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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Ball games > Racket games
Timed to coincide with the US Open's 50th anniversary, this
exquisitely produced book celebrates the most electrifying event in
tennis. All of the key moments and unforgettable personalities from
the competition's 50-year history are brought to life by vibrant,
exclusive photography. This book provides a comprehensive look at
the tournament, from the early years of tennis legends such as
Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe to iconic players such as Roger
Federer and Serena Williams. Original contributions from
journalists, players, coaches, and notable fans stand alongside
gorgeous photography of the many household names who have made
their mark competing on the game's biggest stage. A perfect gift
for any tennis fan, this book is a richly visual tribute to the
sport, its fans, and its champions.
Written by tennis teaching professional, Marcus Paul Cootsona.
Occam's Racquet focuses on the twelve most important parts of the
physical and mental games of tennis. No matter what strokes you
use, the ideas in here will make you the most effective player you
can be.
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The Player
(Paperback)
Boris Becker
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R480
R433
Discovery Miles 4 330
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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.
***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.
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!
How does your opponent put that tricky spin on the ball? Why are
some serves easier to return than others? The mysteries behind the
winning strokes, equipment, and surfaces of the game of tennis are
accessibly explained by Howard Brody through the laws of physics.
And he gives practical pointers to ways players can use this
understanding to advantage in the game.Through extensive laboratory
testing and computer modeling, Brody has investigated the physics
behind the shape of the tennis racket, the string pattern, the
bounce of the tennis ball, the ways a particular court surface can
determine the speed of the game, and the many other physical
factors involved in tennis.
"One of the most accomplished, physically challenged athletes in
the world." -Sports Illustrated "Roger Crawford is an inspiration
to me." -Dr. Wayne Dyer How do you become an award-winning,
Division 1 college athlete despite a disability affecting all four
limbs? The answer has inspired countless people throughout the
world. Roger Crawford's incredible life illuminates the truth that
while challenges are inevitable, defeat is optional. When most
people would have given up hope, Crawford found a way to work
around his physical challenges to eventually become a tennis
champion, innovating a way to hold onto a racket with just one
finger on his right hand and two fingers on his left. His story
demonstrates the power of an "I can" attitude inspiring readers to
reach past their own difficulties and live up to their true
potential. Challenges are Inevitable provides both the inspiration
and motivation needed to break through self-imposed obstacles and
limitations that often hold us back from fulfilling our purpose.
Readers will discover new ways of thinking and be empowered and
encouraged to unleash their potential, allowing them to redefine
what is truly possible. As they apply this new mindset, they will
learn to achieve exceptional results in their own life! Roger has
become one of the most in-demand motivational speakers today,
equipping others to follow his lead in breaking down barriers. He
is dedicated to helping organizations conquer change, increase
performance and produce exceptional results. Roger's presentations
go beyond a feel-good message, teaching actionable ideas that
impact lives forever. This book is no different. Expect to walk
away feeling emboldened and inspired that nothing can standing the
way of accomplishing your wildest dreams, and that challenges are
meant to be overcome.
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'.
Bahrami also talks about his friendships with some of the great
tennis players - Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Ilie
Nastase, Henri Leconte - and many others. Inspirational, funny and
truly original, this is much more than a sports autobiography. It
is the story of one man's success against all the odds, set against
the backdrop of a country in the midst of revolution and war. But,
above all, it is Mansour Bahrami's undiminished passion for tennis
and his amazing adventures on and off the court which make this
book an exceptional read.
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Tennis
(Hardcover)
Pegasus
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R208
R180
Discovery Miles 1 800
Save R28 (13%)
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Ships in 12 - 19 working days
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The 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.
Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2021 One
of The Times 50 Best Sports Books of 2021 Little Wonder tells the
epic, and until now largely unchronicled, story of Lottie Dod, the
first great heroine in women's sports. Dod was a champion tennis
player, golfer, hockey player, tobogganist, skater, mountaineer,
and archer. She was also a first-rate musician, performing numerous
choral concerts in London in the 1920s and 1930s, including in a
private performance before the King and Queen. In the late 19th
century, Dod was almost certainly the second most famous woman in
the British Isles, bested only by the fame of Queen Victoria. She
was fawned over by the press, and loved by a huge fan base - which
composed poems and songs in her honor, followed her from one
tournament to the next, voraciously read every profile published on
her and every report on her sporting triumphs. Yet, within a decade
or two of her retirement from sports, Dod was largely a forgotten
figure. She lived, unmarried and childless, until 1960, and for the
last half of her life she was shrouded in obscurity. In this new
book, Sasha Abramsky brings Lottie's remarkable achievements back
into the public eye in a fascinating story of resilience and
determination.
