Your U.S. Open Reading List

18 great tennis titles, from instruction to biographies to novels

The U.S. Open is in full swing and has been drawing record numbers of viewers over the last few weeks. With surprising upsets, high-end drama, and plenty of jaw-dropping athleticism, the tournament has provided lots of captivating moments for tennis fans. If you're looking for more entertainment on and around the courts, here are eighteen great tennis titles from instruction to biographies to history to novels.

Nonfiction

Read up on tennis legends, improve your game, and learn more about the history and evolution of the sport.

Essential Tennis by Ian Westermann

What's the number one thing stopping you from playing your best tennis? According to the author of this quintessential volume, it's an obstacle you probably never thought of. The ball. Get technique-based instruction for playing smarter and improving every aspect of your game.

All In: An Autobiography by Billie Jean King

In this spirited account, King details her life's journey to find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis career—six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous Battle of the Sexes.

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

Groomed from birth to be a tennis champion by his demanding father, Agassi writes candidly about his life in the spotlight, including his uncomfortable relationship with fame; his marriage to Brooke Shields; his growing interest in philanthropy; and the highs and lows of his celebrated career.

Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams  by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Six days a week, they awoke before the sun came up to practice their serves and returns, to learn to run faster and hit harder. They were unstoppable. With vibrant mixed media art, this gorgeous picture book shares the inspirational story of two of the greatest players of all time (who just happen to be sisters).

Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice by Ben Rothenberg

Many fans were introduced to Osaka as they watched her win the 2018 US Open final in a dramatic victory over her idol, Serena Williams. This revealing biography tells the untold story behind her illustrious career, her advocacy for racial justice and mental health, and the challenges of a life in the spotlight.

The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer by Christoper Clarey

From one of today's top international sports writers, this biography tells the story of Roger Federer's life and career on both an intimate and a grand scale. Clarey, who has covered the tennis legend since his very first Grand Slam match, focuses on the pivotal people, places, and moments in Federer's long and rich career.

String Theory by David Foster Wallace

As a teen, Wallace was a regionally ranked junior tennis player and has been called "the best tennis writer of all time." In this collection of essays, he explores a mix of topics including the genius of Roger Federer; Tracy Austin's memoir; the artistry of Michael Joyce; U.S. Open commerce; and his own athletic career.  

Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenault

Born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1943, Arthur Ashe was one of the state's most talented black tennis players by age eleven. This exhaustive biography chronicles his rise to stardom on the court as well as exploring his noteworthy contributions as a human rights activist, philanthropist, broadcaster, writer, and more.

Levels of the Game by John McPhee

It begins with the ball rising into the air for the initial serve and ends with the final point. This account of the 1968 US Open semifinal match between Clark Graebner and Arthur Ashe provides a brilliant, stroke-by-stroke description while examining the backgrounds and attitudes which have molded the players' games.

Novels

If you still can't get enough of the courts, here are nine great tennis-infused novels.

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

After setting a world record of twenty Grand Slam titles, Carrie Soto retired from the sport. But six years later, when Nicki Chan matches her record, she makes the controversial decision to come out of retirement at the age of thirty-seven. With her coach father at her side, she comes back for one epic final season.

Love. Set. Match by Taylor Lunsford

Emerson is one of the world's top tennis players, but she has yet to achieve her goal of winning a Grand Slam. Now her ex Rob has returned to the tennis scene and his goal is to get her back. Giving the man who makes her body melt another chance is tempting, but is it worth risking her Grand Slam dreams?

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace

Equal parts philosophical quest and screwball comedy, this novel is set in an addicts' halfway house and a tennis academy. Featuring an endearingly screwed-up family, the story explores essential questions about what entertainment is and why it has come to so dominate our lives.

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

The Delaneys are fixtures in their community. After fifty years of marriage and four grown children, Stan and Joy are the envy of all of their friends. Having just sold their famed tennis academy, they're poised for what should be the golden years of their lives. But now Joy is missing and Stan is the prime suspect.

Beautiful Country by J. R. Thornton

When fourteen-year-old Chase, a top-ranked junior tennis player, arrives in Beijing, it is a country in transition. Set in modern-day China, this coming-of-age story centers on the friendship between two boys, one American, one Chinese, who meet while training with Beijing's Junior National Tennis Team.

Drop Shot by Harlan Coben

Once, Valerie Simpson's tennis career skyrocketed. Now, the headlines belong to a player from the wrong side of the tracks. But when Valerie is murdered outside the stadium at the U.S. Open, sports agent Myron Bolitar investigates the killing and uncovers a surprising connection between the two players.

The Only Story by Julian Barnes

One summer in the sixties, in a staid suburb of London, nineteen-year-old Paul, home from university, meets Susan at the tennis club. She's forty-eight, confident, witty, and married, with two nearly adult daughters. And soon, they become lovers. Decades later, Paul looks back on their affair and the way it shaped his life.

40-Love by Olivia Dade

When a rogue wave strips Tess Dunn of her bikini top, tennis pro Lucas steps in to keep her bare buoys from being exposed and even an ocean can't drown the sparks that are flying. But this match comes with some challenges. They'll have to play hard to find out if they're meant to be doubles partners for life.

The Tennis Party by Madeleine Wickham (aka Sophie Kinsella)

At their country estate, Patrick Chance and his wife host a weekend tennis party. As four couples gather on the sunny terrace, it seems obvious who among them is succeeding, and who is falling behind. But by the end of the party, nothing will be quite as certain. This sharp comedy of manners boasts a wicked backhand.

If you've been inspired by the action of the US Open, keep the energy flowing with these great tennis reads.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon