The Greatest Jewish Tennis Players of All Times

by Sandra Harwitt

 

Unique among other books on tennis, this guide to the best and most influential Jewish tennis players in the history of the sport includes features and biographies of the greatest players, stories of both break-out success and anti-Semitism, and the history of tennis in the Maccabiah Games. The book features information on the surprising number of former and current Jewish tennis players in the game, including a few very well-known players who have partial Jewish heritage. Beginning with the Italian Baron Umberto de Morpurgo in the 1920s, readers will meet a fascinating cast of internationally acclaimed Jewish players and learn their stories, including that of the best German player who was prevented from playing by the Nazis, the player who competed on both the men’s and women’s tour, the only fully Jewish player to rank number one in the world, and the player who was denied entry into a country to play a Women’s Tennis Association tournament—in the 21st century. This history also discusses the ways in which Jewish individuals have been instrumental behind the scenes, playing key roles in the growth of tennis into one of the world’s most popular sports.