Tennis Books
Simon & Schuster Ltd Winning Ugly
Book SynopsisHe's been called the best in the world at the mental game of tennis. Brad Gilbert's strokes may not be pretty, but looks aren't everything. He has beaten the Tour's biggest names - all by playing his ugly game. Now in Winning UglyGilbert teaches recreational players how to win more often without necessarily even changing their strokes. The key to success, he says, is to become a better thinking player - to recognize, analyze and capitalize. That means outthinking your opponents before, during and much after a match; forcing him or her to play your game. Winning Ugly is an invaluable combat manual for the court, and its tips include some real gems. Ultimately, Winning Uglywill help you beat players who have been beating you.
£10.44
Polaris Publishing Limited Roger Federer: The Biography
Book SynopsisRené Stauffer has been closely covering Roger Federer’s career for nearly 25 years. In this comprehensive biography, Stauffer talks at length to the man himself, his family, friends, coaches and rivals to paint an unrivalled picture of the greatest male tennis player of all time. From his early life in Basel, Switzerland, where he first picked up a tennis racquet, to the heights of his 20th Grand Slam victory and all points in between, Stauffer reveals the secrets to Federer’s success, the hardships and doubts that he has faced and examines the legacy that Federer has created in the modern game.Trade Review'excellent' -- Simon Briggs * The Telegraph *'among the world’s leading authorities on Federer' -- Mike Dickson * The Mail on Sunday *'René Stauffer's comprehensive biography of Roger Federer is full of interesting insights into one of the greatest sportsmen of modern times' -- Martin Chilton * The Independent *'A comprehensive account of the life of the greatest – and most elegant – tennis player of his generation. From his earliest days to his recent record-breaking triumphs, Federer’s rise to the top of the world game has been watched by his compatriot René Stauffer every step of the way. Now we can relive his journey from Basel ball boy to Grand Slam legend, told in vivid detail, by one of the tennis writers who knows him best' -- Victoria Gaiger * Rakesprogress Magazine *
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Open
Book SynopsisHe is one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game. Now, in his frank and revealing autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by triumphs, obsession and personal struggles. He is one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court - but from early childhood Andre Agassi hated the game. Coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day while still in grade school, Agassi resented the constant pressure even as he drove himself to become a prodigy, an inner conflict that would define him. Now, in his beautiful, haunting autobiography, Agassi tells the story of a life framed by such conflicts. Agassi makes us feel his panic as an undersized seven-year-old in Las Vegas, practicing all day under the obsessive gaze of his violent father. We see him at thirteen, banished to a Florida tennis camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-Trade Review‘engaging, thrilling…a superbly written book’–Michael Atherton, The Times ‘stunningly good’–Lynne Truss, The Times ‘Honest in a way that such books seldom are . . . An uncommonly well-written sports memoir.’-Charles McGrath, The New York Times ‘Agassi weaves a fascinating tale of professional tennis and personal adversity . . . His tale shows that success is measured both on and off the court.’–Doree Shafrir, New York Post ‘An ace autobiography’–London Lite
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Rafa My Story
Book SynopsisRevelatory memoir from the greatest sportsman in the world today and a fascinating insight into the making of a championTrade ReviewTake a glimpse behind the curtain of both his private and professional life - it's as exciting as Rafa himself * Woman's Own *A winner * Independent *Rafa: My Story is a terrific sporting memoir, full of memorable anecdotes and stamped with the authority of a ghostwriter who earned the complete trust of his subject. It is hard to imagine how Nadal could have done any more to get the best out of his own raw material. And it is to Carlin's enourmous credit that the book is a true reflection of the man, in every sense -- Ed Smith * New Statesman *Rafa: My Story is a terrific sporting memoir, full of memorable anecdotes and stamped with the authority of a ghostwriter who earned the complete trust of his subject. It is hard to imagine how Nadal could have done any more to get the best out of his own raw material. And it is to Carlin's enourmous credit that the book is a true reflection of the man, in every sense -- Ed Smith * New Statesman *Between them they have served up a winner -- Simon Redfern * Independent *Take a glimpse behind the curtain of both his private and professional life - it's as exciting as Rafa himself * Woman's Own *
£11.69
Pitch Publishing Ltd The Roger Federer Effect: Rivals, Friends, Fans
Book SynopsisThe Roger Federer Effect tells the story of the world's most famous tennis player in a fresh, innovative way - through the eyes of his friends, rivals, coaches, fans and many others who have been drawn to him as he blazed a trail and transcended the sport. In a glorious career spanning more than two decades, Federer won 20 Grand Slam titles - including eight at Wimbledon - and more than 100 tournaments worldwide, taking the game to a new level and becoming the most popular player the sport has ever seen. As he enters retirement, more than 40 personalities from inside and outside tennis reveal the special place Federer holds in their lives. Through exclusive interviews, they explain the Roger Federer phenomenon. As much as his deeds are important, it is also the intimate details that really make a person who they are. The Roger Federer Effect reveals them in fascinating and often previously untold anecdotes.
