5 gripping documentaries for sports fans

1. BEING SERENA

This five-part HBO documentary series provides an intimate look at the tennis legend's journey over the past year and a half, from her 23rd Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open to the birth of her daughter, her wedding to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and her return to tennis.

The central struggle of the series is between Williams's desire to be a good, strong, successful mother and her wish to return to the world of the sport she's dominated for the past decade. (Read our full review of Being Serena.)

2. ANDRE THE GIANT

The bittersweet story of legendary professional wrestler and actor André René Roussimoff and his journey from the countryside of France to the hearts of millions of Americans.

3. OJ: MADE IN AMERICA

Ezra Edelman’s Oscar-winning 10-hour documentary series follows the rise and fall of “the juice”, from his footballing achievements to his trial and incarceration.

4. ICARUS

Bryan Fogel’s incredible true journey into the world of doping goes from Lance Armstrong to the inner sanctuary of the Russian doping scandal.

5. HOOP DREAMS

It’s often called the “Citizen Kane of sports documentaries” and for good reason. Almost 25 years after it was released, Steve James’s story of five years in the lives of two Chicago boys with dreams of making it as pro basketballers is heartbreaking and empathetically
observed.