"The game with yourself is often tougher than the battle against any opponent. Smart Tennis shows you how to win the inner match while having fun along the way."--Lindsay Davenport, world's #1 ranked player for 1998

Become a More Competent-and Confident-Tennis Player

Smart Tennis is the secret weapon that tucks right into your tennis bag. Apply these proven principles of sport psychology to your game and gain a winning advantage both on and off the courts.

"Smart Tennis is a must for players at all levels-from beginners to Wimbledon champions! An outstanding book for understanding and improving your mental game."--Vic Braden, tennis telecaster and researcher

"If you ever want to use the title of this book to describe how you played your last match, then Smart Tennis is for you."--David Higdon, senior writer,Tennis Magazine

"This is an excellent book of psychological skills that can be immediately applied on the tennis court."--E. Paul Roetert, Ph.D., Administration of Sports Science, United States Tennis Association

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.

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.

Tired of losing to the same old people? Are you playing without a plan of attack? Need a little refresher course? Hamptons teaching pro Doug Dean goes over the most common mental and physical mistakes of the club player and what you can do to remedy them. If your playing is stagnant, get out of a rut. Stimulate your game and take it to a new level. Whether in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, or the playgrounds of the Hamptons - read about zany matches and lessons with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and the tennis world. Off the court, tales continue, whether it's walking across Death Valley in the smoldering heat of summer with a Wimbledon champion, climbing Mt. Ararat in Turkey with an astronaut who walked on the moon, flying upside down in a bi-plane in a Mexican wilderness piloted by an Academy Award winning actor, or performing in a Broadway musical with a Grammy Award winning country legend - share in the adventures of a nomadic teaching pro.

Record-breaking, trend-setting, polarizing, and controversial, Serena Williams often sparks conversation and debate. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has a team, an entourage, celebrity groupies, and a band of fans who call themselves “Serena’s army.” When not winning titles, Williams finds time to run her own fashion line, endorse luxury and financial brands, and fund schools for girls in Africa and Jamaica. Serena Williams transcends sports. More than a biography, Serena Williams: Tennis Champion, Sports Legend, and Cultural Heroine not only tells the story of her upbringing and remarkable career but also looks at Williams as a sports pioneer. Merlisa Lawrence Corbett explores Williams’ influence on cultural and political issues such as body shaming, gender equality, and racism in sports and society. Corbett also analyzes Williams’ impact on discussions of feminism, the sports celebrity, and the marketing of female athletes. Williams is one of the most intriguing and influential figures in sports, and this book is the first to provide a fully-rounded portrait of a tennis icon.

The digital age has hit the tennis court. Games like Top Spin use lifelike animation and innovative hand controls to provide gamers with a realistic simulation game against real-life pros. Racquet-mounted sensors measure and track shots and impact speeds and provide analysis. But a player still has to know how to play the game, how to plan the next move and be able to anticipate an opponent's likely return, all in an instant. A player has to build a winning strategy, play the full court and outsmart an opponent. All the sensors in the world can't do that. Enter Tennis Skills, an in-depth guide to improving a player's game. It features a battery of lessons designed by tennis professionals that lays down a solid foundation of stroke skills and game strategy. Clear instructions and annotated diagrams provide valuable coaching and corrective techniques - a great value for any player. It's like having a personal tennis pro on call for expert coaching. The book is fully illustrated with sequential pictures, court diagrams, tips, typical faults and coaching ideas which can help to build strong foundation skills and great players. Tom Sadzeck provides an abundance of visual features to help players of all levels improve their game and build on existing skills. Six chapters cover the game's key skill sets, from basic techniques to singles and doubles strategies. There are more than 40 drills that focus on the target areas of form, strategy, coordination and footwork. Other coaching content include: Stroke-production exercises; Forehand, backhand, serve, volley, slice and other shots; A breakdown of each stroke to promote consistent form; Warm-up, grips, body position, footwork, targeting, follow-through; Court diagrams to help players visualize a stroke's outcome; How to handle game pressure. Tennis Skills also features Master Stroke sidebars that give easy-to remember tips, Fault Finder boxes that point out common mistakes and Coach's Comments that share the wisdom of seasoned pros. Whether the reader is new to the sport or a more experienced player who wants to improve his or her game and try new drills, Tennis Skills is a practical book to have in the equipment bag or locker.

