Gift of Tennis is an easy read, illustrated with whimsical drawings that convey a sense of lightness and fun. The 45 short chapters address various topics in a personal, approachable and insightful way that may help readers to improve on technique, solve tactical issues, or help them to manage the mental gremlins that may loom large during competition. Gift of Tennis also provides practical information about scoring, tiebreaks, line calls, on-court communication, and playing in the outdoor elements. Packed with personal anecdotes, it's written with the adult beginner in mind, though many court thoughts offer nuggets of wisdom to benefit players of all abilities. Many of the court thoughts in Gift of Tennis cover topics that crossover into aspects of everyday life. "Tennis has taught me a great deal about life beyond the tennis court," says Clarke. "Gift of Tennis is my way of sharing these insights with you."

From the author of Infinite Jest and Consider the Lobster: a collection of five brilliant essays on tennis, from the author's own experience as a junior player to his celebrated profile of Roger Federer at the peak of his powers. A "long-time rabid fan of tennis," and a regionally ranked tennis player in his youth, David Foster Wallace wrote about the game like no one else. On Tennis presents David Foster Wallace's five essays on the sport, published between 1990 and 2006, and hailed as some of the greatest and most innovative sports writing of our time. This lively and entertaining collection begins with Wallace's own experience as a prodigious tennis player ("Derivative Sport in Tornado Alley"). He also challenges the sports memoir genre ("How Tracy Austen Broke My Heart"), takes us to the US Open ("Democracy and Commerce at the U.S. Open"), and profiles of two of the world's greatest tennis players ("Tennis Player Michael Joyce's Professional Artistry as a Paradigm of Certain Stuff About Choice, Freedom, Limitation, Joy, Grotesquerie, and Human Completeness" and "Federer Both Flesh and Not"). With infectious enthusiasm and enormous heart, Wallace's writing shows us the beauty, complexity, and brilliance of the game he loved best.

In It's Not My Fault, author Joshua Shifrin helps tennis players make sense of their most monumental losses on the court. The next time a player goes down in defeat, he or she can always explain the woeful loss with "My opponent was a pusher . . . I can't play against pushers." Or after a bad shot, tennis gurus might try to get out of dodge by uttering, "There was a leaf on the court and I couldn't concentrate." Shifrin has crafted 150 funny--but all-too-real--excuses for pros and amateurs alike. Examples include: My opponent's grunting is distracting. My strings are too tight. I have tennis elbow. These tennis balls are too slow. Any many more! Whether you want to motivate your friends or family who have just started playing or eradicate embarrassing mistakes in your own game, It's Not My Fault is a must-read. Complete with laugh-out-loud cartoons, this book makes for the perfect gift.

This New York Times bestselling biography tells the life story of the most iconic men's tennis player of the modern era. There have been other biographies of Roger Federer, but never one with this kind of access to the man himself, his support team, and the most prominent figures in the game, including such rivals as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Roddick. In The Master, New York Times correspondent Christopher Clarey sits down with Federer and those closest to him to tell the story of the greatest player in men's tennis. Roger Federer has often made it look astonishingly easy through the decades: carving backhands, gliding to forehands, leaping for overheads and, in his most gravity-defying act, remaining high on a pedestal in a world of sports rightfully flooded with cynicism. But his path from temperamental, bleach-blond teenager with dubious style sense to one of the greatest, most self-possessed and elegant of competitors has been a long-running act of will, not destiny. He not only had a great gift. He had grit. Christopher Clarey, one of the top international sportswriters working today, has covered Federer since the beginning of his professional career. He was in Paris on the Suzanne Lenglen Court for Federer's first Grand Slam match and has interviewed him exclusively more than any other journalist since his rise to prominence. Here, Clarey focuses on the pivotal people, places, and moments in Federer's long and rich career: reporting from South Africa, South America, the Middle East, four Grand Slam tournaments, and Federer's native Switzerland. It has been a journey like no other player's, rife with victories and a few crushing defeats, one that has redefined enduring excellence and made Federer a sentimental favorite worldwide. The Master tells the story of Federer's life and career on both an intimate and grand scale, in a way no one else could possibly do.

Simple words and phrases, paired with photographs, illustrate beginning tennis concepts.

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.

All the passion, drama, and beauty of tennis is captured in this most up-to-date comprehensive history--from its early beginnings as a sport, the greatest matches ever played, to its global star players and personalities of present day. This volume is a must-read for tennis aficionados. 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 allenthralling game. This is a must-have volume for lifelong fans and those intrigued by the sporting theater and grand culture of tennis.

Delightful rhyming poem of a player in a tennis lesson. The poem highlights a player's euphoria and struggles during a tennis lesson. At the start of the lesson, the player enjoys the lesson as her balls effortlessly fly across the net and drop into the court. I whip it, I flip it,The ball flies deep with spin.No doubt Rafael NadalIs my identical twin.Her tennis instructor played college and professional tennis and seems never to make a mistake. He continues to give her instruction and she loses her confidence. ESPN won't ever feature me.I'm an old, "casual" player.No matter how much I practice my serve and my lobs,My hair goes grayer and grayer.The pro continues to practice with her and provides advice from "The Inner Game of Tennis" by W. Timothy Gallwey. She hits a winning shot against this experienced pro. Ode to Tennis is delightfully illustrated by Mario Barrera. The illustrations capture the euphoria and struggles on players who take up the game of tennis later in life.

Follows the tennis exploits of Snoopy as he is victimized by bad line calls, realizes his dream of going to Wimbledon, and withstands the agony of insensitive or inanimate doubles partners.