The Cruelest Game

A riveting exposé of professional tennis by revered journalist Matthew Futterman (of The New York Times and The Athletic), The Cruelest Game offers never-before-reported access to the daily routines, mindsets, and personal trials faced by today’s major stars and tomorrow’s rising newcomers • A Boston Globe Best Book of the Summer

“Matt Futterman is one of the clearest modern-day journalistic voices in tennis.... A great read for all sports fans.”—Billie Jean King

Alcaraz, Sinner, and Shelton . . . Sabalenka, Gauff, and Świątek . . . Djokovic, Williams, and Nadal. The story of modern tennis shines with immense fortune and glamour—as well as unrelenting high stakes—like the game has never seen before. Players excel and implode under excruciating pressure, alone on the court for the world to see. With legends like Rafa, Roger, and Serena retired and Novak trying to figure out when to go, a new generationof electric stars has burst onto the scene and begun their quest for the secret codes that will allow them to thrive at the top of a brutal game.

Matthew Futterman, whose dynamic insider reporting has placed him at the center of the tennis world, now takes us inside this rarified sport as it has never been seen. From private practice courts to the tunnels beneath the major tournament stadiums, from training academies to faraway wartorn hometowns, Futterman sits us down with the stars whose relentless drive leads them to battle against a game of millimeters, and explains the off-court tensions that can both lift and destroy them. With unmatched access to the top players and coaches, and their unique psyches and personalities, The Cruelest Game is a breathtaking account of what it takes to succeed, the price that is paid, and the insatiable competitive spirit that propels the rarest of athletes to greatness.