Wimbledon’s strawberries and cream and a Pimm’s Cup (or three) were sorely missed last summer, as was the excitement of a packed stadium. Tennis journalist Richard Evans re-creates the magic of the sport with this comprehensive and beautifully illustrated history, published by Rizzoli. He begins in 1625, tennis’s inception year—and also the year Anne Boleyn was hauled off to the Tower of London: “Rumor has it that Henry was back on [the tennis] court when Boleyn was executed,” writes Evans—and finishes in the present. Stops along the way include an illustration of rallying Robin Hood-style friars, decked out in robes and tonsure hairstyle; a timeline-in-pictures of racquet design over the years; swoon-worthy photos of immaculate lawns; action shots of our contemporary heroes, from Federer to Nadal; and chapters on the birth of professional women’s tennis and the Williams sisters. —J.V.