The world of tennis is experiencing a significant cultural renaissance, with its influence now extending into the global art scene. Renowned figures like John McEnroe are part of a growing trend where the sport’s icons engage deeply with contemporary art, while the game itself inspires painters and exhibitions worldwide. This surge in interest is mirrored by increasing participation rates and a broader integration of tennis aesthetics into mainstream culture.
Modern tennis, which emerged in mid-19th century England, has historically captivated artists with its clean geometry and dynamic movements. Masters such as Eric Ravilious, whose triptych ‘Tennis’ (1930) was adapted for the 1937 Paris International Exhibition, and Edward Hopper, with his watercolor ‘Tennis Players’ (1916–20), explored the sport’s elegant choreography. Pop artist Andy Warhol notably created 38 silkscreen portraits of champion Chris Evert, transforming her into an iconic figure. Today, the sport’s prominence is on the rise both on and off the court. U.S. participation climbed by 54 percent since 2019, reaching a record 27.3 million players in 2025, according to the United States Tennis Association. This renewed enthusiasm has led to ‘tennis-core’ influencing interior design, fashion lines, and cinema, including Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Challengers’. Museums are also featuring tennis-related exhibitions, such as ‘The Court: Art in Play’ at the Newport Art Museum and the Pérez Art Museum Miami’s ‘Get in the Game: Sports, Art, Culture’. In June, 32 artists competed on a painted court at the inaugural Casa Axis International Open in Valencia, Spain.
Contemporary Artists Redefine Tennis Narratives
Contemporary painters are reinterpreting tennis, moving beyond its traditional associations with graphic simplicity and country-club exclusivity. Artists like Jonas Wood, Sheena Rose, Honor Titus, Rachael Bos, and Shaun Ellison are utilizing familiar elements to illustrate how the game is perceived, played, and depicted differently today.
Brooklyn-based artist Shaun Ellison, a former Division I player, experienced a shift in tennis’s identity firsthand. He once linked the sport to ‘white privilege’ and perfectionism, but later observed a more diverse roster of stars, including Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka, whose backgrounds challenged the conventional elite mold. Ellison, as he told Artsy, believes this has fostered ‘more freedom to be oneself.’ His ‘Grand Slam’ paintings convey accessibility by portraying the court as a public stage and integrating everyday scenes with matches, suggesting that while ‘there’s tennis here, but it’s not everything.’ Similarly, Barbados-based artist Sheena Rose found healing through painting Black female tennis champions after a lupus diagnosis. She channels her energy into depicting athletes in motion, intentionally obscuring their faces so they could represent any Black woman. Rose meticulously studies matches for telling postures, making her players identifiable by their signature stances, like Venus Williams’s raised foot. Her recent work explores themes of compassion rather than just competition.
Global Icons Drive Art World Engagement
Beyond inspiring artists, tennis champions themselves are significantly influencing the art world, leveraging their global celebrity status. Historically, tennis has been linked to wealth, style, and exclusivity. As players achieve global renown, their interests outside the game, including art, gain widespread attention. These prominent athletes are not merely passive admirers; some have amassed substantial art collections, while others have cultivated close ties with artists, galleries, and museums. A select few have even ventured into the art business. This trend demonstrates how cultural figures, even those primarily known for sports, can drive engagement and investment in the arts, potentially impacting global art markets and trends by broadening the appeal and accessibility of contemporary art to a wider international audience.
Venus Williams is a notable patron, serving on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Vanguard Council and collaborating with the Carnegie Museum of Art on a podcast in 2024. Serena Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam winner, has built a significant contemporary art collection, emphasizing Black artists, with her Florida home featured in Architectural Digest in 2021. Both sisters were recognized by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery with commissioned portraits in 2022. They are visible advocates, using their influence to support contemporary artists. Reilly Opelka represents a younger generation with serious art interest, regularly attending art fairs and forming friendships with artists and gallerists, even receiving a fine for displaying a gallery tote bag at the U.S. Open in 2021. The material notes that John McEnroe is also among the tennis icons known to collect art, further illustrating the deep connection between top-tier athletes and the art world.
The convergence of tennis and the art world signifies a dynamic cultural shift. As athletes continue to embrace and champion contemporary art, and as artists find fresh inspiration in the evolving landscape of the sport, this intersection promises to yield further innovative expressions and collaborations. The increasing public engagement, both in playing tennis and appreciating its artistic representations, suggests a fertile ground for future developments in this unique cultural interplay.
Image: Artsy
Sources consulted
- Artsy: Why Contemporary Painters Are Obsessed with Tennis
- Artsy: From Serena Williams to John McEnroe, 6 Tennis Icons Who Collect Art
- Reuters Connect: U.S. Open
Adrian Velk is a global affairs journalist focused on breaking news, geopolitics, and societal trends. With a sharp eye for detail and a commitment to accuracy, he delivers timely reporting that helps readers understand the fast-moving world around them. His work blends factual depth with clear storytelling, making complex events accessible to a broad audience.
