Netflix and Serena Williams should be match made in tennis heaven

Netflix has recently been no stranger to tennis-themed programming. While the sport's popularity rises and falls often in the United States, it is the fourth most-watched sport globally. If the streaming giant knows its tennis content will not be huge in America, it also knows that the series and movies about the sport might be massive elsewhere.

The streamer announced this week that it will be producing a series based on Taylor Jenkins Reid's Serena Williams-influenced tome of fiction, Carrie Soto is Back. The story is not directly based on Williams, but tennis fans will see many similarities.

Soto was once the greatest player the WTA tour had seen, but she retired. She had the most Grand Slam wins ever, and that number appeared to be secure until a young player named Nicki Chan began to emerge. Soto and Chan prioritized winning, so while they were respected, they were also disliked to some degree.

Serena Williams to executive produce Netflix's adaptation of Carrie Soto is Back

Sensing Khan would break Soto's all-time Major titles mark, Soto decided to come out of retirement at age 37 to battle for more Grand Slams over one year. She will be coached by her father (at a very young age, Williams was coached by her father, Richard, and there was a film called King Richard about those years), and her mercurial boyfriend, Bowe Huntley, will also tour with her.

To be sure, the series is one of fiction, and not a docuseries of Williams. Williams holds the most Grand Slam wins ever on the WTA tour with 23, and no one playing currently is close to her. Tennis fans might also understand that a player taking time off will need time to reacclimate themselves, so expecting to come back and immediately be able to contend for Majors is a stretch.

Serena Williams has been named as an executive producer of the series, which makes sense. Just as a medical drama has a medical expert on hand to ensure everything is just right, Williams's presence during Carrie Soto is Back should ensure the little details are spot on.

There is no cast yet, so it will be interesting to see what kind of tennis acumen the lead actress has. No release date has been set, either. One might assume that the show will air in 2026 at the earliest.

Netflix has been no stranger to tennis projects over the last few years. In 2024, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal played in a live exhibition match on the streamer. Several docuseries, including the excellent Break Point, are available on Netflix. In April, Netflix will release Carlos Alcaraz: My Way.

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