Top 15 Tennis Movies to Prepare for the U.S. Open

Tennis season hits fever pitch when New York lights up for the final Grand Slam of the year. If you want a fast way to tune your brain to serves, rallies, and pressure points, these films take you through the sport’s fiercest rivalries, biggest personalities, and defining moments.

This list blends narrative features with documentaries so you can see how real matches shaped the game and how filmmakers stage the tactics and tempo on screen. You will find biographical stories, tournament recreations, and training room details that make the U.S. Open feel closer before the first ball is struck.

‘King Richard’ (2021)

This biographical drama follows the early development of Venus and Serena Williams with a focus on the planning and discipline that guided their rise. It was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and stars Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, and Demi Singleton in a detailed look at how junior schedules, coaching choices, and unconventional strategies shaped two careers.

The film covers junior tournaments, practice structures, and the decision to delay early pro schedules. It shows how contracts, endorsements, and federation relationships affect young players who aim for events like the U.S. Open, and it includes training specifics that explain how power baseline tennis took hold.

‘Battle of the Sexes’ (2017)

This feature dramatizes the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs while tracking the business and media build up that turned an exhibition into a global audience event. It was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and stars Emma Stone and Steve Carell with Sarah Silverman and Andrea Riseborough in key roles.

The production recreates match preparation, equipment choices, and court conditions from the period. It outlines how prize money, television rights, and player associations evolved, which helps explain the commercial landscape surrounding the U.S. Open today.

‘Wimbledon’ (2004)

This romantic sports film centers on a British veteran trying for a late career run while connecting with an American rising star. It was directed by Richard Loncraine and stars Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst, using real venues and crowd integration to stage tour level match play.

The film shows tournament scheduling, player hospitality, and the daily rhythms of physio work and scouting. It includes on court shot selection, between point routines, and momentum swings that mirror pressure sequences fans will see in New York.

‘Borg vs McEnroe’ (2017)

This drama reconstructs the 1980 championship clash through parallel portraits of Björn Borg and John McEnroe. It was directed by Janus Metz and stars Sverrir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf, and Stellan Skarsgård, drawing from biographies and archival research to map preparation and mindset.

The match choreography includes accurate serves, returns, and point patterns alongside string tension details and surface speed notes. The film breaks down coaching input, media scrutiny, and pre match rituals that remain relevant at the U.S. Open.

‘Strokes of Genius’ (2018)

This documentary examines the 2008 final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and uses the match to analyze technique and psychology. It features expert commentary, slow motion breakdowns, and archival footage that show how grip choices, footwork, and court position shape outcomes.

The film details momentum management through rain stops, light conditions, and tactical adjustments across five sets. Viewers see how scouting notes and historical head to head trends inform plans for big stage matches similar in pressure to New York nights.

‘Citizen Ashe’ (2021)

This documentary traces Arthur Ashe’s life from junior competition to Grand Slam champion and activist. Directed by Rex Miller and Sam Pollard, it uses family archives, broadcast clips, and contemporary interviews to chart how education, service, and sport intersected in his career.

The film covers Ashe’s training, his approach to serve and volley tennis, and the administrative roles he took after retiring. It explains the significance of his title breakthroughs and how his legacy continues to influence player initiatives around the U.S. Open.

‘McEnroe’ (2022)

This documentary offers a first person account of John McEnroe’s career with new interviews and extensive archive material. Directed by Barney Douglas, it explores coaching relationships, practice habits, and the technical elements that powered his left handed game.

The film examines peer rivalries, New York roots, and how crowd energy affects decision making. It includes detail on racquet setups, return positioning, and net play patterns that help explain tactical choices under stadium lights.

‘Love Means Zero’ (2017)

This documentary focuses on coach Nick Bollettieri and his relationships with pupils including Andre Agassi. Directed by Jason Kohn, it uses interviews and footage from academy courts to show how intensive training blocks and competitive ladders operate.

The film explores coaching contracts, parental involvement, and the transition from junior dominance to tour level success. It outlines how fitness testing, mental conditioning, and technique rebuilds are structured when targeting major events like the U.S. Open.

‘Venus and Serena’ (2012)

This documentary follows the Williams sisters during a demanding season with access to training, rehab, and travel. Directed by Maiken Baird and Michelle Major, it includes family perspectives and practice court sequences that show specific drills and coaching feedback.

The film covers scheduling decisions, medical clearances, and recovery protocols that determine readiness for hard court events. It also shows how doubles and singles workloads are balanced in weeks leading up to major tournaments.

‘Unmatched’ (2010)

This documentary pairs Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova in a long form conversation about their rivalry and mutual respect. Directed by Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern, it combines interviews with archival match footage to highlight tactical contrasts and evolving equipment.

The film details surface preferences, off season practice, and the influence of lefty spin against flat baseline drives. It explains how repeated finals shaped confidence and produced adjustments that any fan can spot in high stakes matches.

‘Final Set’ (2020)

This French drama follows a former junior prodigy attempting one last push to reenter the main draw at Roland Garros. Directed by Quentin Reynaud and starring Alex Lutz and Kristin Scott Thomas, it portrays qualification rounds, ranking points pressure, and the grind of the Challenger circuit.

The film shows stringing rooms, warm up routines, and coach consultations that explain how aging players adapt tactics and fitness. It provides insight into protected rankings, wild cards, and entry lists that shape opportunities at major events.

‘Players’ (1979)

This drama centers on a young professional navigating tour life and personal relationships while chasing a big title. Directed by Anthony Harvey and starring Ali MacGraw and Dean Paul Martin, it uses tournament settings and locker room scenes to anchor the story in circuit reality.

The film features match sequences designed with coaching input to reflect serve patterns and approach shot percentages from the era. It illustrates sponsorship negotiations, travel planning, and practice court bookings that remain part of a modern U.S. Open campaign.

‘Pat and Mike’ (1952)

This sports comedy stars Katharine Hepburn as a multi sport athlete managed by Spencer Tracy with tennis as a central thread. Directed by George Cukor, it folds competitive scenes into a story about training arrangements and event entries.

The film includes sequences that show footwork drills, ball control exercises, and timing work on grass and hard surfaces. It captures the logistics of tournaments of the time, from equipment transport to coaching travel, which helps explain how player teams were built.

‘Hard, Fast and Beautiful’ (1951)

Directed by Ida Lupino, this drama adapts a John R. Tunis novel about a talented teenager steered toward the top of the sport. It studies how parental management, amateur rules of the era, and sponsorship offers intersected with a developing career.

The film portrays tournament schedules, etiquette expectations, and press obligations placed on young athletes. It also shows the impact of schedule compression, travel fatigue, and match recovery choices on performance.

‘Second Serve’ (1986)

This television film stars Vanessa Redgrave as Renée Richards and covers her life in tennis along with the legal battle that led to her competing on tour. Directed by Anthony Page, it adapts the autobiography and uses training and match footage to depict her return to professional play.

The film explains eligibility rules, governing body policies, and the court case that changed participation guidelines. It places those developments within the context of tournament entry procedures and ranking points that connect directly to major events.

Share your own favorite tennis films in the comments so everyone can build the perfect watch list before the U.S. Open begins.