£12.74
Random House USA Inc The Inner Game of Tennis
Book SynopsisAn accessible, invaluable guide to mastering your “inner game” to ensure success on and off the court—part of the bestselling Inner Game series, with more than one million copies sold! “Groundbreaking . . . [The Inner Game of Tennis is] the best book on tennis that I have ever read, and its profound advice applies to many other parts of life.”—Bill Gates, GatesNotes (“Five of my All-Time Favorite Books”) Master your game from the inside out!This phenomenally successful guide has become a touchstone for hundreds of thousands of people. Not just for tennis players, or even just for athletes in general, this handbook works for anybody who wants to improve their performance in any activity, from playing music to getting ahead at work. W. Timothy Gallwey, a leading innovator in sports psychology, reveals how to• focus your mind to overcome nervousness, self-doubt, and dis
£13.49
John Murray Press The Warrior
Book SynopsisAn intimate biography of tennis''s living legend Rafael Nadal. Tennis is not short on history. When Nadal arrived on the scene in 2005, the record for men''s singles titles at the French Open stood at six, held by Bjorn Borg. Almost twenty years later, Nadal has more than doubled Borg''s total with a mind-boggling fourteen titles. His record will undoubtedly remain his signature achievement - the stat that will define him in memory twenty, fifty, even a hundred years from now. Fourteen certainly looks like the only major tennis record that will never be broken even if Nadal, a modest champion despite his flashy résumé, rejects that kind of definitive thinking.Nadal has won big and won often on any of tennis''s surfaces, securing two Wimbledon titles on grass and four U.S. Opens on acrylic hardcourts. But clay, the slowest and grittiest of the game''s playgrounds, is where it all comes together best for his explosive movement and warrior mindset. Clay is the canvas on which he has mastered his choreography, underlining the precision, speed, and raw power required to accomplish one of the most impressive sporting achievements of the 21st century - it is the essential stuff of his life and success.Legendary sports reporter and bestselling author Christopher Clarey has interviewed Nadal and his coaches from his first French Open victory at nineteen, marking his debut as a rising star on the premier clay-court event in the world, to his most recent victory in 2022, closing out an astonishing career as one of the greatest players of all time. Brimming with behind-the-scenes insight into the story of a global sporting icon, The Warrior is a must-read account for the loyal sports fan - and anyone interested in the evolution of excellence.
£14.39
HarperCollins Publishers Inside
£17.60
John Murray Press The Master: The Brilliant Career of Roger Federer
Book SynopsisWidely regarded as one of the greatest ever sportspeople, Roger Federer is a global phenomenon. From his humble beginnings as a temperamental teenager to becoming symbol of enduring greatness, The Master is the definitive biography of a global icon who is both beloved and yet intensely private. But his path from temperamental, bleach-blond teenager with dubious style sense to one of the greatest, most self-possessed and elegant of competitors has been a long-running act of will, not destiny. He not only had a great gift. He had grit.With access to Federer's inner circle, including his wife, Mirka, his longtime trainer and based on one-on-one interviews with Federer, legendary sports reporter Chris Clarey's account will be a must read retrospective for the loyal sports fans, and anyone interested in the inner workings of unfaltering excellence. The Master tells the story of Federer's life and career on both an intimate and grand scale.Trade ReviewRoger Federer is the most beautiful and balletic player I've ever seen. In this entertaining and deeply researched book, Christopher Clarey, the top tennis writer of today, tells the story of how Federer became one of our sport's greatest champions and how much harder it was than he made it look -- Billie Jean King, former World No. 1 professional tennis playerStyle married with substance. Heft married with levity. Polished, detail-oriented, executed with grace. Roger Federer gets the biography he deserves -- L. Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated executive editor and bestselling author of THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON SPORTSRoger Federer plays tennis like Michelangelo painted: every stroke is perfection, the end result a masterpiece. Christopher Clarey captured just that -- Martina Navratilova, former World No. 1 professional tennis playerChristopher Clarey is a rare combination: the consummate insider with an objective lens. With THE MASTER, he delivers a deep and enlightening view of Roger's life and career that sports fans will be parsing for decades -- Jim Courier, former world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam singles championAn iconic master in his own field, Christopher Clarey is the perfect writer to wrap up the gift that is Roger Federer's career. You're not going to get a better look into his life, personality, and character. Christopher got close but not too close to Roger to compromise his perspective on this great champion. He shows sides and layers of Roger through conversations and stories that we have never been privy to before. I have deep respect for Christopher's fair and thoughtful journalism -- Chris Evert, American former world No. 1 tennis player and winner of 18 Grand Slam singles championships
£11.69
Scribner Book Company Late to the Ball
Book Synopsis
£16.19
Bodleian Library The Original Rules of Tennis
Book SynopsisWhile Jeu de paume has been played in France for hundreds of years and was associated with the French and English medieval and renaissance courts, the modern game of tennis dates from 1874, when the rules were defined by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield. Published in association with the All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon), this book examines the history of the rules of tennis from their first codification to the present day. It also looks at the circumstances of the composition of the first rules, their scope, and afterlife, as they moved from manuscript to publication.
