The Cruelest Game

Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis

By: Matthew Futterman

A revelatory exposé of modern tennis—the world's most competitive, physically and mentally grueling sport—The Cruelest Game reveals the inside stories of the current legends and tomorrow's young stars, with never-before-reported stories of their struggles and accomplishments on and off the court, by revered New York Times and The Athletic tennis writer Matthew Futterman.

Nadal and Djokovic . . . Serena and Sabalenka . . . Sinner and Alcaraz . . . The inside story of modern tennis burns bright with fame, fortune, and glamour—and high stakes the likes of which the game has never seen before. Players must excel beyond the court under excruciating pressure, with the public spotlight blazing on those who win, and shunning those who lose. But what toll does it take? And what does it take to win year-in, year-out? If you're outside the top 40, you’re much closer to 80 than to number 1. The Cruelest Game offers an intimate insider account of the costs of getting to the top, and the price of the fame and glory that comes with it. Futterman delves into the lives and struggles of modern tennis's most critical players at a critical time for the sport, when fans are searching for a new set of heroes to take over for the legends whose careers are fading to black.

With the likes of Rafa, Roger, Novak, and Serena walking off the court and into retirement, a new crop of aspiring tennis hopefuls faces a shifting landscape. This book builds on award-winning journalist Matthew Futterman's unique access to the very top echelons of professional tennis (he has worked as the top New York Times and The Athletic tennis writer for years), and takes readers inside established and new players' quest for the secret codes that allow them to survive and thrive at the top of a brutal game.

Critic reviews

Praise for The Cruelest Game

“This book is quite simply a complete knockout. No one 'gets' tennis and writes about tennis better than Matthew Futterman. All today’s players are here, intimately here—their battles, heartbreaks, triumphs, the sheer work and near madness that goes into wanting to be the best. Yes, pro tennis is the cruelest game, but, in Matt Futterman’s hands, utterly riveting.”
—Delia Ephron

“Though, inevitably, it will be filed under 'sports,' Matt Futterman’s The Cruelest Game is a masterfully-executed work of psychology writing. Born of keen eye and ear, Futterman's reportage exposes professional tennis for what it is: a bottomlessly diverse, rich cast of exquisite athletes, navigating the torture of hitting a ball with both power and accuracy… fighting opponents and also their own worst instincts… yielding success but also failure, fear, and doubt. Fans of all intensity levels will read this and emerge with a greater understanding and appreciation for the world’s most mentally demanding sport.”
—Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated