The magnificent scene we witnessed during Filipino tennis player Alex Eala’s recent Wimbledon match, where she managed to hit a return from the ground after briefly slipping, felt like something straight out of a movie.
Cinematic as it was, making an actual movie about tennis is no easy feat. Capturing the sport’s fast-paced intensity requires spontaneity, something a live sports broadcast naturally has but a feature-length narrative film doesn’t.
But not everyone who watches these films is necessarily a tennis fan. While the matches may be the selling point, audiences stay for the characters whose motivations and journeys leading up to the match feel like an adventure worth investing in, as if they too, were spectators in the stands.
These five films capture what makes tennis such a compelling sport to watch, where the drama of every match is elevated by the stories behind the players who step onto the court.
Battle of the Sexes
This 2017 sports biographical film shows how tennis in the 1970s was a man’s world — and a straight man’s world at that.
“Battle of the Sexes” dramatizes the historic match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, played by Emma Stone and Steve Carell, respectively, as they clash after Riggs insists that “women belong in the bedroom and in the kitchen, in that order,” despite King’s accomplishments in tennis. Their match becomes a literal battle against sexism.
The film also explores their lives off the court, with King coming to terms with her sexuality as a lesbian while Riggs struggles with a gambling addiction.
Critics praised the film for turning the historic match into a crowd-pleasing spectacle while delivering an effective social commentary on how far women have come in tennis since King’s prime. The performances of Stone and Carell also received widespread acclaim.
Challengers
At first glance, Luca Guadagnino’s sports drama may seem like a steamy choice for this list because of its much-talked-about three-way kissing scene between Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist. But “Challengers” is far more than that.Presented in a nonchronological narrative, the fictional film follows the complicated relationship among Tashi, Patrick, and Art as they pursue their respective tennis careers. Through extended flashbacks, the story builds toward the day Patrick and Art, whose friendship ended on a bitter note, face each other in a Challenger tournament while Tashi, whose career was cut short by a knee injury, watches from the stands, managing Art’s tennis career.
With Guadagnino’s assured direction and Justin Kuritzkes’ smart screenplay, the film seamlessly blends romance, sports, drama, and psychological tension.
The characters’ emotional conflicts become inseparable from the match unfolding on the court, reinforcing the idea that tennis, much like love, demands passion. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ electronic-driven score only heightens that intensity.
King Richard
This 2021 biopic is overshadowed by the controversy surrounding its star, Will Smith, who infamously slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars moments before winning Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams.
Controversy aside, “King Richard” deserves recognition for chronicling the origins of two of the greatest players in tennis history on the big screen and the unwavering determination of their father, who envisioned their path to greatness. Smith stars alongside Demi Singleton as Serena and Saniyya Sidney as Venus.
The screenplay by Zach Baylin earned widespread praise, as did the performances of Smith, Singleton, and Sidney. Serena and Venus themselves served as executive producers after watching an early cut of the film, lending their approval to the project before its release.
7 Days in Hell
For a more comedic entry, “7 Days in Hell” stars Andy Samberg and Kit Harington as rival tennis players who make history by playing the longest tennis match ever that lasts seven days straight.
In keeping with the network that aired it, the film is presented as an HBO mockumentary featuring faux BBC footage, with its convincing documentary style making the premise even funnier.
Critics praised the film’s delightfully absurd humor, while Samberg and Harington earned praise for their comedic performances. The film plays to Samberg’s comedic strengths while giving Harington the chance to showcase a lighter, more playful side than audiences were used to seeing from him as Jon Snow in “Game of Thrones.”
Wimbledon
No list of tennis movies would feel complete without a film named after one of tennis’ four Grand Slam tournaments, as this 2004 romantic comedy stars Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany as Lizzie Bradbury and Peter Colt, respectively.
Peter is a frustrated British tennis veteran preparing to retire when he unexpectedly receives a Wimbledon wildcard. There, he meets rising American star Lizzie, and his growing feelings for her reignite both his confidence and his desire to make one last unforgettable run on the sport’s biggest stage.
“Wimbledon” received mixed reviews upon release because of its formulaic story, but like many romantic comedies from the 2000s, it has since found a warmer appreciation among audiences today. The chemistry between Dunst and Bettany remains one of the film’s biggest strengths, while its well-choreographed tennis sequences still hold up as exciting and entertaining.
| Januar Junior Aguja / VAB