Improve shot power, increase on-court speed and agility, and outlast the opposition with Complete Conditioning for Tennis, the most comprehensive tennis conditioning resource available! The only strength and conditioning resource endorsed by the United States Tennis Association, Complete Conditioning for Tennis details how to maximize your training with exercises, drills, and programs that • assess physical strengths and deficiencies, • improve footwork and agility, • increase speed and quickness, • enhance stamina, • increase flexibility, • reduce recovery time, and • prevent common injuries. Throughout, you will have access to the same recommendations and routines used by today’s top professional players. From increasing the speed and power of your serve and groundstrokes to enhancing on-court agility and stamina, you will be ready to take the court with confidence and endure even the most grueling matches. Off the court, you’ll learn recovery techniques and preventive exercises for keeping shoulder and elbow injuries at bay. Featuring more than 200 on- and off-court drills and exercises combined with exclusive online access to 56 video clips, Complete Conditioning for Tennis is an essential resource for players, coaches, instructors, and anyone serious about the sport.

Tennis, the much-loved sport, is a game for the ages dating back to sixteenth-century royal court matches played by King Henry VIII. History of Tennis captures the sport s long history, never short of theatrics, rivalries, power plays, political controversies, and inspiring personal stories. Beautiful historic and contemporary images of gripping matches like the unforgettable Bjorn Borg versus John McEnroe tiebreak match in 1980, to behind-the-scenes moments with tennis legends, and never-before-seen shots, grace each page accompanied by Richard Evans s intriguing stories and unique insight detailing the evolution of this majestic sport by decade. Starting as a European royal pastime and gaining popularity in England and France, the sport made its way to America in the late 1870s as the new game of lawn tennis, creating along the centuries legendary tennis superstars such as Bill Tilden, Suzanne Lenglen and the Four Musketeers, Fred Perry, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, and Steffi Graf. Now one of the most highly watched sports globally with top-billing icons like Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, and Naomi Osaka, there is no stopping the power of this all enthralling game. This is a must-have volume for lifelong fans and those intrigued by the sporting theatre and grand culture of tennis.

Andy Murray is one of Britain's best loved athletes. On the 7th July 2013 he became the first British man to lift the Wimbledon trophy for 77 years. His new book, Andy Murray: Seventy-Seven, will take us on a personal journey through his career. Focusing on the last two dramatic years, he will share with us his thoughts on the pivotal moments of his playing career and allow us a glimpse into his world - his intense training regime, his close-knit team and his mental and physical battle to get to the very top. This very personal book will be a stunning celebration of Andy's career so far.

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.

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.

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?

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!

This is the second edition of the highly acclaimed and bestselling comprehensive history of tennis which was the first truly scholarly history of any individual sport. Supported by a startling wealth of linguistic and documentary research, Gillmeister charts the global evolution of tennis from its origins in 12th century France where it emerged as a more peaceful variety of ribald football played in monasteries. By the 16th century, it had become the favourite pastime of the European aristocracy and had, in the wake of the Spanish conquistadors, even reached the Americas. The prestige of the game also led to its popularity among Renaissance poets and playwrights. After a gradual decline in the 18th and 19th centuries the medieval game revived in the 1870s in the form of lawn tennis. The new game dispensed with the expensive walled courts, discarded the complicated rules of the old game and was played in a natural setting. From England with its famous Wimbledon tournament it spread to the European continent and to the United States where the Davis Cup was born.Gillmeister debunks several firmly established myths about the history of the game and rare colour photographs and medieval and renaissance drawings generously adorn the text. A delight for the sports fan and the scholar alike, Tennis is the authoritative text on the sport.

A Different Kind of Daughter is a powerful memoir about a young Pakistani girl who, until the age of twelve, was disguised as a boy so she could compete in sports. 'Maria Toorpakai has risen from the turmoil of tribal life in Pakistan to become not only a world-class athlete, but a true inspiration, a pioneer for millions of other women struggling to pave their own paths to autonomy, fulfilment and genuine personhood' - Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner Maria Toorpakai Wazir has lived her life disguised as a boy, defying the Taliban, in order to pursue her love of sport. Coming second in a national junior weightlifting event for boys, Maria decided to put her future in her own hands by going in disguise. When she discovered squash and was easily beating all the boys, life became more dangerous. Heart-stopping and profoundly moving, Maria shares the story of her long road and eventual triumph, pursuing the sport she loved, defying death threats and following her dream.

Wimbledon has long stood at the pinnacle of British and world tennis. But, as Kevin Jefferys shows in this ground-breaking new study, Britain has a rich history of international standard play beyond SW19, in top-level tournaments and Davis Cup competitions at iconic venues such as Queen's Club, Eastbourne and Edgbaston. The book traces the fluctuating fortunes of a dozen or so tournaments that have brought the world's finest players to English shores during the 140-year history of lawn tennis. Taking a tour around different regions of the country, the author sheds fresh light on the best-known events and on largely forgotten but once high-profile tournaments held in Bristol, Torquay and Scarborough. Both a record and a celebration of England's tennis heritage, the book is packed with stories about memorable players and matches, full results for singles finals and anecdotes about quirky or controversial incidents, ranging from the courtside fire that halted a tournament final to the anti-apartheid protests that disrupted a Davis Cup tie.