£8.77
Abbeville Press Inc.,U.S. Stars of World Tennis
Book SynopsisRead all about today's greatest tennis players in this exciting book full of action-packed photos published just in time for the U.S. Open. Stars of World Tennisprofiles 28 of today's top men's and women's tennis players, from the unstoppable Novak Djokovic to comeback queen Naomi Osaka to young phenom Coco Gauff. Young readers will learn about theirfavourite players' life stories, unique styles of play, and defining moments on the court.Packed with colourful photos and key stats, Stars of World Tennis belongs to the Abbeville Sports series, which also includes Stars of Women's Gymnastics ISBN 9780789214843, Stars of World Soccer ISBN 9780789214751, and Stars of Women's Soccer ISBN 9780789214034.Featured Players: Carlos Alcaraz; Ashleigh Barty; Marin Cilic; Kim Clijsters; Novak Djokovic; Roger Federer; David Ferrer; Coco Gauff; Ons Jabeur; Angelique Kerber; Na Li; Juan Martin del Potro; Daniil Medvedev; Andy Murray; Rafael Nadal; Naomi Osaka; Jessica Pegula; Andrey Rublev; Elena Rybakina; Aryna Sabalenka; Maria Sharapova; Jannik Sinner; Iga Swiatek; Dominic Thiem; Stefanos Tsitsipas; Stan Wawrinka; Serena Williams; Venus Williams.
£12.34
Random House USA Inc Open
Book Synopsis#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Far more than a superb memoir about the highest levels of professional tennis, Open is the engrossing story of a remarkable life. • Agassi’s memoir is just as entrancing as his tennis game.” —Time “Honest in a way that such books seldom are.” —The New York Times Andre Agassi had his life mapped out for him before he left the crib. Groomed to be a tennis champion by his moody and demanding father, by the age of twenty-two Agassi had won the first of his eight grand slams and achieved wealth, celebrity, and the game’s highest honors. But as he reveals in this searching autobiography, off the court he was often unhappy and confused, unfulfilled by his great achievements in a sport he had come to resent. Agassi writes candidly about his early success and his uncomfortable relationship with fame, his marriage to Brooke Shields, his growing interest in philanthropy, and—described in haunting, point-by-point detail—the highs and lows of his celebrated career.
£15.10
teNeues Publishing UK Ltd The Stylish Life: Tennis
Book Synopsis“Imply you’re a tennis ace with this stylish coffee-table book” — Evening Standard Immerse yourself in the world of tennis like never before. This coffee table book is more than just a collection of impressive shots - it's a tribute to the elegance, style, and passion that make tennis so unique. The Stylish Life Tennis showcases the beauty and prestige associated with this exclusive sport. A visual journey into a world full of excitement and dynamism, where each serve marks the beginning of a new story. The aesthetic photographs in the book invite you to experience the fascinating game from a different perspective. Less technical know-how, but much more genuine emotions: On every page, a story of dedication, determination, and the pursuit of perfection that make tennis so unforgettable is told. Whether you are a passionate tennis player yourself or simply enjoy the beauty and glamour of this sport, The Stylish Life Tennis is a timeless work that will captivate you time and time again. Immerse yourself in the incomparable atmosphere of tennis and let yourself be inspired by the fascinating images.Trade Review"An aspirational coffee table book selection should probably imply you have upscale hobbies, and this tennis-focused title published by teNeues will play the part perfectly. Plus, the cover image by Slim Aarons looks pretty great on the top of a book pile." - Evening Standard
£18.05
John Blake Publishing Ltd Novak Djokovic
Book SynopsisThis revised and updated biography intertwines the incredible playing career of one of the best and most popular tennis players of all time with a history of how he came to rescue the image of a young, war-torn country on the world stage. It describes Djokovic’s modest upbringing, revealing how he met the woman who taught him both to play tennis and how to deal with life as a high-profile icon. It charts Djokovic’s battle with illness, his relationship with a volatile father, and how his on-court deeds have made his country proud. It also tells the story of Serbia, offering a nuanced portrait of a people with a troubled past, and offers an unrivaled assessment of the player’s recent drop in form—and the untold reasons behind it.
