She Got Game

When tennis pro Jennifer Capriati makes her comeback and wants to put her past as a drug fiend behind her once and for all at a press conference, but has to leave the room in tears when a journalist asks her about it, it is a telling moment in the story of professional women’s tennis. A story about fame, dreams of fame and pressure – from parents, coaches, commerce and the audience. A cruel fairy-tale riddled with injuries, ambitions and envy. For example, nobody has a good word to say about Russian player Anna Kournikova, who has not won a single tournament in many years, but is an absolute crowd puller. The Canadian professional player Sonya Jeyaseelan, whose story is the thread through this documentary, is also unable to resist the appeal of the centre court, despite a fall in the world rankings from number 49 to 333, following major surgeries. Coaches, organisers, parents, tennis commentators and famous players give directors Bobbi Jo Krals and Abbey Neidik some quotes to shed light on the world behind the game. Going from California to Moscow and from Toronto to Munich, the female tennis players’ tough and lonely life is confirmed and few clichés remain unused: ‘Tennis parents never smile.’ (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)