Tennis Books

Book SynopsisSasha Abramskygrew up in London and now lives in Sacramento with dual UK-US citizenship. He is a freelance journalist, writer, public speaker and university lecturer at U.C. Davis. He has written thousands of articles and is the author of eight published books includingInside Obama's Brain (Penguin, 2009),The American Way of Poverty (Nation Books, 2013)andThe House of Twenty Thousand Books (Halban, 2014).

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Book SynopsisBoris's story is almost without parallel in tennis, from astonishing teenage talent, to Wimbledon champion, to a renowned television commentator, manager, and coach of one of the world's greatest contemporary players, Novak Djokovic. In this wonderful illustrated autobiography, Boris shares his unique story, tracing his career through the many changes in the game but which has, at its heart, his loving relationship with Wimbledon, the place where it all began for him. Boris talks frankly about his own career, how it transformed his life and those of so many others, reflecting on what it was like to play in the era of McEnroe, Connors, Lendl and Edberg - about the highs and lows of his life as played on the grand stage of Centre Court, and tennis' other great arenas; the changes that have transpired in fitness, the media, the partying, the equipment, the tactics, the personalities, the technology, and the commerce.

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Book SynopsisRacquet was founded in 2016 to be the voice of a new tennis boom. When the popularity of tennis peaked in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the sport was populated by buccaneering talents with outsize personas, such as Borg, Evert, McEnroe, Navratilova, Gerulaitis, Austin, King, and Connors. The game was played in every park, and tennis clothes became appropriate attire for cocktails as well as for a match. With success, however, came polish, and tennis—if not the game itself, then how it came to be represented in the culture—got boring. Having a big personality was no longer a virtue. Tennis went back to being a bastion of the elite. Racquet is a place for those who knew all along that the spirit of the tennis boom was alive. Tennis has always been present in the arts, in the popular culture, in the skateboarding, hip-hop, and fashion worlds. That side of tennis was—and is—obscured by the tightly controlled messaging of the athletes, the corporate glean of the major tournaments, and the all-white attire of the country-club scene. Racquet was launched to represent the latent, diverse, and large constituency of tennis that has not been embraced by the sport writ large. Featuring the work of some of today’s finest writers, the quarterly independent magazine highlights the art, culture, and style that are adjacent to the sport—and just enough of the pro game to keep the diehards satisfied. This collection features some of the best writing from the first four years of Racquet and tackles such immediate topics as: How should tennis smell? What’s the deal with Andre Agassi’s private jet? What can a professional tennis player learn from Philip Roth? Why is tennis important in Lolita? How was Arthur Ashe like Muhammad Ali? And, crucially, what lessons have we learned from the implosion of that first tennis boom?Trade Review"Racquet mag has that feeling of a Labor Of Love. In that way It reminds me of self printed xeroxed music fanzines from the 90s. But the layout, graphics, photography betray a sense of style, and a knowledge of magazines from the art/fashion realm. If tennis is your 'kink' you will relate to this mag.""I love Racquet's in-depth variety of stories across all elements of our sport.”“Absolutely thrilling.”

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Book SynopsisThe official, licensed story of one of the biggest sporting events of 2020, full of stunning imagery and gripping text.

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Book SynopsisIn Pursuit of the Slam: My Year Travelling to Tennis’s Top Four Tournaments tells the story of the author’s year out between jobs during which he attended all four of tennis’s Grand Slam tournaments. Unhappy in his corporate job, tennis fan Mark Cripps decided to pack it all in and start again. But a chance sighting of an old friend in an in-flight magazine led to an idea: Why not take some time out to travel, organising the trip around tennis’s Grand Slam tournaments? He made a plan to attend the 1992 French Open, Wimbledon, the US Open and then, returning to Australia in early 1993, where he had been based with American Express, the Australian Open. On the way, he would visit places of interest, catch up with old friends and visit other tournaments in the build up to each Slam, including the Italian Open in Rome. The book describes how the author organised the visits to each Slam, once there, securing tickets and watching the tennis daily. A club tennis player, the book also tells how the author entered a tournament on the new British Tour and the experience of facing opponents of a much higher standard. Following the US Open, a week spent at a tennis fantasy camp helped confirm the next steps he needed to take when his trip was over. In Pursuit of the Slam: My Year Travelling to Tennis’s Top Four Tournaments is told in an anecdotal style including the story of the author’s childhood introduction to sport, where his mother’s love of Wimbledon was so infectious. A nostalgic look back at the professional tennis tours through the prism of a round-the-world trip, the book will appeal to those interested in tennis, especially the professional game back in the nineties and the history of British tennis in general; those keen on travel; anyone needing a change of job or career; or those who just want to make the most of their interests.