£9.49
Rafa mi historia
Book Synopsis
£17.16
Simon & Schuster Ltd Andy Murray Wimbledon Champion
Book SynopsisThe most in-depth and revealing biography of Andy Murray, Wimbledon champion
£9.74
Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd The Mental Game: Tennis: Cognitive Training,
Book SynopsisElite tennis players like Rodger Federer or Rafael Nadal not only perceive everything that is happening around them, but they also foresee the next game situations. This “mental speed” lays the foundation to build master performances in extremely complex situations. This book offers a theoretical framework in which anticipation, perception, attention, and memory processes play a big role in a tennis player’s ability to win on the court. The diagnostic tools and useful examples aid the training of cognitive abilities. With more than 50 on-court practice drills to build game intelligence, every tennis player will strengthen their mental game and win their matches.
£15.26
Bookstorm A handful of summers
Book SynopsisFrom beginnings on a gravel court on a farm in rural South Africa, Gordon Forbes went on to travel the world with his long-time tennis partner Abe Segal during the late 1950s and early 60s: the glory days of Fred Perry, Roy Emerson and Virginia Wade. In this delightful insider's account of tennis on the international circuit, Forbes looks back with laughter at his tennis playing years through a varied, successful and often outrageous career on the world's courts. This newly published edition of A Handful of Summers brings back a cult classic, revealing an era populated by the most colourful tennis players of all time. More about the hilarious escapades of players than the game itself, the book begins with a short series of vignettes from Forbes's childhood on an Eastern Cape farm in South Africa, then takes the reader on a tennis tour – into locker rooms and restaurants, narrow streets and small hotels, and onwards to the lawns of Wimbledon and the caramel coloured clays of Roland Garros. A player of international repute, Gordon Forbes has managed to capture the irresistible charm of an era while telling the story of a young man striving to follow signposts on the winding roads of life. This is the first of Forbes's memoirs, followed by Too Soon to Panic and I'll Take the Sunny Side. With an original Foreword by Peter Ustinov.
£16.11
Scholastic Andy Murray A Life Story
Book SynopsisAndy Murray: tennis player, sports icon, Olympian. Get the insidetrack on one of history's most spectacular athletes!
£5.69
Wymer Publishing The Coach
Book SynopsisPatrick Mouratoglou; Serena Williams' coach; host of his own daily TV Show for Eurosport International, sports commentator on ESPN, founder and President of the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy and Resort and Philanthropist is the most followed coach on the "Tennisphere".The Coach is Patrick Mouratoglou's hugely motivational and inspirational story. As a child, he was full of suffering, enduring anxiety attacks at night. In his own words "puny and very timid, paralysed by the shame of not being able to do better".Now, as one of the world's leading tennis coaches he is responsible for transforming the career of Serena Williams and helping her become the greatest of all times. His story is a great example of trial over adversity.
£13.49
New Chapter Press,U.S. Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited
Book SynopsisPete Sampras is a central figure in the history of tennis, the dominant force in the game during the 1990’s, and the greatest American male player of all time. Gradually, after a fairytale finish to his career when he won the 2002 U.S. Open, Sampras was somewhat forgotten by fans who were exhilarated by the exploits of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. In this career biography of the redoubtable Sampras, Hall of Fame author and historian Steve Flink recaptures the magic of the man, recalling the supreme hold he had on his era, and bringing this singularly gifted player vividly back to life.
