***Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2020*** ***Financial Times, Best Sports Books of 2020*** Pristine lawns, tennis whites, strawberries and cream, tennis is synonymous with the upper echelons of society, but scratch beneath the surface and you'll quickly discover a different history, one of untold struggles on and off the courts. From the birth of modern tennis in Victorian Britain to the present day, we bear witness to struggles around sexuality, gender, race and class that have transformed the nature of tennis and sport itself. A People's History of Tennis is populated by diverse voices, recounting the sport's gay origins, 'Workers' Wimbledon', battles for gender equality and more. Going beyond centre court, this book reveals the hidden history of the game, providing a rich account of the challenges faced and victories won.

At 34 years of age, Gregory Howe quit teaching in London to chase his childhood dream of becoming a world-ranked tennis professional. He started his year-long journey in the minor leagues, playing across four continents, as far afield as Bangkok, Kampala and Lahore, initially struggling against younger, fitter aspiring pros. Breaking through to the elite ATP tour, he got within volleying distance of some of the greats of the modern game. Eventually, he managed to juggle competing on the ATP tour with holding down a nine-to-five job. Along the way he encountered almost everything the tennis world has to offer, from rising stars racing to the top, to players whose hopes are slowly being shattered. Chasing Points: A Season on the Men's Pro Tennis Circuit offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of a touring tennis professional from the perspective of a real 'underdog'.

Aimed at all aspiring badminton players, High Performance Badminton is packed with advice on how to improve your game, including an extensive section of tips from star players. Covering both the physical and mental approach, and nutrition, and with comprehensive sections on skill development, training, and tactics, this will be invaluable reading for players and coaches.

We all know that the UK goes crazy during Wimbledon fortnight. In fact so much seems to be packed into those two weeks that Spencer Vignes collected the most interesting aspects of the tournament into a fun, accessible book. The Wimbledon Miscellany is essential reading for all tennis enthusiasts. Full of wacky facts, curious history, famous games, charismatic personalities and bizarre lists, those with a passion for tennis are sure to find it engrossing reading. With a heritage of more than 130 years, there are plenty of untold Wimbledon stories to be revealed, as well as unusual statistics, humorous quotes and all the goings-on from Centre Court and beyond. This is the perfect companion for all tennis spectators during those interminable rain delays!

This work identifies the characteristics of racket design parameters that influence racket performance. It presents the finite element analysis of several designs of badminton rackets and compares them to experimental results for validation. Designing a racket requires a comprehensive understanding of racket performance characteristics. Essentially, racket performance is related to the sweet spot, which is the spot on the racket head that produces the most power and control when it strikes a shuttlecock. Determining a coefficient of restitution can help to identify the sweet spot on a racket. By analyzing several head shape designs, it becomes apparent that isometric head shape rackets produce better coefficients of restitution compared to oval and round ones. It is recommended that the racket design consist of low string tension, stiffer racket shafts and bigger head size in order to produce higher shuttlecock speed.

This is an interactive manual organised in six sections: beating the players you hate to play, dealing with pressure, handling the things that you can't control, enjoying doubles, managing when your game falls apart, and staying in the game. Each section is filled with detailed chapters full of interactive tips and drills that lead the player through self-evaluation and the development of on-court strategies for a better game. This book is designed to help a player identify his or her talents and then take advantage of those skills to win more matches. All players who read the book will benefit from the dual psychologist/coach perspective and will find themselves building confidence, improving focus, managing anxiety, and increasing motivation, attributes that are the key to winning more matches.

Elite 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.

With the help of friends who recognized her extraordinary talent, Althea Gibson rose from a childhood of playing stickball on Harlem streets to claim victory at Wimbledon. It is widely recognized that her sacrifices along the way paved the road for the successes of Venus and Serena Williams. But Althea's was a victory hard fought and painfully won.

She had no idea the turn her life would take when she met Angela Buxton at the French Indoor Championships. Despite her athletic prowess, Althea was shunned by the other female players. Her failing was her skin color. Angela, the granddaughter of Russian Jews, was also shunned. Her failing was her religion. Finding themselves without doubles partners, the pair decided to join forces, and together they triumphed, going on to win the 1956 championship at Wimbledon. The two women would become lifelong friends, and Angela would prove to be among Althea's greatest supports during her darkest times.

Gibson died in 2003, but her life and her contributions to tennis and race relations in the United States are well preserved in this valuable book. Bruce Schoenfeld delivers not only the true story of Gibson's life but also an inspiring account of two underdogs who refused to let bigotry win -- both on and off the courts.

The golden age of tennis came crashing down suddenly at the 1981 U.S. Open. Bjorn Borg, the stoical Swede who had become the richest and most famous player in the sport's history, had just lost to his brash young rival, John McEnroe, in the final at Flushing Meadows. After his last shot floated out, Borg walked to the net, shook McEnroe's hand in silence, and disappeared from the game he had dominated for the last decade. No one realized it at the time, but the era that Borg and the three other semifinalists at that year's Open - McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, and Vitas Gerulaitis - had helped define had also ended. For nearly a century, the lawns of tennis had been reserved for wealthy amateurs-gentlemen, in the original British parlance - but in 1968, the game was opened to professionals and was forever changed. The 1970s were boom years for tennis. Thanks to charismatic young players and dramatic matches, participation skyrocketed in the United States and brought the game to a new peak of global popularity. In the ensuing decade, the sport would be taken further from its genteel roots than anyone thought possible. Through the lens of that era's final tournament, the 1981 U.S. Open, "High Strung" chronicles the lives and careers of the men who made those Wild West days of tennis so memorable. The Swede known as Ice Borg, who secretly harbored an inner madman. It was McEnroe, the tortured, bratty genius who was destined to slay his idol. It was Connors, the blue-collar kid who tore the cover off the ball-and the game itself-becoming a beloved antihero. It was Ilie Nastase, the Romanian clown who tested the outer limits of acceptable behavior and taste. It was Gerulaitis, the New York charmer and Studio 54 regular who was friend to them all. And Ivan Lendl, the robotic Czech who became a harbinger of tennis' high-powered future. The struggles these men shared were as compelling off the court as they were on. Some thrived, some survived, some were destroyed, but none has ever been forgotten.

