Ariana Grande, Sienna Miller, Emma Watson, Brad Pitt… Dozens of celebrities were in the stands at Wimbledon in London in early July. Granted, Grand Slam tournaments often attract beautiful people. But this year, more than ever, it had to happen. Wonderful? Not so much, because of late tennis has been attracting an increasingly large number of spectators. On Netflix, the “Break Point” series follows the best players in the main tournaments of the circuit. Young athletes don’t hesitate to talk to him about their hopes, the pressures of their jobs, or their mental health. On Arte, we explore the incredible journey of the Williams sisters in the documentary “Venus & Serena.” America did not want to see this symbol. And on Amazon (UK), the new series “Fifteen Love” tells the story of a player who accuses her former coach of sexual assault. Not forgetting “Challengers,” Luca Guadagnino’s film (“Call Me By Your Name”) in which Zendaya wears a skirt—the film’s release has been pushed back to 2024 due to the Hollywood strike. How to explain such enthusiasm for a sport often considered elitist? Is tennis becoming a pop culture phenomenon?
Carlos Alcaraz in the final of Wimbledon on July 16 © Heathcliff O’Malley/Shutterstock/Sipa
For Thomas Andre, author of the novel “L’Avantage” (ed. Tristram), “Tennis has many stories of broken destinies. These stories are well suited to dramatization. Also, to someone unfamiliar with the sport, it is easy to understand.” Easy show. And, today, with social networks, we can feel a certain closeness with the players. “Physical, mental and visual… tennis is a hit on the network – as is the hashtag #tenniscore that has rocked TikTok.” It should come as no surprise that fashion is also taking over: polo shirts, skirts and tennis accessories are making their way into the collection.
Like Casablanca, where designer Charaf Tajer celebrates tennis through chic and colorful silhouettes. At Marine Serre, a model paraded with a racket in hand for summer 2023 – something the designer himself has practiced at a high level. On the big house side, Louis Vuitton recently signed Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, 20, and world number one, as ambassador. What can inspire future champions? In February, the FFT (French Tennis Federation) announced that it had passed the symbolic milestone of one million licensees. We go to the net!