£23.36
Twelve The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of
Book Synopsis
£17.59
John Blake Publishing Ltd Roger Federer: The Definitive Biography
Book SynopsisRoger Federer is not only one of the greatest tennis players ever to pick up a racket - if not the greatest - but he is one of the global icons of our time. Characterised by a mixture of passion and calmness, a fierce competitor with a regal bearing, he is both an athlete and an ambassador, a street fighter and a statesman. But who is he really? And what are the experiences and influences that have shaped him into the world figure he is today?This acclaimed biography, first published in 2006 and now fully updated in its ninth edition, traces Federer's life and career, from his first tentative swings with a racket to legendary status. The vastly experienced writer, broadcaster and tennis historian Chris Bowers talked exclusively to many of the people who helped shape the young Roger Federer, and together with his own experiences following Federer's career from his junior title at Wimbledon at age sixteen to his twentieth major title nineteen years later, he presents an affectionate and analytical portrait of one of the great names of modern-day sport. His book has enough information to satisfy the most voracious Federer fan, and enough talking points to keep an argument going until the small hours.In its portrait of Roger Federer - the man, the player, the icon - this masterly biography brings the player's story up to date, while also examining his place in tennis and sporting history.
£9.49
Viera Stolarikova Pocket Tennis Psychology
Book SynopsisThis book is designed to help you rise in the mental game of tennis. Come and discover the uniqueness in yourself as a player. I.A.M. Tennis - Instant Anger Management in Tennis is a unique system which supports your abilities and takes your game to the next level. You will learn how to control your emotions and have advantage ahead of the competition. I.A.M. Tennis means that you can see it immediately, whenever you need. Customise your game & determine your results by controlling internal balance in an easy and incredibly efficient way. Advanced mental coaching is specially crafted to be fitted for your skills. It is you who determines your game, your effort, your health. It is you who has control over your freedom. All you have to do is put this book into your pocket and enjoy the next best shot!
£18.88
Ebury Publishing Wimbledon
Book SynopsisSUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERSue Barker first walked through those famous wrought-iron gates aged 13 in 1969 to play in the National Schools event. What Sue didn''t know then, was that every year for the next half century, she would be back in some capacity. As a junior, aged 15, as a semi-finalist and Grand-Slam winner ranked No.3 in the world, as a broadcaster leading the BBC coverage for thirty years and for the first time, as a fan in 2023.And now she returns as a storyteller.The magic has stayed the same,but times have changed. With her first-hand insight and perspective, Sue paints an intimate portrait of the place, past and present, full of behind-the-scenes details drawn from her own experiences as well as personal conversations with her former mentors, contemporary players, friends and colleagues - giants of the game such as Rod Laver, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Roger Federer, Venus Williams and many others. They share poignant memories with her and some startling revelations, from Sampas''s deep regret that he didn''t involve his parents more in his Centre Court triumphs to Borg divulging that McEnroe was always the quietest presence in the locker room ... You cannot be serious!From the most talked-about matches and famous rivalries to the fashions and trends, from the stunning breakthroughs, to the near wins and gut-wrenching disappointments, Sue''s personal history of Wimbledon is touched throughout by Championship stardust and is as tightly packed with stories as the courts are with blades of grass.
£20.90
Gallery Books Changeover
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£21.74
HarperCollins Publishers MR NASTASE PB
Book SynopsisThe amazing life story of the enfant terrible of tennis in the 1970s and 80s – winner of two Grand Slam titles, three Grand Slam doubles titles and twice a Wimbledon finalist.Trade Review'Full of rollicking anecdotes…a splendid book’ Mail on Sunday
£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Match
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£12.34
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Think to Win Strategic Dimension of Tennis the
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£15.29
Penguin Books Ltd Unstoppable
