The POST serves up eight must-reads: expert guides, player memoirs, and thoughtful essays that tennis fans—or any reader—will enjoy.

Books and tennis are two words you don’t always see side-by-side. If you’re like me, a bookworm who also happens to be a tennis fan, know it’s not too hard to find an occasion where you can indulge yourself in these worthy pursuits at the same time (well, it’s reading and just watching, but not playing tennis for me, though).

Yep, there’s a whole world of great tennis books out there. No, I’m not just talking about memoirs, of which there are plentiful. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the lookout for tips to improve your gameplay, or a good read that captures the psychology of winning, or maybe you’re more into imagined stories of Grand Slams and tennis drama; there’s always the right book that can plunge you into every one of those worlds.

The POST serves up eight must-reads: expert guides, player memoirs, and thoughtful essays tennis fans—or any reader—will enjoy.

String Theory by David Foster Wallace

*Photo from Goodreads; banner photo from the Marta Kostyuk Foundation*

This, so far, has been my best tennis read. Well, no surprise there as it’s written by American novelist, short-story writer, and essayist David Foster Wallace, who’s known for his satirical analysis of American culture. String Theory compiles five of Wallace’s essays on tennis, which include the brilliant Roger Federer as Religious Experience, considered one of the best pieces on tennis writing in the last century.

Wallace used to be a regionally ranked junior and college tennis player, so expect his pieces to be both detailed and insightful. String Theory is perfect if you love the art of tennis—and also of writing. Read it for Wallace’s brilliant and singular voice and for the way it makes tennis seem both ethereal yet deeply human.

All In: An Autobiography by Billie Jean King

No tennis fan should pass up the opportunity to read the memoir of the woman who boasts 39 Grand Slam titles (12 in singles, 16 in women’s doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles), founded the WTA, and who endured a long fight for equality in tennis and beyond. Deeply personal and riveting, All In: An Autobiography sees the Billie Jean King writing candidly about her off-court battles, like the financial fallout following her coming out and her hidden struggles with eating disorders.

All In: An Autobiography is worth a spot on your to-read list because King’s story is not only inspiring but historically important, especially for readers interested in the intersection between sports and activism. To truly understand tennis as it is today, this is the book you must read.

The Changeover by Nathan Giri

My newest favorite tennis read! This incisive piece of tennis journalism follows the rise of new superstars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the sport transitions from the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era. I remember starting to read this at the beginning of the 2025 US Open and finishing it just in time for the Alcaraz-Sinner championships, with the charismatic Spaniard prevailing over the stoic Italian, in a win that saw Alcaraz secure his sixth Grand Slam title.

The book looks into their famously contrasting personalities, playing styles, and fierce rivalry that are shaping the next generation of men’s tennis. What I love best about the book is Nathan Giri’s delightful prose, which shows that he is a true fan of both players. Read it if you want a book that captures tennis in the middle of a major shift, and to better understand why Alcaraz and Sinner matter so much to the future of tennis.

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

If you’re more into fiction, then this book about a retired tennis champion coming out of retirement at 37 might be your next great read. Just in time, too, for the legendary Serena Williams’ comeback at Wimbledon, which sadly didn’t end up as nicely as we thought it would.

Carrie Soto Is Back leans into ambition, rivalry, aging, and the pressure of being in top form for a long time, things that elite tennis players are no strangers to. Taylor Jenkins Reid, best known for the bestselling novel, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, treats tennis like a high-stakes drama rather than just a backdrop, that even non-tennis fans will find this book a real page-turner. Love strong female characters and comeback stories? Buy yourself a copy now.

Related story: Serving looks: The 8 most stylish women in tennis right now
Related story: Serving up the new generation

Open by Andre Agassi

This autobiography by one of the sport’s biggest names (and my first tennis player crush!) stands out for its honesty. Open charts Andre Agassi’s rise, inner conflicts, and his love-hate relationship with tennis itself. Agassi’s vulnerability is refreshing, but also at times haunting. He even opens the book by saying how he hates tennis: “I play tennis for a living, even though I hate tennis, hate it with a dark and secret passion, and always have.”

The book is a must-read as it’s a rare and honest look into the mental strain faced by highly successful public personalities. It can, indeed, be lonely at the top. If you want a book that feels personal and revealing, this is one of the strongest choices—and critics agree (see The New Yorker’s review here, and The Guardian’s here).

Unstoppable: My Life So Far by Maria Sharapova

In Unstoppable: My Life So Far, the timeless Maria Sharapova gives us a candid look into her journey from her childhood in Russia to the courts of sunny Florida and eventually to tennis glory. She released the novel in 2017, just a few months after she turned 30. Perhaps for some, Sharapova’s a little too young to be writing a memoir, but her life is anything but ordinary, so the 304 pages seem rather inadequate to capture a life that’s so fascinating, it’s foolish not to write about it.

Let the games begin! What to expect at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics

In the book, she candidly recounts her injuries, controversies (including her doping suspension), and, of course, her rivalry with Serena Williams, on which she writes: “Serena and I should be friends: we love the same thing, we have the same passion. … But we are not friends — not at all.” Read it to have a sense of—and be inspired by—how a champion’s mind works.

Winning Ugly by Brad Gilbert and Steve Jamison

This is the closest thing to a bible for tennis players. Winning Ugly is a classic tennis strategy book that focuses on how to compete smarter, not just harder. Co-author Brad Gilbert was a former tennis player himself (ranking as high as world no. 4) and coached A-listers like Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Andy Murray, so you can trust that he knows more about how tennis is played than most.

Gilbert dissects the mental side of winning, showing how players can outthink opponents even when they are not in top form. The book is practical, readable, and full of advice that it still feels useful for competitive players 24 years after it was first released in 1992. If you play tennis (or want to start to), this book might come in handy if you’re looking for practical tips on how to improve not just your game but also your confidence.

The Master by Christopher Clarey

I have to say that this book is as elegant as the subject himself, the ever-polished 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. The Master is Christopher Clarey’s portrait of Federer and his long, storied career, from his evolution as a champion, his rivalries, to the qualities that made him such a compelling player to watch.

Deeply researched and reported, with Clarey basing it on numerous interviews with Federer and those closest to him, read this for a full picture of a tennis icon whose influence transcends sports and whose grace and elegance continue to inspire.

Bonus: Some of your favorite tennis players are bookworms, too! This is one of the many reasons why the Polish champion Iga Swiatek is my favorite player. See her recommendations here. Ukrainian star Marta Kostyuk (who’s having her best tennis year yet) also has a few recommendations, which you can see here.

The collagen clock: Why your mid-20s matter more than you think

Kathryn Bernardo joins the Filipino stars you can see at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong