Tennis Celebrities – Fans and Players

Aerial photograph of a woman playing tennis.

Tennis is a fantastic sport to take up, no matter who you are! With a community of fans around the world, tennis has a way of bringing people together. And with so many great health benefits, it’s no wonder it makes such a great hobby!

To show just how many lives are touched by the sport of tennis, today we’re going to have a glance at the world of celebrities – and see who’s a tennis fan!

Most of the time when you hear about celebrity tennis players, you’re going to be hearing about professional tennis players. Legends like Serena Williams or Novak Djokovic. But that’s not what this article is about! We’re looking at tennis enthusiasts who are famous for other reasons. Whether they’re singers, actors, comedians, or dancers – here are some of the prominent celebrities who love tennis!

Hugh Grant

Photograph of Hugh Grant
Photograph of Hugh Grant taken by Julien Rath in 2011. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Sure, Hugh Grant is internationally famous and well-respected as an actor. He’s had incredible success, and there was a time when any British male leading role seemed to go to him.

However, Grant himself has claimed that acting isn’t something he feels was his true calling – rather, it was something he feels like he fell into.

So what is his true calling? We can only guess. Could it be tennis?

It turns out, Grant is something of a tennis fan! He’s been spotted in the stands at Wimbledon, along with his wife Anna Eberstein. But he doesn’t just watch tennis – he also plays!

Grant won a tennis match at the Swedish Veteran Championships. While Grant obviously isn’t Swedish, he was allowed to compete because he owns a home there.

So go ahead and add tennis alongside Hugh’s more famous talents: looking flustered on screen and looking charming on screen. 

Ellen Degeneres

Before she became a global sensation, Ellen played tennis on her highschool varsity team. Here you can even watch her refereeing a game between Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick!

Tom Cruise

Unlike some of the celebrities on this list, Tom Cruise isn’t a tennis player himself. Instead, he’s a tennis fan.

It makes sense, you would think: spending so long being the center of attention, it must be nice for Tom Cruise to take a back seat and be an audience member for a change. Just sit in the stands and be one with the crowd.

Well, if that’s what you expected of him, I’m sorry to say you were wrong.

Even when he’s going to watch somebody else play tennis, Cruise still ends up being the center of attention. Just look at when he attended Ash Barty’s Wimbledon final. Cruise smiled and waved at fans, posing for photos in the stands. Wimbledon tweeted about him on the spot, telling him to take a bow. However, there were some fans who thought it was gauche for Cruise to hog the spotlight.

As critics pointed out, the attention is supposed to be on the players, not on the audience!

Rebel Wilson

Rebel Wilson is known for many things. The Australian superstar is a comedian, actor, singer, writer, and producer. But among all her accomplishments, and the influence she’s had on pop culture, she’s also been a real advocate for tennis!

Wilson’s ties to the world of tennis are no secret, of course. She’s friends with Karolina Muchova, the formidable Czech tennis player, for instance. It also seems as though Wilson will soon be starring in a comedy about tennis, entitled “Double Fault”. She’s even crossed paths with tennis legend Billie Jean King!

However, Wilson’s love of the game goes far beyond a spectator’s appreciation. In fact, she tweeted that being a tennis player was her first career choice!

“I don’t know whether you guys know this but my original career goal was to be a professional tennis player,” she posted. “Didn’t quite work out, so I settled for international movie star”

Well, Wilson, if you ever want to give your tennis career a second chance, you can hire some great coaches at Tennis Pro Now!

Jon Hamm

One huge movie and television star with a passion for tennis is Jon Hamm! Jon Hamm has had a busy career, hopping from television stardom to major motion picture roles to TV commercial gigs.

So how does he unwind from it all?

Well, other than what I assume all celebrities do to relax (napping on a pile of hundred dollar bills), Jon Hamm likes to spend time playing tennis with his partner Anna Osceola. The pair have been seen at tennis courts in Los Angeles since early in the pandemic.

When not playing, Hamm has also been known to enjoy watching tennis, like when he attended the Men’s semifinal at the US Open in 2016.

You can see some footage of Hamm pretending to be bad at tennis here:

Amanda Kloots

Nobody knows the impact of the pandemic more than dancer and television personality Amanda Kloots. Soon after the birth of their son, her husband, famed actor and singer Nick Cardero, became infected with the novel coronavirus. He spent 95 days in the hospital before he passed away.

There’s no way to undo that kind of tragedy, yet Amanda Kloots did find some catharsis in taking up a new sport: tennis.

Here’s a quotation from her about her experience in learning tennis:

“Starting something brand new, for me, with no ties to my past life was advice I got from my best friend to help with my grieving process. I am so glad I took this advice because I took up a new sport and am loving playing tennis! It is an hour for myself where I get out of the house, focus on something else, move my body, work hard, laugh, learn and listen. Tennis is a sport I’ve always wanted to play and have always made excuses starting.”

Whether you’re experiencing distress in your life, or just want to promote good mental health for the future, it’s good to remember that physical exercise can be highly beneficial to mental health. To read more about the incredible mental health benefits of tennis, click here.

Elton John

Elton John is one of those rare musicians who is more than just a star. He’s a legend. His musicianship, creativity, and flair have influenced what pop music is today.

And while it’s true that Elton John is better with a piano than he is with a tennis racquet, he still plays admirably.

Along with another legend – Billie Jean King – Elton John has organized and hosted the Mylan World TeamTennis Smash Hits. The star-studded charity tennis event has helped to raise over 12 million dollars for The Elton John Aids Foundation.

So, whether he’s on a stage or on a tennis court, Elton John is still helping to make the world a better place!

Want to see how Elton John handles himself on the court? See for yourself!

Brad Pitt

Photograph of Brad Pitt
Photograph of Brad Pitt. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

Long before Brad Pitt became the international star he is today – before he won roles in Snatch, or Fight Club, or 12 Monkeys – he was just another highschool student giving sports a try.

He gave tennis a try at Kickapoo High School in Missouri. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t the start of a great tennis career.

Brad Pitt soon found his way to acting, and the rest is history. But to this day, you can still see him at the occasional tennis game, like when he attended the US Open in 2021. Maybe he was looking out at the professional tennis players and wondering what might’ve been… but I doubt it.

Bradley Cooper

Speaking of Brad Pitt attending the US Open in 2021, he didn’t go alone. He went with Bradley Cooper, who evidently also enjoys taking in a game of tennis.

The two men are close. In fact, Brad Pitt credits Bradley Cooper with helping him to get sober. Talk about friendship!

For his part, Bradley Cooper has been seen at a number of tournaments, including Wimbledon. However, his appreciation for tennis goes beyond that. He plays the sport, too. He’s been seen hitting the courts in Los Angeles.

Of course, lots of tennis fans play the odd bit of tennis. But not many can boast having Roger Federer as a friend!

That’s right, Bradley Cooper has received invitations to games by tennis star Roger Federer himself. That would inspire anyone to love the sport!

You can see a bit of his skills for yourself on Ellen:

Lars Ulrich

Photograph of Lars Ulrich playing drums
Photograph of Lars Ulrich behind a drum set, taken by Alberto Cabello. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

At first, you might wonder what the connection between heavy metal giants Metallica and the world of tennis. To a lot of people, they seem like polar opposites: heavy metal can seem violent, aggressive, and chaotic, while tennis has a reputation for being polite, clean, and decorous.

However, of all the celebrities on this list, the one it makes the most sense to expect to play tennis is Lars Ulrich, the drummer for Metallica.

Why? Because Ulrich actually comes from a tennis dynasty!

Both Ulrich’s father and grandfather were professional tennis players. Growing up in Denmark, Lars Ulrich expected that he might follow in his family’s footsteps. At the age of 16, he even moved to the US to train professionally. It seemed like he was destined for high rankings.

However, he soon found out that it takes a lot more talent to be one of the US’s top tennis players than to be one of Denmark’s top tennis players.

Lars began to shift his attention away from tennis and toward his new passion: music. It turns out that it was a good choice, and Lars Ulrich has made an indelible mark on the genre of heavy metal.

Barry Gibb

Speaking of musician celebs with an interest in tennis, we have to mention Barry Gibb! If that name doesn’t sound immediately familiar to you, just think about his initials for a moment. B…G…

That’s right! Barry Gibbs, of The Bee Gees!

It turns out that the songwriter who pioneered the genre of disco is fairly handy on a tennis court – just as at home with a tennis ball as he is with a disco ball.

Whether you’re a tennis fan who’s interested in your health, or just a Bee Gees fan who’s interested in “Staying Alive” – you can check out the incredible health benefits that come by taking up tennis in this article!

Shakira

This international star made a name for herself through her impressive vocal performances and infectious pop songs. However, she isn’t just a powerhouse on stage. Put her on a tennis court, and you’ll see that her swing has some real fire to it!

Shakira has another tie to the world of tennis as well – tennis champion Rafael Nadal appeared in her music video for her song, “Gypsy”.

It makes sense that Shakira would enjoy tennis! With a strong foundation in dancing, and the excellent breath control that comes from vocal training, she would have a degree of athleticism that would make tennis an easy sport to pick up! As you can see in this video, she’s a natural!

SHAKIRA

Of course, some part of Shakira’s heart must be with the game of football instead. After all, she had an 11 year marriage to Spanish football player Gerard Pique.

Tina Fey

In the world of comedy, few people are as accomplished as Tina Fey. Rising through Saturday Night Live to go on to work on hits like Mean Girls, 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and more.

However, long before she was making $500,000 per episode of 30 Rock, Tina Fey had another passion: tennis.

She was on her high school’s varsity tennis team!

Even after all these years, Fey still has an interest in the game. In fact, she claims she took a role in Modern Love because it would involve tennis lessons!

Tina, if you’re reading this, please know that you can get high quality tennis lessons any time you want at Tennis Pro Now!

Matthew McConaughey

Photograph of Matthew McConaughey
Photograph of Matthew McConaughey. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Like Tina Fey, Matthew McConaughey got his start in tennis back in high school. Even though his career has gone in a very different direction since then, he continues to enjoy the sport of tennis!

Leonardo DiCaprio

Lately the internet has been taking Leonardo DiCaprio to task for his pattern of never dating women over the age of 25. Maybe, like a true tennis fan, he just associates small numbers with love.

In addition to attending such tennis tournaments as the French Open, Leonardo DiCaprio has been spotted playing tennis himself.

Of course, his role in Wolf of Wall Street required Leo to pick up a racquet and hit the courts. Maybe it created a habit!

David Beckham

David Beckham isn’t a name you would normally associate with tennis. He’s clearly devoted his life to a different sport.

However, the international celebrity and football legend has a tie to the world of tennis nonetheless. What’s the connection? His son.

David and his wife Victoria (the fashion designer of Spice Girl fame) have been supportive of their son Romeo as he’s tried following in David’s footsteps… almost.

Romeo wanted to be a professional athlete, but instead of football, it was tennis that caught his eye. David and Victoria even installed a tennis court on their property so that Romeo could pursue his dream.

According to recent accounts, Romeo’s enthusiasm for tennis has waned, and his tennis court has been torn up to install a football pitch instead. Oh well. 

Kate Middleton

No surprises here. The Duchess of Cambridge playing tennis is about as shocking as her enjoying tea – it all goes with the royal lifestyle. 

However, what’s interesting about Kate Middleton is that she doesn’t just play recreationally, she also uses tennis as a way to raise funds for causes she cares about.

Before the death of Queen Elizabeth, Kate Middleton was on track to play a match against Roger Federer for charity. The funds raised would have gone to two charities: Action for Children and the Lawn Tennis Association Foundation.

It’s uncertain whether or not the game will be canceled. It’s a shame, too – if they cancel it, how will we ever know who would win in a game between Kate Middleton and Roger Federer?

Prince William

Since we’ve included Kate, we may as well include William. It’s rude to just invite her to this blog entry without also inviting him – you know how it is with couples.

For all appearances, William seems to enjoy tennis as well – he’s been to several matches, including Wimbledon. But, of course, it’s hard to ever really know with a duke. Isn’t it his job to attend the odd Wimbledon match? 

Pippa Middleton

While we’re keeping things in the family, we have to mention Pippa Middleton!

Pippa is Kate’s sister, as well as a socialite and columnist. She’s been a tennis player all her life, and got to attend Wimbledon when she was just 8 years old. Inspired by tennis greats, she hoped to one day pursue tennis professionally.

While Middleton wasn’t destined for Olympic fame or any Grand Slam titles, she still gets to enjoy attending Wimbledon.

Christine Taylor

Christine Taylor isn’t just a famous actor, she’s also an avid tennis fan. Growing up in Pennsylvania, she frequently played the game.

She’s also added a pretty famous name to the list of tennis fans around the world. How? By introducing her husband, Ben Stiller, to the sport.

“I begged him to take me to Wimbledon for my birthday a few years ago and we did,” she explained to ESPN. “And this past U.S. Open, he was screaming at the finals harder than me!”

Christine has also worked as an advocate for the sport, joining the organization USTA to encourage youth to take it up. As for her own kids? She says she’s hoping they’ll grow up loving the sport too.

It’s one thing to love a sport – but it’s really great to see her spreading her love for the sport to a new generation!

Scarlett Johansson

Some of the celebrities on this list have loved tennis from a young age – like Tina Fey, Lars Ulrich, or Christine Taylor.

For movie star Scarlett Johannson, her appreciation of tennis didn’t come from loving it as a child. No – for her, it was all part of the job.

It started when she took a role in a Woody Allen film called Match Point. The film is a thriller in which Johansson plays something of a femme fatale – and, as the movie’s title would suggest, tennis is a central activity in the movie.

That meant ScarJo had to get tennis lessons!

Since then she says she enjoys the sport, since it’s such a great workout. The only downside is that she says she’s very competitive, and always wants to win every time.

Trevor Noah

Renowned comedian of The Daily Show fame, Trevor Noah found himself training as a tennis player almost by accident.

As he described on Ellen, billionaire Bill Gates invited Trevor Noah to play tennis against Roger Federer for a charity event. Noah didn’t want to turn down the offer, but there was one problem – he was completely new to tennis. He thought it would be easy, because that’s how it looks on TV – but for anybody who’s ever played tennis, they know it takes practice to get good.

Panicking, Noah decided to hire a tennis coach. Unfortunately, when the coaching agency heard that he needed a coach to help him play against Roger Federer, they assumed that he was a professional tennis player. So, they matched him up with a tennis coach who’s an expert in helping tennis pros – that’s not what Noah needed. He needed someone who knew how to coach an absolute beginner.

After countless hours of training, Trevor Noah switched to a new tennis coach who was able to help him improve. Eventually he was able to play a charity game against Roger Federer without embarrassing himself!

If, like Trevor Noah, you’re in need of some tennis lessons, you can always find the right coach at Tennis Pro Now!

Courtney Cox

Apparently the “court” in “Courtney Cox” refers to a tennis court!

The Friends star has been seen playing some serious tennis, even posting clips of herself on the courts to Instagram.

But Cox certainly has a sense of humor about it. While people were impressed with the video she posted, she then posted an “Instagram vs Reality” video, that showed all the outtakes – all the times that she missed the ball, or swung with bad form.

It’s a welcome reminder that even excellent players make mistakes. So if you’re just learning to play, don’t get discouraged! It’s all just a matter of practice!

Matthew Perry

Speaking of Friends – we have to mention Matthew Perry!

Although born in the US, Perry grew up in Ottawa. He had a passion for tennis and rose to the top of the Canadian junior tennis rankings. He rose as high as to 3rd in the doubles category and 17th in the singles.

Just like Lars Ulrich, he moved to Los Angeles as a teenager and found out that while he was a top player in his home country, he didn’t rank so high in the United States. After all, that makes sense – the US has ten times the population of Canada.

Lisa Kudrow

Okay, one last cast member of Friends – Lisa Kudrow played varsity tennis in high school! Maybe if they all hadn’t pursued acting, they could’ve all started a tennis club together.

Bryan Ferry

Photograph of Bryan Ferry performing.
Photograph of Bryan Ferry performing, by Raph PH. Source: Wikimedia commons, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

The singer of Roxy Music fame is well known for enjoying a debonair lifestyle. And while not everything he does is classy (he married his son’s ex-girlfriend, for instance – a woman 36 years younger than himself!), there’s one hobby of his that always is: tennis.

It makes sense that Ferry would enjoy the sport. He lives a life of romanticized pastoral affluence, and the sport of tennis fits that image like a tennis glove.

Drake

Drake loving sports? No surprise there. For years, the Toronto star has been a fixture at sport events, and long-time superfan of The Toronto Raptors.

But did you know he also has ties to the world of tennis?

Well, more specifically, he has ties to a specific tennis player. In 2011, Drake was spotted showing up at Serena Williams’ matches. He mentioned her in one of his songs, saying that he could beat her if she was playing with her left hand (haha, no). He posted a flirtatious message to her on Twitter, and even got into a beef with her ex, rapper Common.

Eventually Drake and Serena were seen making out. So, yes, Drake has a definite interest in …tennis.

Obviously, whatever they had is over now, as Serena is married and expecting. Drake still shows up at her matches, though.

Ready to Join Them?

So now we’ve seen some of the celebrities who have come to love tennis. Some of them are old fans, some of them are new to the sport, but they’ve all discovered for themselves what an exciting and enjoyable sport tennis really is!

If you’re feeling inspired, maybe it’s time to join these celebrity icons and try tennis for yourself!

Whether you want to be the world no. 1, or just to have a new way to exercise, the first step is to find your own instructor at Tennis Pro Now! With the right tennis coach, taking up this sport will feel fun, safe, and inclusive. Plus, the benefits for your mental and physical health are numerous!

And to stay up to date on more inspiring tennis content, tips, and news – follow us on social Facebook and Instagram!

Now go hit the courts – and remember to have fun!

Jonathan Stanfield

Jonathan got his tennis start in Saskatoon, waking up early each morning to practice before anyone else could reserve the free courts. Since then, his interests have widened: he works professionally for a Canadian ad agency, has several published short stories, and has recently taken up photography. Tennis remains a passion for Jonathan and he always feels most at home on a tennis court.