Book SynopsisThe fiercely honest, fearless, darkly funny autobiography of global tennis star Maria SharapovaIn the middle of the night, a father and his daughter step off a Greyhound bus in Florida and head straight to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. They ring the bell, though no one is expecting them and they don''t speak English. They have arrived from Russia with just seven hundred dollars and the conviction that this six-year-old girl will be the world''s next great tennis star. They are right.This is Maria Sharapova''s gripping and fearless autobiography, telling her story from her roots in the small Siberian town her parents fled to after the Chernobyl disaster, through her arrival in the US with nothing and her phenomenal rise to success - winning Wimbledon aged just seventeen - to the disasters that threatened her career and her fight back. ''A compelling memoir'' David Shaftel, Financial Times''An illuminating account ... This is the biTrade ReviewAn illuminating account ... Unstoppable is about everything that made Sharapova the kind of unflappable competitor who wouldn't let a 15-month service interruption, or the very vocal disapproval of her peers, come between her and her ambition. This is the bildungsroman of a controversial champion, a portrait of the athlete as an uncommonly driven young woman -- Julia Felsenthal * Vogue *A fascinating and well-written insight into her struggles, triumphs, obsession with Williams, Russian pessimism and the roots of that famous haughtiness -- Simon Hattenstone * Guardian *An inspiring memoir about coming-of-age ... Sure to satisfy longtime fans of women's tennis * Booklist *
£11.69
Random House On Being John McEnroe
Book SynopsisRead a fan''s eye view of one of tennis''s most notorious stars, and an exploration into the idea of sporting obsession. The perfect nostalgic treat for any Wimbledon fan.The greatest sports stars characterise their times. They also help to tell us who we are. John McEnroe, at his best and worst, encapsulated the story of the eighties. His improvised quest for tennis perfection, and his inability to find a way to grow up, dramatised the volatile self-absorption of a generation. His matches were open therapy sessions, and they allowed us all to be armchair shrinks. Tim Adams sets out to explore what it might have meant to be John McEnroe during those times, and in his subsequent lives, and to define exactly what it is we want from our sporting heroes: how we require them to pTrade ReviewTerrific...On one level, it's about the author's fascination with a tennis player. But it's much more than this; it's a book about how the world has changed in our lifetime -- William Leith * New Statesman *A beautiful little book * Daily Express *Tim Adams is one of the best of our new sportswriters * Observer *Inspiringly in touch with what McEnroe was and what he meant -- Giles Smith * Daily Telegraph *
£11.69
University of Illinois Press Tennis
Book SynopsisAnalyzing how tennis turned pro The arrival of the Open era in 1968 was a watershed in the history of tennis--the year that marked its advent as a professionalized sport. Merging wide-angle history with individual stories of players and off-the-court figures, Greg Ruth charts tennis's evolution into the game we watch today. His vivid account moves from the cloistered world of nineteenth-century lawn tennis through the longtime amateur-professional divide and the battles over commercialization that raged from the 1920s until 1968. From there, Ruth details the post-1968 expansion of the game as it was transformed by bankable superstars, a popular women's tour, rival governing bodies, and sponsorship money. What emerges is a fascinating history of the economics and politics that made tennis a decisive, if unlikely, force in the creation of modern-day sports entertainment. Comprehensive and engaging, Tennis tells the interlocking stories of the figures and factors that birthed the professiTrade Review"Ruth's work is an excellent source for a history of sexism in tennis, while highlighting some of the biggest names on and off the court, who ushered tennis into a profitable sport in the postmodern era." --Journal of American History "This well-researched volume will be a valuable addition to any sports history collection." --Choice "This book is for tennis pros, serious amateurs, hackers, lovers of the game, and anyone interested in sport history. Greg Ruth shows us how tennis evolved from England’s royal court to L.A.'s public courts to the U.S. Open's billionaire courts. Featuring big personalities and terrific storytelling, Tennis shows us how and why the game evolved over the years. This is excellent sport history."--Elliott J. Gorn, coauthor of A Brief History of American Sports, Second EditionTable of ContentsCoverTitle PageCopyrightContentsAcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsIntroduction: Tennis Amateurs and Tennis Professionals1. Amateur Associations along the American Atlantic Coast2. The West Coast Game3. The Cause Célèbre of the Pioneering Professional4. Depression-Era Developments in Amateur and Professional TennisPhoto Section 15. Wartime Southern California Professionals6. The Cultural Contexts of Mid-Century Women’s Tennis7. The “Kramer Karavan”8. The World Champion from “The Wrong Side of the Tracks"9. Tennis OpensPhoto Section 210. The Rise and Demise of World Championship Tennis11. The Impact of Sports Agents and Agencies on Professional Tennis12. Women’s Professional Tennis in the Early Open EraConclusion: Professional Tennis as Global EntertainmentNotesSelected BibliographyIndex
£17.99
Three Rivers Press Open
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£24.88
Random House USA Inc A Champions Mind
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£13.60
Little, Brown & Company Shape Your Self
Book SynopsisOne of the greatest tennis players of all time, Martina Navratilova offers a motivational and inspirational guide to tennis and beyond, drawing on her own life and career.Trade ReviewIt's an inspirational guide to fitness, mental focus and overcoming the odds. * SLIMMING WORLD *Martina's performances in competition with leading professionals less than half her age are living proof that her programme works, and this book provides a good blueprint for others to follow. * ACE TENNIS MAGAZINE *The fact that Martina is able to look this good as she approaches her 50th birthday should be inspiration enough to buy this book and learn from the top. * FUSION *Worth reading just for the insights into this amazing woman's life, this will help you shape yourself and make your own comeback. * HEALTH & FITNESS *
