Top Tennis Films: Here are 5 of the best tennis films - from King Richard to Battle of the Sexes

The Croatian has now captured 23 of tennis’s top titles – one more than 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal and three clear of Roger Federer. When it comes to the big screen, tennis hasn’t always been best-served, but some have managed to buck the trend, offering entertaining takes on the game. King Richard (Now TV Cinema) Will Smith’s Oscar-winning performance as Richard Williams – the dedicated father who masterminded the world-dominating tennis careers of Venus and Serena Williams – has been overshadowed by his slap on Chris Rock. It’s a shame, because the film is a fascinating look at a flawed man, with Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton more than holding their own, as Venus and Serena respectively, opposite Smith. Borg vs McEnroe (Disney+) The legendary rivalry between the passionate John McEnroe and icy cool Björn Borg is the subject of this critically-acclaimed 2017 film. Culminating in their battle for the 1980 Wimbledon championships – and one of the greatest Grand Slam finals of all time – Shia LaBeouf’s performance as SuperBrat is the main attraction. Battle of the Sexes (Disney+) 2017 was a vintage year for tennis films, with it also seeing the release of ‘Battle of the Sexes’, a true-life drama centring on a highly-promoted one-off match between trailblazing female player Billie Jean King and ageing male pro Bobby Riggs. Both Emma Stone and Steve Carell deservedly received Oscar nods in the main roles. Andy Murray: Resurfacing (Prime Video) Scotland’s Andy Murray may never have quite reached the heights of Djokovic, but anybody who has any doubt about what a remarkable athlete he is only needs to watch this documentary, beautifully directed by Olivia Cappuccini. Eschewing much of his success, it focuses on the injuries that took him from being world number one to barely being able to walk. Wimbledon (Rent from £2.49) It may be a fairly lightweight romantic comedy, but it’s hard not to be charmed by this story of an over-the-hill English tennis pro who takes a job at the titular tennis tournament only to fall in love with a rising star of American tennis. Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst add star power and chemistry to what could have otherwise been a humdrum affair.