What do you think?
Rate this book
The Cruelest Game: Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis
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 and Bloomberg 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.
“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.
- GenresNonfictionSports
Audible Audio
Published August 4, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 6, 2026
my tennis career apparantly means nothing to him
July 21, 2026
Thank you to #Doubleday and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #TheCruelestGame. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
As a long-time tennis fan, I've enjoyed reading about the tennis greats I watched growing up. This book is about the current and coming-up generation of players with a focus on "what it takes" to be a professional tennis player today. Futterman is a veteran journalist who clearly loves the sport and the athletes. But that doesn't prevent him from asking the tough questions or being brutally honest about the players and coaches.
If you enjoy the sport even a little, this is a great "behind the scenes" sports book.
As a long-time tennis fan, I've enjoyed reading about the tennis greats I watched growing up. This book is about the current and coming-up generation of players with a focus on "what it takes" to be a professional tennis player today. Futterman is a veteran journalist who clearly loves the sport and the athletes. But that doesn't prevent him from asking the tough questions or being brutally honest about the players and coaches.
If you enjoy the sport even a little, this is a great "behind the scenes" sports book.
August 7, 2026
What a fascinating book! Makes a strong case for tennis as the cruelest game by identifying what it does to those who try to master it. Basically, it turns most of them somewhat insane. Futterman even opens the book with two questions: why does this game seemingly drive everyone mad and what does it take to survive and thrive. Are these not also two central questions for life? This theme has been talked about by others including David Foster Wallace in his essays and Andre Agassi in his autobiography. Basically it is extremely isolating and exposes any mental or physical weakness/insecurity. The scoring alone is ruthless such that the margins are so thin and punishing that win or lose you can feel like you have lost. The whole time reading the book I was thinking about the quotes associated with each slam. None is more apt than the one at Wimbledon that players see above the door before heading out to Centre Court: “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same.” At the beginning he also offers some similar wisdom from Marta Kostyuk (quoting in part a Ukrainian saying): “Everyone is going through something in their lives… Everything will be fine. And if it’s not fine, it just means it’s not the end.”
Most, but not all the chapters focused on particular players (or sets of players). Nearly all were interesting but the standouts were Novak, Sinner, Madison Keys, Iga and Sabalenka, Tommy Paul (for his honesty), and Tiafoe (for his torment). One chapter I have mixed feelings about is Naomi Osaka’s. On the one hand I understand her better now, on the other hand what I understand is maybe why exactly I don’t understand her. As Futterman illustrates with a sweet story involving her connecting to a coach through anime she is extremely shy. But this is contrasted with her desire for attention (agreeing to this access as an example). This contrast means I know a lot about her but understand her not at all (if anything what Iga says Osaka said to her about her own career is the most revealing). This is contrasted with many others who are surprisingly introspective. Novak is top amongst this at this point in his career. But so is Sinner, who often appears shy, exemplifying maybe best (and coming close to outright stating it) the Kipling quote. Some of this might seem easy given the massive success he’s had, but one gets the sense that even though he maybe wanted to be the best and was willing to put in the work he would have been far less haunted than many of the almost greats if he was unable to do so. All of these players though are trying to figure out in a compressed period of time and in full view of the public questions that most of us spend of lifetime trying to answer.
Most, but not all the chapters focused on particular players (or sets of players). Nearly all were interesting but the standouts were Novak, Sinner, Madison Keys, Iga and Sabalenka, Tommy Paul (for his honesty), and Tiafoe (for his torment). One chapter I have mixed feelings about is Naomi Osaka’s. On the one hand I understand her better now, on the other hand what I understand is maybe why exactly I don’t understand her. As Futterman illustrates with a sweet story involving her connecting to a coach through anime she is extremely shy. But this is contrasted with her desire for attention (agreeing to this access as an example). This contrast means I know a lot about her but understand her not at all (if anything what Iga says Osaka said to her about her own career is the most revealing). This is contrasted with many others who are surprisingly introspective. Novak is top amongst this at this point in his career. But so is Sinner, who often appears shy, exemplifying maybe best (and coming close to outright stating it) the Kipling quote. Some of this might seem easy given the massive success he’s had, but one gets the sense that even though he maybe wanted to be the best and was willing to put in the work he would have been far less haunted than many of the almost greats if he was unable to do so. All of these players though are trying to figure out in a compressed period of time and in full view of the public questions that most of us spend of lifetime trying to answer.
August 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this ARC e-copy of The Cruelest Game: Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis.
