Tennis superstars serve it up on the big screen
If you have cable, then you’ve probably seen Milos Raonic in his newest starring role, and we’re not talking tennis.
Milos appears in a Public Service Announcement for Tennis Canada alongside two very cute kids. No matter how hard it is to serve over 200kmph, he finds a way to make acting look…just as hard. While his acting ability doesn’t really shine through, it did inspire us to look up some of our favourite cameos by Milos’ fellow competitors.
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No matter how they act on the court, tennis stars seem to love popping up in pop culture. Here is a list of our favourite cameos by tennis players:
Milos Raonic – Wilson commercial & Tennis Canada Kids’ Tennis PSA
Canada’s highest-ranked tennis player ever is taking a crack at acting…sort of. First, he teams up with some other tennis players in Wilson’s “Rock On” ad spot, followed by his silent appearance with some very cute kids in a Tennis Canada PSA.
John McEnroe – Mr Deeds & Anger Management
It feels kind of bizarre to be listing tennis cameos and not have John McEnroe at the very top. The 3-time Wimbledon champ has found his way into more movies and TV shows than a lot of acclaimed actors (just look at his IMDB profile). Some of his roles were tennis-based (he played a broadcast announcer in the movie Wimbledon), but most of them involved him playing himself, which can get loud at times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea2TgSCs03Y
Vijay Amritraj – Octopussy
Indian tennis player Vijay Amritraj made a smooth transition from the hard court to the big screen. Apparently, he was given a screen test in between his 2nd and 3rd round Wimbledon matches one year, and ended up with a decent-sized role in the James Bond classic Octopussy (he is one of 15 names on the movie’s Cast summary on IMDB).
Novak Djokovic – Deleted scene from The Expendables 2
Novak Djokovic is currently the world’s #1-ranked tennis player, but that doesn’t mean that he is a great actor. Just take a look at the scene below that the Serbian superstar shot for The Expendables 2. It didn’t make the movie’s final cut, but was featured in the gag real.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be3OU6NEDPs
Andy Roddick – Sabrina the Teenage Witch & Just Go With It
Andy Roddick was known for having one of the hardest serves ever in the game of tennis, but he was definitely not as well-known for being an actor. His appearances in an episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the end of the movie Just Go With It prove why.
Chris Evert – Saturday Night Live host
Former women’s world #1 Chris Evert appeared in several TV shows and movies after she hung up her racquet for good. In addition to playing a court commentator in the movie Wimbledon, Evert hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live (unfortunately the only embeddable video out there is of her promo).
Rafael Nadal – Music video for “Gypsy” by Shakira
One of the biggest names in tennis over the past decade, Rafael Nadal, made headlines in a different way when he starred in the music video for Shakira’s “Gypsy”. Apparently Rafa’s acting skills were so good that people thought the two of them were a couple (which they both publicly denied).
Anna Kournikova – Music video for “Escape” by Enrique Iglesias
After her a short tennis career, Kounrikova attempted to make the transition into acting. In addition to appearing in the music video below (see comedian Steve Patterson’s take of the song below that), she also made a quick cameo in Me, Myself & Irene as a motel manager. Her modelling career would prove a lot more illustrious.
Victoria Azarenka – Music video for “Let’s Get Ridiculous” by Redfoo
Former women’s world #1 Victoria Azarenka traded in her racquet for a stewardess outfit in the music video for “Let’s Get Ridiculous” by Redfoo (her recently ex-boyfriend).
Eugenie Bouchard – TV Commercial for Pinty’s
While she may not be as experienced as some of the others on this list, Genie may soon have some far bigger roles coming her way. See her acting debut in the commercial below.
