Opening with Wimbledon 2019, The Art of Tennis covers the excitement of the sport up to the profound silence of the Covid-19 pandemic—when no tennis was played for a year—through Wimbledon 2021. As play began to resume, there were many questions surrounding its return, and the author examines these and how the sport of tennis fights to prevail as the virus continues to redefine modern life.
The book follows the latest comebacks from Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and Andy Murray and looks at how Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Alexander Zverev reached their first major finals. In the women’s game, Barbora Krejcíková, Bianca Andreescu, and Sofia Kenin make big stage breakthroughs, and Naomi Osaka continues to rule on hard courts.
In late 2020, the calendar looked different. The tours adapted as best they could, and some remarkable tennis took place in empty arenas. 2021 saw tournaments finding a way to coincide with the virus that is reshaping daily life. With thoughtful observations, author Dominic Stevenson comments on the many aspects of professional tennis, both on and off the courts, providing his own unique perspective on this beautiful sport.
