Arthur Ashe on TennisArthur Ashe on tennis : strokes, strategy, traditions, players, psychology, and wisdom by 
Biomechanical Principles of Tennis Technique: Using Science to Improve Your Strokes by
The science of tennis technique is explained in this guide that practically applies the lessons learned from studying the forces and motions of tennis strokes. Through the implementation of six basic biomechanical principles players can make subtle adjustments to their strokes, creating stroke variations that not only improve their game but also reduce their risk of injury. Detailed line drawings; stroke analysis and sequence photos of top touring pros; action photographs and high-speed video images; and an exploration of the benefits of video replay provide players with a variety of useful techniques.
The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time by
Author and tennis historian Steve Flink profiles and ranks the greatest tennis matches in the history of the sport. Roger Federer, Billie Jean King, Rafael Nadal, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Rod Laver, and Chris Evert are all featured in this book that breaks down, analyzes, and puts into historical context the most memorable matches ever played. Practically providing readers with a courtside seat at tennis’ most historic and significant duels, this resource is sure to be the startand endof many tennis debates.
The Open Book: Celebrating 40 Years of America's Grand Slam by
A celebration of the sport of tennis and a spectacle of its most electrifying event, this book brings to life the historical moments, exciting highlights, and overall emotion of the US Open. From the early years of Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe to current players like Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, each of these household names have made their mark competing on the game's biggest stage. The pages are filled with background information for each champion, interesting tidbits from their winning years, and highlights from the past four decades. The stunning photographs allow readers to feel the enthusiasm that surrounded each champion during their journey to victory, and the accompanying US Open Court of Champions DVD features video tributes to the 15 greatest singles champions in the history of the US Open with footage never made available before.
Andy Murray: Wimbledon Champion:The Full Extraordinary Story by
When Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both shockingly exited Wimbledon in the early rounds of the 2013 championships, the level of expectation on Scotsman Andy Murray to become the first British champion of the men’s competition since 1936—already high—reached fever pitch. Overcoming a two-set deficit in the quarterfinals, Murray would go on to face world number one Novak Djokovic in the final and, after three hours filled with drama, tension, and brilliant tennis, become Wimbledon champion in front of 15,000 Centre Court fans and millions more watching on television. This fascinating and revealing biography examines how the player from Dunblane, Scotland—a country not known for its tennis heritage—rose to the top of the sport. Veteran tennis journalist Mark Hodgkinson examines the individuals who have influenced Murray’s career, including his family, his coaches, and his girlfriend, and assesses how the Scot has won over a dubious and critical public. This biography gets to the heart of Andy Murray’s extraordinary and dramatic journey.
Arthur Ashe: Tennis and Justice in the Civil Rights Era by
Arthur Ashe explains how this iconic African American tennis player overcame racial and class barriers to reach the top of the tennis world in the 1960s and 1970s. But more important, it follows Ashe's evolution as an activist who had to contend with the shift from civil rights to Black Power. Off the court, and in the arena of international politics, Ashe positioned himself at the center of the black freedom movement, negotiating the poles of black nationalism and assimilation into white society. Fiercely independent and protective of his public image, he navigated the thin line between conservatives and liberals, reactionaries and radicals, the sports establishment and the black cause. Eric Allen Hall's work examines Ashe's life as a struggle against adversity but also a negotiation between the comforts--perhaps requirements--of tennis-star status and the felt obligation to protest the discriminatory barriers the white world constructed to keep black people "in their place." Drawing on coverage of Ashe's athletic career and social activism in domestic and international publications, archives including the Ashe Papers, and a variety of published memoirs and interviews, Hall has created an intimate, nuanced portrait of a great athlete who stood at the crossroads of sports and equal justice.
Federer by
Updated to include the full 2012 season, a biography of the man many consider the greatest-ever tennis player Roger Federer's astounding all-around ability has led to him being referred to as one of the most complete players the game has ever seen, and with 17 Grand Slam wins and an Olympic Gold Medal under his belt, the Swiss star has already achieved legendary status in the game. This authoritative and affectionate biography traces Federer's rise, from his first tentative strokes with a tennis racket to how he dealt with being sent away to a training academy where he struggled to communicate in a French-speaking part of Switzerland, as well as how he handled the sudden death of his first real coach and mentor. It also examines how Roger has bounced back from arguably one of the most challenging periods of his career; following a serious illness and a dip in form, he broke his run of successive Wimbledon championship wins and was toppled from the number one spot by rival Rafael Nadal—but in characteristic style, silenced his critics by once again returning to winning form. This biography explains how Roger's professionalism and charm, as well as the time he devotes to his charitable foundation, have won him huge amounts of respect from both his fellow athletes and tennis professionals alike.
