Topspin

Topspin tells the story of Jimmy Griffin, a fatherless black teenager from the mean streets of Washington, D.C., who aspires to the world of professional tennis. With a black former tennis pro as his mentor, Jimmy learns to overcome the disadvantages of his background, the dangers of his environment, the social barriers to the elite "white" world of tennis, and the weaknesses in his game and his own character, to eventually reach the finals of the U.S. Junior Tennis Championships.
While unsparing in its portrayal of ghetto life, Topspin differs from most other screenplays on that subject in its upbeat emphasis on how strong character fortified with good values can enable one to triumph over the most adverse circumstances. That positive and universal theme, together with the script's "underdog" hero and novel focus on the game of tennis (whose extraordinary cinematic potential has yet to be fully exploited), makes Topspin a powerful drama and an action-packed entertainment.