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Book SynopsisRichard Jones is tennis's "Ephemera Man" and the collection of images and papers at the Tennis Gallery is unrivalled in the tennis world. Many of the best images illustrate this wonderful new book, including the iconic Anna Kournikova Tennis Week poster and the Pete Sampras 'Superman' cover of ACE magazine. Richard has hardly missed a day at Wimbledon in the last 55 years and did not miss a single day from 1972 to 1990. The book tells what life was like in Wimbledon from the early 1950s when food rationing was still in force, the heady days of the psychedlic 1960s, when Dusty Springfield vied with The Beatles to give life its soundtrack, the 70s and 80s, when tennis and popular culture exploded through to the arrival of Federer, Nadal and the other big stars of the 21st Century. There's lots about Pelham Road School, Fulham FC, Carole King, the Hillman Imp, Joni Mitchell, Arthur Ashe, Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall, The author finds Max Robertson in his living room and encounters a somewhat irked Mrs. Ancic at the postcard kiosk at Wimbledon. Richard doesn't spare his own blushes, either, telling of the 'International' circuit and his own mainly unsuccessful forays into the tennis world. There's lots, too, about the 28 Davis Cup ties The Tennis Gallery was at between 1997 and 2022, and the campaign led by Tennis Threads magazine to save the event from dropping down to the level of just another tournament. If you love life and you love tennis, this book is for you.

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Book SynopsisAbsolute Tennis is thorough and comprehensive guide to improving your tennis. In this insightful and visually engaging book, Marty Smith, an NCAA Division I Southern Conference Champion and long-time Director of Tennis at the New York Athletic Club, shares his extensive knowledge of tennis technique, strategy, psychology and fitness in easy to understand language. His meticulous explanations of the strokes, coupled with narrated individual and sequenced photos of the world's best players, will help you develop powerful and consistent swings, play with more confidence and win a lot more. A forward thinker, Smith not only discusses the strokes of today, but also the future. Marty goes through the evolution of the game, and makes a compelling and persuasive case for three unconventional strokes that may become accepted techniques as the game continues to evolve and become faster. Recognizing that tennis is a highly athletic, tactical, and mental game, he also dedicates a large part of the book to the body, singles and doubles strategy and the mind. You will learn how to improve your footwork and movement, integrate winning game plans that highlight your strengths and expose your opponents' weaknesses, and use your inner voice to remain focused, positive and energetic, helping you attain peak performance.

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Book SynopsisThe storied men’s tennis program at the University of Southern California is documented in this first-ever book chronicling a college tennis program. Featuring interviews and anecdotes from Trojan tennis legends such as Alex Olmedo, Stan Smith, Dennis Ralston, Bob Lutz, Rick Leach, and Stevie Johnson as well as legendary coaches George Toley, Dick Leach and Peter Smith. This book is organized chronologically, taking readers from the early decades following the founding of the program in 1898 through the final match of the 2016-2017 season. While the progress of the team is central, readers will be fascinated by the biographical details of the key figures in each time period, which are enhanced by extensive footnotes drawing from archival materials, including personal letters, scrapbooks, published news stories, and original interviews.

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of one of Argentina’s greatest tennis players, the most important of his generation. After winning the 2009 U.S. Open, defeating Roger Federer in a glorious five-set final, del Potro was poised to take over the tennis world. However, wrist problems developed and del Potro endured three surgeries over fifteen months. One of the world's most popular players, del Potro's fan base grew as he made his comeback—watching him win his second Olympic medal in Rio in 2016, where he once lost to Andy Murray, but won the hearts of millions around the world. He followed up by leading Argentina to victory in the Davis Cup. Described as the "Gentle Giant," del Potro has the sensitivity to comfort a ball girl hit during a match, to stop in the middle of the game to gaze at a butterfly, and to accompany a young fan in the last days of his life. However, when he grips the racket, he becomes one of the most destructive strikers of a tennis ball.

