The hirsute comedian takes his tennis seriously. He’s played since grade school and says he prefers the sport to golf because it’s “much more physical. It’s chess at 90 miles per hour.” Williams compares the sport to stand-up—both are solo activities and you have to be ready to move in all different ways, he once said. And the man with endless improvisational skills has said if he could ever learn a two-handed backhand, he would sacrifice a small animal. He was probably joking.
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It’s hard to imagine Friends’ Chandler Bing as an adept sportsman, but Matthew Perry was actually a top-ranked player in his youth, having picked up at racquet at four years old. At 13, Perry was ranked number two in Ottawa, and moved to Los Angeles to pursue tennis and acting, his second passion. But by age 15, he figured he wasn’t the next Jimmy Connors, and committed to Hollywood instead. Perry now consoles himself by playing the sport in video game form, even once having to go to the doctor after messing up his hands from playing Wii tennis too much. Perry has been also been spotted with tennis star Jennifer Capriati, although the two deny they were ever romantically involved.
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The Metallica co-founder doesn’t always sit behind a drum set. Ulrich was actually a tennis prodigy when he was younger, following in the footsteps of his father, Torben Ulrich, an acclaimed Danish player who was the top-ranked senior player in the world in 1976. Father and son moved from Denmark to Los Angeles to professionally train young Lars when he was 17, but after meeting James Hetfield, the two formed Metallica and the rest is history.
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Although Shannon Elizabeth was a young star on the court with, by her own admission, a great backhand and forehand, she ended up pursuing modeling, and then acting (and eventually Dancing with the Stars) instead. The American Pie actress still counts Andre Agassi among her tennis idols.
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Gwen Stefani’s rock star husband often steps back from the microphone and is actually an avid tennis player and fan. He’s so good, even top-ranked players sing his praises. Lindsay Davenport admits she was aced by Rossdale, and Chris Evert recalled seeing him play 10 years ago: “I remember watching him practice for close to 45 minutes, cracking forehands and backhands, overheads and volleys. His talent blew my mind. I remember mentioning to him that he was good enough to play for Britain." The former Bush lead singer is friends with Roger Federer and always supports him at matches.
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When Sports Illustrated asked Dustin Hoffman if he was a legendary tennis fan, the actor quickly corrected them: “I am a legendary tennis player.” The 72-year-old actor is on the court every morning when he’s not working, and Hoffman said the best tennis gift he ever received was playing a game with the legendary Jimmy Connors. Andre Agassi even once practiced on his clay court before the French Open, but then unfortunately got knocked out in the first round.
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Dr. Phil has played in a number of celebrity tennis tournaments, including the Mercedes Benz Cup in Los Angeles. The daytime talk show host is also an avid golfer and scuba diver, runs every morning, and plays tennis every night. “I’m just a big old jock is all,” he once said.
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The legendary late-night king was a huge fan of the sport and used it as a calming influence, a kind of therapy to help get rid of his aggressions. He loved the sport so much once made John McEnroe give Carson him private lessons in 1985, as a real estate stipulation after McEnroe bought Carson’s home in Carbon Beach for $8.6 million.
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Former Saturday Night Live star Jon Lovitz has played in a number of tennis tournaments, including the Chris Evert and Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic. The stand-up comedian is known to have a powerful serve.
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Robert Plant has certainly calmed down from his Led Zeppelin days. Now he croons with Alison Krauss and plays tennis in his spare time. The rocker doesn’t even drink or smoke, because he says he wants to “be the best tennis player on my block and sing with the gods.” On his own talents, he said, “I'm an average club player. Plenty of backhand slice.”
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He tried to give a tennis lesson in Fletch, but before he became a comedian, Chevy Chase was actually a club pro. He has also been a mainstay at celebrity tournaments for years, often turning up alongside Matthew Perry and Jon Lovitz.
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Billy Crystal is a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, but his sports knowledge doesn’t end with baseball—he’s also attended the Chris Evert and Raymond James Celebrity Tennis Day. Every year, Crystal and his family head to Hawaii on vacation to practice on the courts.
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The Ghost Whisperer star may or may not be a fan of tennis—but she made sure to show off her body while on vacation this month with boyfriend Jamie Kennedy. Her impractical outfit of a bikini and heels might fly at the US Open, but at Wimbledon it’s strictly tennis whites.
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