Movies Similar to Arthur & Johnnie

John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection(2018)

An immersive film essay on tennis legend John McEnroe at the height of his career as the world champion, documenting his strive for perfection, frustrations, and the hardest loss of his career at the 1984 Roland-Garros French Open.

Citizen Ashe(2021)

Follows the life and career of Arthur Ashe.

The White Game(1968)

Documentary film about the protests against the 1968 Davis Cup tennis match between Sweden and Rhodesia, in Båstad, Sweden. In a series of interviews, demonstrators and members of the Swedish government give their views on sport, politics and civil disobedience.

The Journeymen(2004)

This documentary shows the struggles of making it on the ATP World Tour with rare, behind-the-scenes footage featuring tennis super stars Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Patrick Rafter, Goran Ivanisevic, Jim Courier and others.

Federer: Twelve Final Days(2024)

Originally a home video never intended for public viewing, this film captures the final chapter in Roger Federer's legendary tennis career, featuring Roger, his family, and his three main rivals: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.

A Date With Anna: The Making of the Anna Kournikova Calendar(2002)

A behind the scenes look with Anna Kournikova at her 2003 calendar photo shoot and trip to Mexico.

Untold: Breaking Point(2021)

Under pressure to continue a winning tradition in American tennis, Mardy Fish faced mental health challenges that changed his life on and off the court.

Novak Djokovic: Refuse to Lose(2022)

Novak Djokovic, one of the greatest tennis players of all time. With 86 ATP singles titles, 37 Masters events and 20 Grand Slam's, few tennis players have achieved what Djokovic has. Currently ranked world number one and a record total of 365 weeks on top, Djokovic has dominated the sport for the last 10 years. Things have not always been easy for the world number one. Born in war-torn Belgrade, Serbia, Djokovic developed his skills in some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Despite this he rose to the top of the professional tennis rankings, becoming a national icon and a symbol of unity for the Serbian people.

Nasty(2024)

1972 was a turning point in Ilie Nastase's career: he won his first US Open, while also reaching both Wimbledon and Davis Cup finals. Moving back and forth in time and featuring amazing archive footage and exclusive interviews with top athletes, the documentary explores Nastase's highs and lows, the controversies that surrounded him and the enduring impact he has had on the world of tennis. Lovable, charming and generous, yet temperamental, arrogant and obscene, Mr. Nice'n'Nasty disrupted the old-fashioned etiquette of the sport in the 70s thus becoming its first rebel rock star.

Tennis in Rhythm(1947)

A "Passing Parade" MGM short featuring tennis star Alice Marble

Boris Becker - The Player(2017)

"Boris Becker - The Player" is a rousing and emotional portrait of one of the greatest German sports heroes ever! It shows us the person Boris Becker up close: We experience him as a privateer, trainer, businessman and as a loving husband and father.

The Argentine Miracle of Tennis(2016)

Andy Murray: Resurfacing(2019)

A documentary film that tracks the tennis star’s devastating injury journey between 2017-2019. From the front lines of surgical theatres, to the intimate corners of his home, we live alongside and witness Andy at his most vulnerable. Considered Britain’s greatest sportsman ever, we see why Andy puts himself through the unimaginable to get back to the sport he loves.

Del Potro, el último match point(2023)

Althea(2014)

Althea Gibson’s life and achievements transcend sports. A truant from the rough streets of Harlem, Althea emerged as a most unlikely queen of the highly segregated tennis world in the 1950s. Her roots as a sharecropper’s daughter, her family’s migration north to Harlem in the 1930s, mentoring from Sugar Ray Robinson, David Dinkins and others, and fame that thrust her unwillingly into the glare of the early Civil Rights movement, all bring her story into a much broader realm of the American story.

Renée(2011)

"Renee" tells the story of Renee Richards' battle to enter the 1977 U.S. Open as the first transgender tennis player. Simultaneously, it follows her today as she struggles to cope with a life of contradictions and personal conflict. Through interviews with tennis legends, family, friends and experts from the transgender field, a story of perseverance, breakthrough and hardship unfolds.

Andy Murray: Will to Win(2024)

Using fascinating archive from Andy Murray’s life and career, this programme is an in-depth exploration of his incredible journey from Dunblane to becoming a sporting legend.

American Son(2023)

Author Jay Caspian Kang’s astute, incisive directorial debut tells the story of Asian American tennis prodigy Michael Chang, the youngest player to win a men’s Grand Slam tournament.

Coach Thomas(2018)

A profile documentary about selfless Jacksonville public courts manager and tennis coach Harrell Thomas, who loves his job and works hard to make a difference in his community.

Unmatched(2010)

The first time Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova stepped onto a tennis court together, the world scarcely noticed. Only a few hundred spectators saw the pert 18-year-old beat the scrappy 16-year-old Czech in 1973. “I remember that she was fat,” Evert recalled. “She was very emotional on the court, whining if she didn't feel she was playing well. But I remember thinking, if she loses weight, we’re all in trouble.” Said Navratilova, “My goal was for her to remember my name.” Eighty matches later – amid the extraordinary growth of women’s tennis – Evert not only remembered, but became a tried and true friend and confidante, remarkable considering the two appeared to be polar opposites in upbringing, life styles and personal relationships. Through a series of personal conversations, this documentary will tell the story of one of the greatest one-on-one sports rivalries and capture these two extraordinary athletes’ views on tennis and an ever-changing world.