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...