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Book SynopsisOne of the world’ s most well-known and respected athletes, Roger Federer has had a career that ranks among the most celebrated and successful in all of tennis history. This entertaining and illuminating chronicle of Federer’ s trophy-laden journey is unique for its day-by-day format: every day of the calendar year is presented with a corresponding bit of fact, trivia, or an anniversary, including hallmark victories, statistics, quirky happenings, and quotations. Fans of a player widely considered the greatest of all time as well as sports fans in general will get to know the 17-time major champion better in a uniquely engaging way with this book

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Book SynopsisGames are made up of structured but unpredictable situations, with rules and variables and competition, and they produce wins and losses. This description fits life at least as well as it fits tennis. Even the terminology of tennis matches many of the most pivotal and defining words of life: love, faults, serve, receive, winners, challenges, holds. New York Times #1 bestselling author and tennis champion Richard Eyre shares thirty principles that will help you enjoy both games more—and play both games better. Since both are largely psychological exercises, our success (and our happiness) in both the game of life and the game of tennis depends greatly on our attitude, and Tennis and Life teaches readers how to alter our attitudes and thus improve our performance in both games.

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Book SynopsisA riveting, revealing portrait of tennis champion and global icon Serena Williams that combines biography, cultural criticism, and sports writing to offer “a deep, satisfying meditation” (The New York Times) on the most consequential athlete of her time.There has never been an athlete like Serena Williams. She has dominated women’s tennis for two decades, changed the way the game is played, and—by inspiring Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and others—changed, too, the racial makeup of the pro game. But Williams’s influence has not been confined to the tennis court. As a powerful Black woman who struggled to achieve and sustain success, she has emerged as a cultural icon, figuring in conversations about body image, working mothers, and more. Seeing Serena chronicles Williams’s return to tennis after giving birth to her daughter—from her controversial 2018 US Open final against Naomi Osaka through a 2020 season that unfolded against a backdrop of a pandemic and protests over the killing of Black men and women by the police. Gerald Marzorati, who writes about tennis for The New Yorker, travels to Wimbledon and to Compton, California, where Serena and her sister Venus learned to play. He talks with former women’s tennis greats, sports and cultural commentators—and Serena herself. He observes Williams from courtside, on the red carpet, in fashion magazines, on social media. He sees her and writes about her prismatically—reflecting on her many, many facets. The result is an “enlightening…keen analysis” (The Washington Post) and energetic narrative that illuminates Serena’s singular status as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time and a Black woman with a global presence like no other.Trade Review“Thoughtful. . . . Marzorati has written a deep, satisfying meditation on Serena’s path.” —The New York Times “What would a year spent watch­ing every Serena Williams tennis match yield? A portrait both on and off the court of one of the greatest ath­letes of all time. New Yorker tennis writer Gerald Marzorati’s Seeing Serena captures Williams’ return to tennis follow­ing the birth of her daughter and her influence and presence as a cultural icon.” —Parade, “Books We Love” column "With just enough backstory and supportive interviews, [Marzorati] effectively incorporates relevant history of Williams' previous Grand Slam tournaments while also examining her roles in challenging cultural norms and fighting for gender equality. Marzorati has an easy-to-read style and reveals the complexity of Williams' life, not just as an athlete, but also as a celebrity." —Booklist “Readers who know more about Williams than her tennis career will learn about the game's intricacies while those already familiar with the game will benefit from subtler details.” —Kirkus Reviews "The level of this analysis is quite impressive.” —Library Journal "Well written. . . . This is a solidly reported book." —Publishers Weekly“Seeing Serena is a masterful, multifocal portrait of an icon at the height of her power. But it is more than that. It illuminates, and complicates, not only Williams, but also those who watch her.” —Louisa Thomas, author of Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams

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Book SynopsisThe series on Sport is one of the most unique among all the categories. It gives ample knowledge on Football, Golf, Basketball, Tennis and Cricket. Each book tells about the origin of the game, its rules and the people who have excelled in each of them.

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Book SynopsisDefines the rules, and guidelines of lawn tennis. This book is useful for lawn tennis learners as well as the professional players.

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