£19.60
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Levels of the Game
Book SynopsisLevels of the Game is John McPhee''s astonishing account of a tennis match played by Arthur Ashe against Clark Graebner at Forest Hills in 1968.It begins with the ball rising into the air for the initial serve and ends with the final point. McPhee provides a brilliant, stroke-by-stroke description while examining the backgrounds and attitudes which have molded the players'' games.This may be the high point of American sports journalism- Robert Lipsyte, The New York Times
£13.60
Sarah Crichton Books Unstoppable
Book SynopsisFrom the five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova, the candid, captivating story of her rise to tennis stardom.*One of The Boston Globe''s Best Books of 2017*In the middle of the night, a father and his daughter step off a Greyhound bus in Florida and head straight to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. They ring the bell, though no one is expecting them and they don't speak English. The two have arrived from Russia with only seven hundred dollars and the conviction that this six-year-old will be the next tennis star. Amazingly, they are right.Young Maria Sharapova went on to win Wimbledon at just seventeen years old, in an astonishing upset against the reigning champion Serena Williamsthe match that kicked off their legendary rivalry and placed Sharapova on the international stage. At eighteen, she reached the number one WTA ranking for the first time, and has held that ranking many times since. In this gripping autobiography, the fi
£14.40
Random House USA Inc The Right Set
Book SynopsisFrom stately lawns and gentlemen players to Andre Agassi and Venus Williams: 65 great writings on tennis that chronicle the transformation of the sport.Since its inception, tennis has embraced traditions more patrician than plebeian. But times--and tennis--have changed. The game once reserved for royalty has moved from estate lawns to the concrete courts of the city. Old guard amateurs have given way to prodigies plastered with corporate logos. And while barriers of gender, race, and class have been shattered, the modern plagues of self-promotion, the paparazzi, and challengers of ever-escalating talent loom large.In The Right Set, award-winning novelist and editor Caryl Phillips presents a collection of writings on the remarkable evolution of a gentleman's pastime into a sport of jet-set players of athletic and psychological genius. Here are the stories of champions, from the Renshaw twins to 'ghetto Cinderella' Venus Williams. Here, too, are volleys between tra
£14.41
Dover Publications Inc. Tennis
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£11.24
Cengage Learning, Inc Strokes of Genius Federer Nadal and the Greatest
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£14.36
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Outsider My Autobiography
Book SynopsisJimmy Connors was born in 1952 and grew up in East St Louis, Illinois, learning his tennis under the tutelage of his mother Gloria. He became Under-16 national champion and won a scholarship to UCLA, but after winning the Inter-Collegiate Singles title, quit his studies in January 1972 to turn pro.He won his first major title in the men's doubles with Ilie Nastase at Wimbledon in 1973 and the following year won not only his first Wimbledon singles title but the Australian and US Open too. He went on to win eight Grand Slam singles titles in total, including Wimbledon again in 1982, beating John McEnroe in an epic final. He was the first player to win Grand Slams on all three surfaces (grass, clay and hard), won a record 109 tournaments in his career, was world number one for 268 weeks - over five years - and was still playing at the highest level in his forties.Trade ReviewAn engrossing five-setter, with intense exchanges and no tiebreakers... Like the individualists Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Pete Rose and Chuck Berry, Connors was authentic. The book reflects that swagger. * New York Times *Eye-poppingly indiscreet: The Outsider makes most sports autobiographies feel like very tepid affairs in comparison. * Daily Mail *Exhilarating... served up at full pelt, as if Connors were charging at readers with his double-handed backhand, complete with sweaty grunts. * Mail on Sunday *As spiky and uncompromising as you would hope... candid and funny. -- Marcus Berkmann * Daily Mail, Sports Books of the Year *Kudos to Jimmy Connors for valiantly trying to argue in his autobiography, The Outsider, that the current spectacle of Roger Federer, Djokovic and Nadal - whose courtesy and dignity generally match the superlative quality of their play - has nothing on his own era of incontinent litigiousness, oncourt swearing, childish tantrums, umpire abuse, celebratory crotch-grabbing and mutual hatred between top players. Connors' book has the ring of honesty... a magnificent snapshot of his era. -- Ed Smith * New Statesman *
£11.69
Scholastic Emma Raducanu
Book SynopsisRead all about superstar tennis champion, Emma Raducanu!From her fourth-round Wimbledon retirement in July 2021 to her stunningwin at the US Open - not dropping a single set - Raducanu'srise has been meteoric. This gripping series throws the reader directly into the lives ofmodern society's most influential figures.