Miss Truman to Serve Christine Truman, now Dr Christine Truman
Janes MBE, was born in 194 and brought up in Woodford Green Essex.
Her first ambition was to be as good at tennis as her older
siblings, hoping to join their mixed doubles. It never happened.
Instead she achieved some of her dreams, including a ranking of
No.2 in the world, aged 18, in 1959. She won the Grand Slam title
in Paris at 18, the youngest Brit since the war. She holds the
record at 16 of being the youngest British semi finalist at
Wimbledon since Lottie Dod in 1887. 135 years ago! Also US finalist
1959 and Wimbledon finalist 1961. 'If tennis was easy, why aren't
all the people walking up and down Oxford Street playing at
Wimbledon?' Billie Jean King 'Work lasts longer than you do...'
Mother 'Talent will out.' Father 'Champions know they will win!'
'Play the ball, not opponents!' Coach Norman Kitovitz 'It's the
tennis girl, dear!' Clementine to Winston Churchill, 1959
A TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR, GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR AND INDEPENDENT
BOOK OF THE YEAR A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'A constant role model
in my life, Billie Jean King is a leading example of integrity in
the face of adversity. The book's powerfully honest and
unapologetic candor is a reflection of King's brilliant mark on the
world and the glass ceilings she shattered' Serena Williams An
inspiring and intimate self-portrait of the champion of equality
that encompasses her brilliant tennis career, unwavering activism,
and an ongoing commitment to fairness and social justice. In this
spirited account, Billie Jean King details her life's journey to
find her true self. She recounts her groundbreaking tennis career
-- six years as the top-ranked woman in the world, twenty Wimbledon
championships, thirty-nine grand-slam titles, and her watershed
defeat of Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes." She
poignantly recalls the cultural backdrop of those years and the
profound impact on her worldview from the women's movement, the
assassinations and anti-war protests of the 1960s, the civil rights
movement, and, eventually, the LGBTQ+ rights movement. She
describes the myriad challenges she's hurdled -- entrenched sexism,
an eating disorder, near financial ruin after being outed -- on her
path to publicly and unequivocally acknowledging her sexual
identity at the age of fifty-one. And she talks about how her life
today remains one of indefatigable service. She offers insights and
advice on leadership, business, activism, sports, politics,
marriage equality, parenting, sexuality, and love. She shows how
living honestly and openly has had a transformative effect on her
relationships and happiness. Hers is the story of a pathbreaking
feminist, a world-class athlete, and an indomitable spirit whose
impact has transcended even her spectacular achievements in sports.
__________________________ 'Compelling... a brave and moving book,
a must-read for tennis fans and a vivid slice of social history'
Melanie Reid, The Times 'A terrific read' Constance Craig Smith,
Daily Mail 'A vivid and detailed account of her rise to sporting
greatness and her struggles to attain equal treatment for women in
a shockingly discriminatory sport... All In describes a life
comprising one epic struggle after another, both on and off court'
Fiona Sturges, Guardian '[She] writes candidly about a career that
led the way for women's sports as we know them . . . thoughtful,
soul-searching' Tim Adams, Observer 'This is a fascinating,
energising, inspirational book from a woman who continues to set
the standard for making a positive difference in the world' Clare
Balding
Racquet 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?
Firsts, Lasts & Onlys is a tennis fan's delight, chock-full of
astonishing events, time-honoured anecdotes and extraordinary
facts. The book takes a light-hearted but authoritative look at
every major tennis tournament in the world, including the Wimbledon
Championships. Discover how the first championships - held in 1877,
the same year as the first cricket Test match - were almost an
afterthought. Did you know that no women were allowed in the first
tournament? Or that the All England Club was actually founded to
promote croquet? The book is packed with fascinating trivia that
will tantalise and enthral. When did strawberries and cream become
a Wimbledon staple? Who was the first man to win all four major
titles in the same year? Who is or was Roland Garros? Filled with
bizarre curiosities from the sport's past - from the heir to the
throne whose death was caused by tennis, to the vicar who won
Wimbledon, to the murderer who reached a final - this is a book
every tennis fan should own.
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