Love Game: A History of Tennis, from Victorian Pastime to Global Phenomenon

"Hers is a sporting history unlike any I've read—one that, in its sophistication and thoughtfulness, shows up the hollowness of most other accounts."—The Observer

Tennis' gladiatorial beauty, stylish duelling, and fashionable court-wear make it a romantic's dream. Ever since young men and women first came together to play on vicarage lawns, this most Victorian of games has always had a peculiarly passionate undercurrent—love even makes it into the scoring system. And passion is included in other forms—the rivalry of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and John McEnroe's legendary angry outbursts.

Beyond the romance, tennis has always been a barometer of the times. French star Suzanne Lenglen was a celebrity trailblazer, Jimmy Connors channeled punk, and Wimbledon's Henman Hill is unrecognizable from the days when the All England Club ostracised working-class Fred Perry—the great English tennis champion who is now more famous as a leisure clothing brand than a sportsman.

Love Game is the must-have companion for tennis fans during the 2015 US Open. It tells the story of tennis' journey from upper-middle-class hobby to global TV spectacle, taking in the innovators and trendsetters, the great players, heroes, and iconoclasts, and the politics, class wars, and culture clashes of what could rightfully be called the "beautiful game".

Elizabeth Wilson is currently visiting professor at the London College of Fashion and is the author of several nonfiction books. Her novels The Twilight Hour, War Damage, and The Girl in Berlin are also published by Serpent's Tail.