Crowood Sports Guides provide sound, practical advice that will help make you a better sportsperson whether you are learning the basic skills, discovering more advanced techniques or reviewing the fundamentals of your game. Featured in this book are: information boxes containing Top Tips and Key Points; an introduction to the rules, equipment and tournament play; colour action shots, sequence photographs of the strokes and detailed diagrams; an analysis of the skills and techniques needed by players just beginning table tennis, and by intermediate and advanced level players; helpful advice on different styles of play and tactics, and finally, practical information concerning coaching, table exercises, training and nutrition.

Wimbledon 2021: The Official Story of The Championships is the comprehensive, entertaining and beautifully illustrated re-telling of a spell-binding fortnight of tennis at the All England Club. Paul Newman's crafted text, coupled with the stunning images captured by Wimbledon's team of award winning photographers, provides readers with a wonderful and comprehensive review of a memorable tournament played out under blue skies and on stunningly green courts. Following the full story of the tournament, from Qualifying through to the concluding Mixed Doubles final on Centre Court, the book also focuses on some of the other stories and characters that make Wimbledon so colourful and includes daily features and lighthearted stories from the sold out grounds in south west London!

Boris Becker shot to fame in 1985 when at seventeen years old, he became the youngest player ever to win the men's final at Wimbledon. He went on to win two more Wimbledon titles, and a total of forty-nine singles and fifteen doubles crowns, making him one of the greatest players of the twentieth century. But his life off the court has always attracted as much attention as his triumphs on it. Now, in this remarkably candid and thought-provoking autobiography, Boris Becker tells the real story behind the headlines. He speaks of the seconds before the serve that made him the youngest Wimbledon winner of all time, and of the minutes after being sentenced as a tax evader. He talks about his marriage, his illegitimate daughter, and his painful divorce. He reveals his emotions at the end of his tennis career, and his battles with pills and alcohol. He also shares his memories of the good times, the championship wins, the make-or-break matches, and the highs and lows of life on the international circuit. Boris Becker has written this autobiography not just for his fans but also for his children, that they may one day read the true account of their father's remarkable, and often controversial, life.

John McEnroe enjoyed tremendous success at all levels of tennis, and he owns 77 career singles titles, including 7 Grand Slams. He joined the circuit in 1978 and it took him only three years to attain the No. 1 ranking. The 1980 Wimbledon final, between McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, is considered by many tennis experts to be the best match ever, a five-set thriller which McEnroe avenged the following year for his first Wimbledon title.

In doubles, McEnroe is recognised as the best player of all time. He was ranked No. 1 for a record 257 weeks and captured a total of 74 titles, including 8 Grand Slams. Still an active player, McEnroe is now an outstanding tennis commentator and broadcaster for the BBC and other national networks. This autobiography, his first, covers an awesome tennis career, marriage to movie star Tatum O'Neal and where arguably the greatest tennis player of all time goes from here.

This is SERIOUS.

It is possible to play pain-free tennis for the rest of your life. One of the prerequisites is improving your fitness. However, it is not just any fitness. It needs to be mindful, purposeful, and perfectly suited for you. Nobody can tell you what is perfectly suited for you, only your body can. Listen to it because it will ask for what it needs. In your pursuit for maximum fitness and tennis performance, you need to be aware, patient, and disciplined. Carry this little book with you always and reread the chapters often. Each time you will discover something new. Learn to understand your body. Every exercise you do should be performed with the goal of increasing awareness of your body, and gradually building a new relationship with it. Learn how to free up the tightness and how to balance your strengths. The less pain you experience, the healthier and more functional you are, and the more your energy will increase. Treat the moments of stretching and myofascial release as time for meditation, relaxation, and introspection. Create daily routines that fit your lifestyle and treat them as essential for your fitness, well-being, and tennis performance. Think of your health and fitness in the long term. Be patient and disciplined in applying the new ways of exercising and treating your body. Remember that even modest effort applied over the long term will bring excellent results. Therefore, do not postpone your fitness until tomorrow and start today, even if it is just a little bit. Treat your body with respect and love. Treat the fitness as one of the necessary elements of your tennis game. Become fit for tennis and you will become fit for life, and tennis will be in your life forever. Practice your tennis fitness, for the love of it

Inspired by a True Event
Against a seething backdrop of tennis academies, star athletes and ubiquitous parents, three individuals emerge harboring a dark secret. Pulling no punches, Vivien Kalvaria faithfully delivers the raw truths of life in this microcosmic world where elite players travel in packs for months at a time competing in tournaments across the globe. Delving beneath the surface the story uncovers the complexities and emotional struggles that beset parents and coaches in the grooming of teen athletes and the seductive elements that drive a father to mastermind a diabolical scheme. The book moves at a crackling pace with lavish descriptions of knockdown-dragout matches as the story slipstreams from the relentless crafting of champions, to a tour of European tournaments and an astonishing revelation that impels a family toward a very public trial and shattering climax.