Game, Set, Match : Billie Jean King and the Revolution in Women's Sports by
When Billie Jean King trounced Bobby Riggs in tennis's "Battle of the Sexes" in 1973, she placed sports squarely at the center of a national debate about gender equity. In this winning combination of biography and history, Susan Ware argues that King's challenge to sexism, the supportive climate of second-wave feminism, and the legislative clout of Title IX sparked a women's sports revolution in the 1970s that fundamentally reshaped American society. While King did not single-handedly cause the revolution in women's sports, she quickly became one of its most enduring symbols, as did Title IX, a federal law that was initially passed in 1972 to attack sex discrimination in educational institutions but had its greatest impact by opening opportunities for women in sports. King's place in tennis history is secure, and now, with Game, Set, Match, she can take her rightful place as a key player in the history of feminism as well. By linking the stories of King and Title IX, Ware explains why women's sports took off in the 1970s and demonstrates how giving women a sporting chance has permanently changed American life on and off the playing field.
Open: an autobiography by
From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography.
Agassi's incredibly rigorous training begins when he is just a child. By the age of thirteen, he is banished to a Florida tennis camp that feels like a prison camp. Lonely, scared, a ninth-grade dropout, he rebels in ways that will soon make him a 1980s icon. He dyes his hair, pierces his ears, dresses like a punk rocker. By the time he turns pro at sixteen, his new look promises to change tennis forever, as does his lightning-fast return.
And yet, despite his raw talent, he struggles early on. We feel his confusion as he loses to the world's best, his greater confusion as he starts to win. After stumbling in three Grand Slam finals, Agassi shocks the world, and himself, by capturing the 1992 Wimbledon. Overnight he becomes a fan favorite and a media target.
Agassi brings a near-photographic memory to every pivotal match and every relationship. Never before has the inner game of tennis and the outer game of fame been so precisely limned. Alongside vivid portraits of rivals from several generations--Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer--Agassi gives unstinting accounts of his brief time with Barbra Streisand and his doomed marriage to Brooke Shields. He reveals a shattering loss of confidence. And he recounts his spectacular resurrection, a comeback climaxing with his epic run at the 1999 French Open and his march to become the oldest man ever ranked number one.
In clear, taut prose, Agassi evokes his loyal brother, his wise coach, his gentle trainer, all the people who help him regain his balance and find love at last with Stefanie Graf. Inspired by her quiet strength, he fights through crippling pain from a deteriorating spine to remain a dangerous opponent in the twenty-first and final year of his career. Entering his last tournament in 2006, he's hailed for completing a stunning metamorphosis, from nonconformist to elder statesman, from dropout to education advocate. And still he's not done. At a U.S. Open for the ages, he makes a courageous last stand, then delivers one of the most stirring farewells ever heard in a sporting arena.
With its breakneck tempo and raw candor, Open will be read and cherished for years. A treat for ardent fans, it will also captivate readers who know nothing about tennis. Like Agassi's game, it sets a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power.
Fit to Play Tennis: High Performance Training Tips by
This physical and mental training manual arms athletes, coaches, parents, and sports scientists with an easy-to-follow, seven-point plan to enhance performance, limit injuries, and help tennis players avoid overtraining and burnout. Delivering practical tips and techniques that integrate the numerous factors influencing tennis performances into year-round training plans and schedules, the manual outlines key strategies such as structured on-court training, guidance on smart training and playing, and survival tips for staying healthy and keeping athletes playing at the top of their game.
Tennis Training: Enhancing On-court Performance by
Filled with action photographs to illustrate the exercises and techniques, this book distills contemporary scientific research into easily accessible principles for designing and implementing tennis training programs. Sample programs provide a highly targeted, efficient, practical, and individualized framework for every competitive level, including junior, collegiate, professional, adult, and senior. Science is brought to the court with clarity and precision, informing and transforming on-court performance.
