stone) and her fellow female tennis players working to further the standing - and pay - of professional women’s tennis; and of course, beating the big-mouthed sexist Riggs (played by Steve Carell) on the court.
King Richard is the incredible true-life story of tennis prodigies Venus and Serena Williams, their father’s extreme determination, and the sacrifices made by their entire family.
Match Point: this dark psychological thriller, starring Scarlett Johanssen and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, follows an ambitious former tennis pro who marries into a wealthy family, then becomes entangled in an affair that quickly becomes dangerous…
Wimbledon: an adorable Kristen Dunst plays a young American tennis pro falling for a washed-up former British champion (Paul Bettany) during his last-gasp attempt to win Wimbledon in this early 2,000’s romcom.
Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker is a riveting documentary that follows the rise and fall of the German superstar who was jailed in 2022 for financial fraud. Becker speaks candidly about everything from his tennis wins, losses, and rivalries, to his questionable financial and relationship decisions.
Break Point is a 2023 documentary showcasing the stars of today’s professional tennis tour. It’s an eye-opening look at what it’s really like to be a pro, from their romantic relationships, punishing physical regimens, peripatetic lifestyles, and the sheer amount of losing they contend with. It made me feel very satisfied with my lot as a casual player…
7 Days in Hell is a delightfully silly mockumentary inspired by the longest tennis match in history between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in 2010. In this version, Andy Samberg and Kit Harrington play the tennis pros in an oddball plot that includes the Queen of England, a female streaker, and Engelbert Humperdinck. There are plenty of cameos by real players and commentators, and the trailer alone cracks me up.
Red Oaks is a comedy-drama TV series set at a fictional New Jersey country club in the 1980s. The costumes and 80s references are amazing, and this show will delight anyone who loves a coming-of-age story…
Apples Never Fall is the TV version of Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel, mentioned above. Set in Florida, not Australia, and starring an excellent Annette Bening as the missing matriarch, there’s plenty of intrigue - and tennis drama - as the Delaney family’s secrets are gradually brought to light.