Dishes for a Tennis-Watching Party

By Food & Wine
Updated May 09, 2017
Credit: John Kernick
Recipes inspired by tennis players for a delicious tennis-watching gathering, from Serbian pork kebabs to mac and cheese bites.
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Pork and Bacon Kebabs

Credit: © James Baigrie
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Tennis Player: Ana Ivanovic

Nationality: Serbian

This double dose of pork was inspired by a dish Steven Raichlen encountered on a recent trip to Serbia, where he researched native barbecue traditions for his upcoming book, Planet Barbecue. "The grilling there was amazing, as sophisticated as any grill culture in the world," he says.

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Three-Cheese Mini Macs

Credit: © Kana Okada
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Tennis Player: Venus Williams

Nationality: American

Anything big made small is ultrafun for cocktail parties, and these quick, one-bite mac and cheeses are the ultimate example. Cooked in mini muffin pans, the mini macs can be assembled early and baked just as guests arrive.

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Hand-Cut Fries with Smoked Aioli

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Tennis Player: Kim Clijsters

Nationality: Belgian

A smokey aioli pairs well with these ultra-crispy fries.

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Swedish Meatballs

Credit: © Fredrika Stjärne
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Tennis Player: Robin Söderling

Nationality: Swedish

This recipe for the classic meatball has a secret ingredient: celery salt.

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Buckwheat-Cheddar Blini with Smoked Salmon

Credit: © Jan Baldwin
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Tennis Player: Caroline Wozniack

Nationality: Danish

As a nod to their Norwegian heritage, Sophie Dahl and her family ate blini (mini pancakes) topped with smoked salmon every Christmas Eve. Now Dahl makes the blini with wonderfully earthy buckwheat flour and serves the salmon-topped hors d'oeuvres at parties throughout the year.

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Chorizo-Filled Dates Wrapped in Bacon

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Tennis Player: Rafael Nadal

Nationality: Spanish

This timeless tapa from Spanish cookbook author Penelope Casas has everything going for it—it's sweet, smoky and savory, all in one bite.

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Beet and Red Cabbage Borscht

Credit: © John Kernick
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Tennis Player: Vera Zvonareva

Nationality: Russian

Alison Attenborough and Jamie Kimm always make borscht around the holidays. One year, they had roasted fennel left over after a day of food styling and decided to add it to the soup pot; they've been making borscht with fennel ever since. They like their soup really sweet and sour, but you can adjust the vinegar and honey to your taste.

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Classic Cheese Fondue

Credit: © Rob Howard
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Tennis Player: Roger Federer

Nationality: Swiss

Chef Ryan Hardy makes his luxurious fondue with two kinds of Swiss cheese (Emmentaler and Gruyère) and two kinds of spirits (white wine and Kirsch), all traditional ingredients. Some of the dipping items are also classic, like cubes of crusty bread and pickles, but some are unconventional, like slices of Hardy's salami and other hearty house-cured charcuterie, which are all wonderful with the winey fondue.

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Mixed Grill with Chimichurri Sauces and Roasted Peppers

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Tennis Player: Juan Martín del Potro

Nationality: Argentinian

In Argentina, a mixed grill is called a parrillada (parrilla means "grill"; in Spanish). The dish is served in a rustic style, with whole pieces of meat like chicken hearts and sausage brought to the table. Michelle Bernstein prefers to grill skewers of meat for a more elegant presentation; here she uses chicken livers instead of hearts.

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Oaty Mixed Berry Crumble

Credit: John Kernick
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Tennis Player: Andy Murray

Nationality: Scottish

Nick Nairn likes using finely cut oats in this crumble topping, but you can also grind rolled oats in the food processor to achieve the same texture. A generous amount of butter mixed into the oats makes the crumble especially light and crisp.

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