Fans of tennis both old and new will enjoy this behind-the-scenes peek at the players behind their favorite sport. Written by sports journalist Matthew Futterman, this well-structured work of non-fiction covers the “secret codes” of tennis and the players that are either attempting to learn them or gatekeeping them—Djokovic, Carlitos, Sinner, Gauff, Osaka, Sabalenka, Fritz, Paul, and more.
This book was very informative and full of good information; nevertheless, I was a bit bored at times, my head ultimately perking up when Formula 1 was mentioned (at least thrice). I’m only a baby tennis fan, so perhaps I don’t have the codes yet. However, I think true longtime tennis fans who follow Matthew Futterman’s reporting will find this to be an intriguing read.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ - GREAT
Fans of tennis both old and new will enjoy this behind-the-scenes peek at the players behind their favorite sport. Written by sports journalist Matthew Futterman, this well-structured work of non-fiction covers the “secret codes” of tennis and the players that are either attempting to learn them or gatekeeping them—Djokovic, Carlitos, Sinner, Gauff, Osaka, Sabalenka, Fritz, Paul, and more.
This book was very informative and full of good information; nevertheless, I was a bit bored at times, my head ultimately perking up when Formula 1 was mentioned (at least thrice). I’m only a baby tennis fan, so perhaps I don’t have the codes yet. However, I think true longtime tennis fans who follow Matthew Futterman’s reporting will find this to be an intriguing read.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ - GREAT
July 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
As an amateur tennis player and avid fan, I really connected with and enjoyed this book. I've always thought tennis was the superior sport, but after reading this book, I KNOW it is. It really is the cruelest game, mentally, physically, even emotionally, and Futterman does a great job of exploring that. I lucked out with so many of my favorite players being the main subjects (Novak, Naomi, Coco, Jannik, just to name a few), and I feel like I know them on such a deeper level now. It makes me really appreciate their dedication to the sport and all of the different qualities they bring to the court. I even took away some tips for my own game, so we'll see how that goes...
As an amateur tennis player and avid fan, I really connected with and enjoyed this book. I've always thought tennis was the superior sport, but after reading this book, I KNOW it is. It really is the cruelest game, mentally, physically, even emotionally, and Futterman does a great job of exploring that. I lucked out with so many of my favorite players being the main subjects (Novak, Naomi, Coco, Jannik, just to name a few), and I feel like I know them on such a deeper level now. It makes me really appreciate their dedication to the sport and all of the different qualities they bring to the court. I even took away some tips for my own game, so we'll see how that goes...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Informative and very well researched book about the most elite tennis players and how they trained, strategize, and handle physical and emotional issues. Interviews with the players are brief, but more in-depth analysis is made by the coaches, trainers, family and others in each player's team. We learn what it tf akes to create and maintain the high level of concentration and devotion to the sport that is persued by the best of the best. Highly recommended for tennis fans curious about the intensity and passion involved in dominance in the high-pressure enviornment of professional tennis at the highest level. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.
August 5, 2026
This was a fantastic look into the minds of how the best tennis players in the world operate, their triumphs and struggles to get and stay at the top. There are chapters dedicated to certain players (Coco, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannick Sinner, Novak Djokovic, the American men players, etc.) and you find out things about these highly talented individuals that you didn't know before. I will say that the key theme of the book was that each of these players had or have a little extra fight, the "IT" that you need to success. The audiobook was nicely read and made it more enjoyable to listen to!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This felt like the tennis version of Breaks of the Game, showing how much of a mental toll this sport takes on people, both on and off the courts. It profiles the top players of today. In a way, it creates a snapshot of tennis today. We open and close with Sinner and Alcaraz, but in the middle we get everyone from Shelton to Tsitsipas on the men's side and Iga to Osaka on the women's. It's awesome, thorough and a great read.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I can’t recommend this book enough! There are so many great insights from the best players and their coaches, family members and other people in their inner circle. The book really shows the mental struggle of being a pro tennis player and how much they have to endure to get to the top and stay there. Another review on here compared it to Breaks of the Game, and as someone who loved that book, The Cruelest Game feels very similar.
August 8, 2026
Insider stuff about all the current top players- the type of tennis minutia that I love. If you don’t think tennis is the greatest and cruelest sport in the world, you’re wrong! So good 🎾🎾🎾
August 5, 2026
I was completely engrossed by this insider's perspective on modern tennis, especially the unrelenting demands and exhausting schedule that leave players unhappy, stressed, and burned out. Based on Futterman's exclusive conversations with players and coaches, and written with his distinctive swashbuckling style, this book gave me insights that help me better appreciate the game I love!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews