Borg vs. McEnroe, Battle of the Sexes & Co .: The best tennis films of all time
The measures against the corona virus make regular tournament operations on the WTA, ATP and ITF tour impossible. tennisnet lists the best tennis films with which you can shorten your free time.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Mar 15, 2020, 08:33 pm
Borg / McEnroe
A rivalry that has shaped tennis for years: that of Björn Borg and John McEnroe. The Swede won his first title at the French Open at the age of 18 and broke many records with four Wimbledon titles in a row.
But McEnroe is gradually establishing himself at the top of the world with his eccentric manner, he plays with the media and leads an intense duel against Borg off the pitch, on a mental level. After his successful years, Borg himself looks increasingly exhausted and fights for his mental health. The film culminates with the 1980 Wimbledon final.
The film was released in 2017, with Shia LaBeouf (John McEnroe) and Sverrir Guðnason (Björn Borg) in the leading roles.
Battle of the Sexes
After her countless Grand Slam titles, Billie Jean King calls for an increase in prize money for women. Since this wish was not answered, she founded her own tournament series for women, the WTA tour was born.
Meanwhile, former world-class player Bobby Riggs, now 55, is grumpily watching King's success on TV. He is a chauvinist and a notorious gambler. He has the idea of challenging King for a tennis match for $ 30,000 to prove that the male sex is superior to the female, and women are only good for the kitchen and bedroom.
The exhibition fight is highly stylized as the Battle of the Sexes, the ultimate duel between the sexes. Over 30,000 spectators watch the match at the astrodome in Houston, Texas live in the stadium, and around 90 million people watch the live TV. To date, no match in tennis history has been watched live by so many people.
The film premiered in 2017, with Emma Stone (Billie Jean King) and Steve Carell (Bobby Riggs) starring. Nominated for two Golden Globes.
Wimbledon
British tennis professional Peter Colt, once number 11 in the world, is now ranked 119th, but receives a wildcard for the Wimbledon main field.
In the run-up, he falls in love with Lizzie Bradbury, an up-and-coming player from the United States who is best known for her heated temperament. The two begin an affair, which helps Peter get old form. While Bradbury fails in the semi-finals, Colt is fulfilling a long-standing dream.
A romance from 2004 with Kirsten Dunst (Lizzie Bradbury) and Paul Bettany (Peter Colt)
Match point
Chris Wilton is a former tennis professional and now wants to work as a coach. He meets Tom Hewett, whose sister Chloe falls in love with Wilton. But he only has eyes for Hewett's fiancee, Nola Rice. A fateful affair arises in an exclusive British tennis club.
A 2005 film by Woody Allen with Scarlett Johansson and Rhys Meyers. Four nominations for a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination.
Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World
This documentary celebrates the life of a man who was the first black tennis player to win a Grand Slam title. However, Ashe did not only want to succeed as a tennis star, but also increasingly campaigned for human rights. He used his role as a high-profile person to stand up for civil rights, against apartheid in South Africa and as an advocate for AIDS patients.
Produced by HBO in 1994, this 50-minute documentary shows the importance of an American tennis legend after whom the world's largest stadium is named.