Game, set, match—these are the best tennis audiobooks to celebrate the Australian Open

Billie Jean King is a legend of the tennis world and one of the first women superstars of the sport. This is her story in her own words. It's not just a tale of her incredible successes on the court, but a portrait of how she became a champion for women's and LGBTQIA+ rights, all amidst the tumultuous backdrop of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

While Billie Jean King was one of the first women superstars in tennis, she wasn't the first. In 1950, the all-white US Lawn Tennis Association decided to let in one Black woman: Althea Gibson. She didn't look the part. She didn't dress the part. She didn't act like the upper-crust tennis players around her. But she outplayed them all. She would go on to be the first Black woman on the cover of Sports Illustrated, holding the number one rank for two years, and winning major championships around the world.

Rafael Nadal's incredible career was always defined by his play on the court and privacy off it. With this memoir, he finally opens up, starting with growing up in Majorca. He details his rivalry with Roger Federer and their legendary Wimbledon finals match in 2008, often considered the greatest game of tennis ever played. This memoir isn't just about an incredible career, but about a man who walked through an incredible life with enormous grace.

Players have consistently referred to this books as "the tennis bible" for decades now. Gallwey proposes that in every tennis match, there are two games. The outer game is played on the court against the opponent. The inner game is in the player's mind, where they must battle their own anxiety and self-doubt. Gallwey's book focuses on how to win that second game, which is key to winning the first.

This fictional account captures all the stakes and the staggering weight of tennis stardom. Carrie Soto was the greatest tennis player ever, and she retired on top. Now, six years later, a young phenom is threatening to upend some of Carrie's records, and Carrie's ego just cannot allow that. So, she starts to train, aiming to beat the young new star in her tracks. But can her body—or her psyche—handle the pressure?

Richard Williams is the father of two of the greatest tennis players to ever step on a court: Venus and Serena. And he played no small part in their phenomenal success. This is his story, starting with his poor but loving upbringing in Shreveport, Louisiana. He talks at length about his loving mother, the lessons she taught him through many struggles and triumphs, and how he passed those lessons on to his champion daughters.

Andre Agassi is well-known as one of the greatest to ever play tennis, but he grew up hating the game. Told with near-photographic memory, Agassi's memoir brings us into his childhood and onward through his career. From hitting hundreds of balls every day at only seven years old while under the watchful gaze of his violent father, all the way to winning Wimbledon in 1992, Agassi leaves nothing out in this fast-paced memoir.

Carlos Alcaraz came from the humblest of beginnings, having been raised in a modest apartment above a kebab shop in the village of El Palmar, Spain. In a time dominated by a trio of incredible male tennis players, Carlos rose in the ranks to challenge the best of them. All the while, he fought to remember his roots and remain as much of a normal guy as he could in the face of fame and the pressures of competition on the court.

If a thing exists, then there has to be a rom-com out there about it, right? Well, here's one of the best that's focused on tennis. Kieran O’Sullivan is the bad boy of tennis with one last shot at a Grand Slam title. Flora Hendrix lives in Wimbledon but knows nothing about tennis. When her plans fall through, she has to rent a guest house from none other than Kieran. While they're both chasing their separate dreams, sparks start to fly.

For a long time, tennis was a quiet, upper-crust sport. Then along came Jimmy Connors. He was from the wrong side of the tracks, his hair was shaggy, and he didn't care who heard him yelling on and off the court. And his success was undeniable, beating tennis's best on his way to a record 109 tournament wins. Here is his story with all of its unlikely twists and turns.

Serena Williams is famous the world over not only for her incredible tennis career that includes 23 Grand Slam titles, but for her work in fashion and philanthropy. But Serena is an icon for so many more reasons. She courted controversy as a player, standing proudly as a Black woman dominating a sport that has always been predominantly white. She built a loyal army of fans along the way. Here, Merlisa Lawrence Corbett details Serena's career as well as her larger cultural impact.

Jelena Dokic's story isn't just another tale of a girl rising up from nothing, but one of a refugee who became one of tennis's top stars. Dokic tells her own story here, not only of leaving war-torn Yugoslavia to move to Sydney but how her abusive father was the worst kind of tennis coach, berating and hurting her for every misstep. Despite all that, she ascended to ranking number 4 in the world, keeping her unbreakable spirit intact.

While many of the books on this list are about the upper echelons of the game, this book centres on the other 99 percent, those pro players on tour who are barely making enough to pay their bills. This listen isn't just about a peek behind the curtain to look at famous players; it's also about the social and economic dynamics of this great sport. Gambling, doping, and so much more is hiding behind that illustrious curtain.

Don’t miss this short story set in 1967 New Jersey. Ravi Ramanathan is only 13 years old, but it looks like he might just be the next tennis prodigy. At times, he's torn between his parents' oppressive expectations and their undeniable love. But when everything changes overnight, Ravi has to grow up fast and find a new role in his family.

Björn Borg shocked the world when he burst onto the tennis scene at only 15. He took the courts by storm with unparalleled athleticism and shot-making skill. He collected 11 Grand Slam titles and five consecutive Wimbledon titles. Then, at age 26, he shocked the world again. He retired from tennis and disappeared from public life. In this book, he finally speaks out about his incredible career and his seemingly sudden decision to retire.

In this fictional account of tennis renown, Charlotte “Charlie” Silver wants nothing more than to be a tennis superstar. So, she makes a deal with the devil—who, in this case, is tennis coach Todd Felter. And it works. She's thrust into the spotlight and a world of endorsements, private jets, and high-pressure tennis. Coach Felter demands that Charlie ditch her good-girl attitude along the way and instead adopt a warrior mentality. But as Charlie's star continues to rise, she starts to lose herself. Can she hold onto who she is and pursue her dreams at the same time?

Maria Sharapova has one of tennis's unlikeliest stories. When she was six years old, she arrived in Florida with her father, speaking no English after having fled Siberia. Her father knew that Maria was going to be the next great tennis champion, and he was right. In this book, Maria tells her own story of this desperate journey, her rise through the ranks, her rivalry with Serena Williams, and the controversies that dotted her career.