£5.99
The Crowood Press Playing Tennis Like a Pro
Book SynopsisDrawing upon his experience on the tennis circuit, William Ralston analyses the key stages on the journey to becoming a more successful tennis player, and includes advice from some of the sport's leading players, coaches and experts. The book provides an in-depth analysis of the techniques, equipment, strategy and tactics used in the modern game.
£16.19
Anness Publishing Tennis in a Weekend
Book SynopsisAn instructional how-to handbook on a popular sport, focusing on the expert techniques from grip, posture, serve and all the strokes to how to play on different surfaces and a guide to rules and scoring. Over 240 photographs show both the correct and incorrect actions.
£7.59
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press Lost on Me
Book Synopsis
£12.34
Scarecrow Press The Tennis Sourcebook
Book SynopsisContains an unprecedented amount of information sources on the sport of tennis, its personalities as well as its rich and colorful history.
£189.00
Scarecrow Press Historical Dictionary of Tennis Historical
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis alphabetized lexicon profiles the people, groups, events, techniques, court terms, and geographical locations of tennis history. Following an event chronology that commences with 1874 and concludes with 2011, Grasso (Historical Dictionary of Basketball) offers a concise historical overview in his 17-page introduction. Black-and-white player photographs sometimes accompany the multiparagraph, cross-referenced entries. Nine appendixes provide quick-reference to Hall of Fame inductees and championship winners from various international competitions. * Library Journal *From its medieval roots to the modern-day grand-slam events, tennis is a popular sport, for both players and fans. This dictionary covers the history, rules, competitions, and personalities of the sport of tennis, from 1874 to 2011. The introduction gives the roots of the modern sport, details grand-slam events, mentions the tennis boom of the 1970s, and ends by discussing current tennis events. Arranged alphabetically by subject, the dictionary itself covers rules, scoring, events, and countries. Most importantly, major players are featured, showcasing their personalities and their importance to tennis. For many fans, it is the players who provide the most interest, and this work is filled with biographical information. All of the big names in the sport are included: Bill Tilden, Maureen Connolly, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Venus and Serena Williams. Nine appendixes list information on and winners of the major Open and Cup events as well as International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees and Olympic Games champions. The work concludes with a bibliography of historical, biographical, and instructional materials as well as tennis periodicals and websites. The most useful feature of any historical dictionary of a sport is the organization of the people, events, history, rules, terms, and champions in one concise volume, and this work is a fine example. Recommended for public, school, and academic libraries where there is an interest in sports, and for libraries owning other volumes in this series. * Booklist *In this volume in the new "Historical Dictionaries of Sports" series, historian Grasso starts with a chronology of important events. Following this, a short introductory essay attempts to summarize the evolution of tennis up to the modern game. The greater part of the book consists of the 500-plus entries in the A-Z dictionary, a mixture of terms, rules, places, various countries' histories, and short biographies of many famous professionals. Any person, place, or thing that has its own biography or definition is readily identified because names and terms are cross-referenced in boldface font throughout the dictionary. The final sections include the roster of the International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees, the results of the four Grand Slam tournaments and international events (including the Olympics and Davis Cup), and an extensive bibliography of other resources. Overall the author does a commendable job in construing tennis....Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. * CHOICE *With its impressively broad scope Historical Dictionary of Tennis is a useful historical overview that is both well-researched and balanced. The appendices at the back of the book are vast, covering 70-plus pages, and list important statistics such as winners of major tournaments and cups, and a list of International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees. This is also quite useful as a quick resource guide and, together with the historical introduction and the extensive reference list, provides the most relevant and pertinent parts of the sport of tennis. * Sport in History *Table of ContentsEditor's Foreword - Jon Woronoff Preface Acronyms and Abbreviations Chronology Introduction THE DICTIONARY Appendixes A. International Tennis Hall of Fame Inductees B. Wimbledon Champions C. United States National Champions D. French National Champions E. Australian National Champions F. Davis Cup Champions G. Wightman Cup Champions H. Federation Cup Champions I. Olympic Games Champions Bibliography About the Author
£111.60
