I'd like to read a sports manga that has at least one well-developed female character. It's ok if she is a side character or a love interest and the main character/team of the series is male.

Suzuka

Don't bother with the sequel Fuuka. It's awful.

Baby Steps and Karate Shoukoushi Kohinata Minoru both come to mind for me, though they're both still ongoing.......after that (from my complete list) I'd suggest Ashita no Joe, Attaque (I believe, though it's been a while since I read it), Buyuden, Eyeshield 21, Fuyu Hanabi, Green Boy: Shouting to You, Gunjou (KIRIHARA Idumi), My Heart Is Beating, Regatta, Shion no Ou (just so you know, we're considering shogi a "sport" in this one, but this is probably the best of all of these as far as serious stories go, if that's what you're looking for), and Teppuu.

Good luck finding something to read 🙂

Baggataway is a great sports manga with an all-female cast (except for the coach).

Seconding Baby Steps.

There's also...
Bamora! (mostly women)
Bushido Sixteen (two main female protagonists, martial arts)
Hanebado! (women's badminton)
Golondrina (female protagonist)

Too bad Baggataway and Bamora take too long to update.

Thanks all for the great suggestions! Baby Steps especially as I love tennis!

Quote from carouseldreams

Thanks all for the great suggestions! Baby Steps especially as I love tennis!

Oh, well I should've mentioned Sorairo Ageha as well.........I saw it when I was looking earlier (you know, it came up under "sports" too 😀 ), it's just a shorter work is all, so I kinda blew it off since we were looking for "well-developed"......but yeah, if you haven't read it, it's tennis and pretty good as I remember....of course I love shoujo too 😀

Hello,

I've just stumbled upon this thread, but Cross Game is Romance/Sports/Family, if you ended up liking it, I suggest Adachi Mitsuru's manga in general.

Chihayafuru is about Kuruta, I don't know if you count that as sport enough.

Can't believe no one suggested Major. Watch the anime, it's reaaaaally good.

Quote from Green Mylle

Can't believe no one suggested Major. Watch the anime, it's reaaaaally good.

haha I'm watching the second season now; it's such a step above most sports anime (and I love sports anime)

Quote from svines85

Oh, well I should've mentioned Sorairo Ageha as well.........I saw it when I was looking earlier (you know, it came up under "sports" too 😀 ), it's just a shorter work is all, so I kinda blew it off since we were looking for "well-developed"......but yeah, if you haven't read it, ...

This actually looks really really cute thanks for recommending it I'm excited about it!

Teppuu, the main is a girl.
Seconding Chihayafuru... but I also don't know if it counts as "sports". hahaha Anyway, it is worth the read even if it doesn't fit the criteria.
All Rounder Meguru
Buyuden
Golondrina, bullfighter
Tetsuwan Girl, baseball

For girls as managers, coaches etc:
seconding Eyeshield 21
Ookiku Furikabutte, never read the manga, but I love the anime

Edit: just saw Teppuu, Golondrina and Buyuden in the above recs. Seconding them then.