Tennis Biography

He is one of the most controversial sportsmen in history and a legend of Open Era tennis. But after reaching the top of his game - what came next? A decade after his international number-one best seller Serious, John McEnroe is back and ready to talk. Now the undisputed elder statesman of tennis, McEnroe has won over his critics as a matchless commentator and analyst at Wimbledon and other Grand Slam tournaments - with outspoken views on the modern game and its top players.

This phenomenally successful guide has become a touchstone for hundreds of thousands of people. Not just for tennis players, or even just for athletes in general, this handbook works for anybody who wants to improve their performance in any activity, from playing music to getting ahead at work.

No tennis player since Andre Agassi has captivated the world like Rafael Nadal. He's a rarity in today's sporting arena - a true sportsman who chooses to let his raw talent, dedication and humility define him. With a remarkable 16 grand slam victories under his belt, and with friend and rival Roger Federer's record haul of 20 in his sights, Nadal is an extraordinary competitor whose ferocity on court is made even more remarkable by his grace off it. This book takes us to the heart of Nadal's childhood, his growth as a player, and his incredible career.

No man or woman has won more Grand Slam singles titles than Novak Djokovic, who took his 24th major at the 2023 US Open. Based on fresh interviews with people close to Djokovic - including his friends and mentors, along with his former coaches and his rivals - this is an in-depth exploration of the psyche of one of the most fascinating and controversial sporting characters ever.

Roger Federer is not only one of the greatest tennis players ever to pick up a racket - if not the greatest - but he is one of the global icons of our time. Characterised by a mixture of passion and calmness, a fierce competitor with a regal bearing, he is both an athlete and an ambassador, a street fighter and a statesman. But who is he really? This acclaimed biography, first published in 2006 and now fully updated in its ninth edition, traces Federer's life and career, from his first tentative swings with a racket to legendary status.

You’re a disappointment to everyone. You’re a far cry from beautiful - and your thoughts are ugly too. You seem bound to fail, bound to break. But you know what it is to laugh with your best friend, to feel the first tentative tingles of attraction, to take exquisite pleasure in the affront of your unruly body. You just need to find your place. From dead pets and crashed cars to family traumas and misguided love affairs, Susannah Dickey's revitalising debut novel plunges us into the private world of one young woman as she navigates her rocky way to adulthood.

In Novak Djokovic: The Inspiring Story of One of Tennis' Greatest Legends, you will learn the inspirational story of one of tennis' premier legends, Novak Djokovic. Novak Djokovic has come a long way since reaching his first Grand Slam final in the 2007 US Open. There was little doubt that even in his defeat to fellow legend, Roger Federer, that Djokovic was going to be embarking on an illustrious tennis career.

In Rafael Nadal: The Inspiring Story of One of Tennis' Greatest Legends, you will learn the incredible story of one of tennis' best players, Rafael Nadal. For the last two decades, three men have dominated the game of tennis: Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal. Nadal will likely go down as the greatest clay-court player to ever grace the court.

In 1930, at the age of twenty-seven, Liesl Herbst was the Austrian National Tennis Champion, a celebrity in Vienna. Liesl, her husband David and their daughter Dorli came to Britain after escaping the Nazis. In London, though initially stripped of their Austrian passports and rendered stateless aliens, both Liesl and her daughter Dorli competed at Wimbledon. They remain the only mother and daughter ever to have played doubles together at Wimbledon.

Rafael Nadal, der sechs Jahre lang die Weltrangliste anführte, ist der ungekrönte König des Sandplatztennis und einer der wenigen Tennisspieler, die alle vier Grand-Slam-Turniere gewannen. In seiner Autobiografie enthüllt der bedeutendste Tennisspieler seiner Generation, was ihn zum Champion werden ließ. Von seiner Kindheit in Mallorca über die Zeit als vielversprechendes Nachwuchstalent bis zum denkwürdigen Wimbledon-Sieg 2008 gegen Roger Federer, den John McEnroe als "das größte Tennismatch, das je gespielt wurde" bezeichnete.

In 1950, three years after Jackie Robinson first walked onto the diamond at Ebbets Field, the all-white, upper-crust US Lawn Tennis Association opened its door just a crack to receive a powerhouse player who would integrate "the game of royalty." The player was a street-savvy young Black woman from Harlem named Althea Gibson who was about as out-of-place in that rarefied and intolerant world as any aspiring tennis champion could be.

Rewind to 1971, and Sue Barker's coach is sending his 15-year-old tennis protégé to a junior championship in France, alone, with a one-way ticket, telling her she'd have to win the money to pay for her return fare. Sue hides in the grounds of the hosting tennis club overnight, to avoid paying for a hotel. The next day, she walks onto court and smashes it. Five years later, and she's Britain's No 1. And now, after four decades on camera encouraging other legends to share their stories, she is telling her own.

You're about to discover the incredibly inspirational story of tennis superstar Andy Murray. If you're reading this, then you must be a fan of Andy, like so many others. As a fan, you must wonder how this man is so talented and want to know more about him. Andy is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of his generation, and it's been an honor to be able to watch him compete throughout his young career.

There has never been a period in history where tennis has been so rich in iconic personalities, and recent times have seen more astonishing, history-making stories than ever before. Small wonder, then, that Neil Harman, who this season celebrates a decade at the helm of The Times tennis coverage, should want to share the tales he has lived through in a book that drips personality, excitement, drama and intrigue from first page to last.

Who was Alice Marble? In her public life, she was the biggest tennis star of the pre-war era, a household name like Joe DiMaggio and Joe Louis. She was famous for overcoming serious illness to win the biggest tournaments, including Wimbledon. She was also a fashion designer and trendsetter, a contributor to a pioneering new comic called Wonder Woman - and friend to the biggest names in Hollywood and society, like Carole Lombard and Clark Gable, William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies, and members of families named Bloomingdale, Loew, and du Pont.

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.

You're about to discover the incredibly inspirational story of tennis superstar Rafael Nadal. If you're reading this, then you must be a fan of Rafael, like so many others. As a fan, you must wonder how this man is so talented and want to know more about him. Rafael is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players ever, and it's been an honor to be able to watch him compete throughout his career.

Outras pessoas já tentaram contar essa história, pois não é sempre que o esporte tem um jogador como Roger Federer. No entanto, é a primeira vez que uma biografia teve acesso tão exclusivo ao atleta, à sua equipe de apoio e às figuras mais proeminentes do tênis, incluindo grandes rivais, como Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic e Andy Roddick.

Two sisters. One dream. A legacy that changed the game forever. From multiple Grand Slams to Olympic gold and historic firsts, Serena and Venus Williams have redefined what’s possible for women, for athletes, and for dreamers everywhere. But beyond the victories and world records, the real story lies in the relentless fight behind the fame, against tough competitors, systemic barriers, and the constant pressure to prove they belonged.

In Flow with the Glow: Life, Love, and Tennis, Shane Gerzon takes listeners beyond the boundaries of the tennis court and into the heart of a journey defined by passion, struggle, and transformation. From almost reaching Olympic heights to facing profound personal failures, Shane's story is one of grit, resilience, and rediscovery.