Product Description
It's an exciting time in Fairyland.Everyone is getting ready for the Fairy Olympics!But Jack Frost's goblins have stolen the Sports Fairies' magic objects.Now they're threatening to take over the whole competition!

The Tippington Tennis Club is swarming with goblins.If Rachel and Kirsty don't snag Alice's magic racquet, the goblins are going to win --- game, set, and match!

Find the enchanted object in each book, and help keep the Fairyland Olympics magical!

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Alice serves a great story!
Alice the Tennis Fairy was my favorite book I read this summer, because the goblin umpire was making tennis balls go faster, so the goblins wouldn't get the magic racquet.The girls in the story, Rachel and Kirsty, helped the fairies many times. The story ends when the game, set, and match were over, and when they found the magic racquet. Another funny part was when the goblins got covered with cream and strawberries.

I recommend this book for anyone who believes in mythical creatures, and believes there are boy fairies.

Anna from Minnesota
(entered by her dad) ... Read more

Product Description
Written by the American Sport Education Program (ASEP) in conjunction with Kirk Anderson, director of recreational coaches and programs at the United States Tennis Association (USTA), this fourth edition of Coaching Youth Tennis offers you baseline information every coach needs on coaching philosophy, communication, and safety. It also provides you with step-by-step instructions for executing and teaching the basic technical skills and the tactical aspects of singles and doubles tennis.

The book begins with a baseline introduction to coaching philosophy, communication, and safety. It then turns to sport-specific skills, such as racket and ball-handling skills and stroke skills based on the area of the court each is played. Information on coaching matches and developing season and practice plans for tennis players is provided, as well as an activity finder that brings over 30 activities contained in the book into one section with page numbers for easy reference. Also included are 30 coaching tips, as well as an expanded chapter on rules and equipment presents new youth modifications adopted by the USTA in September 2007. The official handbook of USTA Jr. Team Tennis, Coaching Youth Tennis serves up coaching know-how that's sure to be a winner with you and your players.

The book is an ideal resource for new and inexperienced coaches as well as for parents of youth tennis players. In addition, sport administrators and staff at park districts and other youth tennis organizations and facilities will find it a valuable resource to use and share with their youth coaches. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Light on coaching technique
This book was adequate for explaining the rules of the game and providing a structure to frame a new league tennis coach's plan for the season, but contained very limited information on "how to teach tennis to kids."I am a father teaching tennis to my three children (ages 10, 8 and 6).I was looking for a resource to provide me ideas, games and concepts to teach the game correctly to my kids in fun environment.This book didn't give me anything I can use.

A Good Start...
This book is a good start for beginner coaches getting into the industry. Pros interested in rearing more competitive youngsters need to consider more that are not in this book. If you are starting to coach, this is a good book to start with. If you have some experience already with coaching children and adolescents, this book may be a little elementary with mostly review pointers.

A good baseline...
I was interested in a book to learn tennis basics to help my daughter the love of the game that my wife and I both have. This is the one! Not only were the tips helpful to my daughter but we also learned a few things aswell. This book should be in any tennis parents library. ... Read more

Product Description
This user-friendly manual focuses on the physical and the mental skills needed to handle challenging tennis situations with a cool head and a winning strategy. Specifically the book addresses such crucial mental skills as building confidence managing anxiety improving concentration working with your partner(s) and more. Each chapter includes drills visualizations and exercises that will help the reader enhance game performance and enjoyment. Anyone who loves the unique mental intensity of tennis will enjoy this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

WEAK and generic
I was looking for some solid ideas to take my game to the next level.I am kind of in a rut and trying to get back up to USTA 4.5I thought this book might have some good tips but it is watered down info more suited to beginning players.I was disappointed.I didn't get much out of it.

This book is a winner!
This is a great starting point for any tennis enthusiast who wants to improve his/her game.The book is very quick read, yet is packed with basic, easy to use tips to help understand and utilize sport psychologytechniques. ... Read more

Product Description
Spanning 13 professional seasons, this colorful and personal account of one man's life on the grueling pro tennis circuit pulls no punches. As one of only two players over the age of 30 ranked in the top 20 players in the world, Vince Spadea offers an inside perspective on his life as a world-class athlete: 11-month seasons, 68 tournaments, five continents, four court surfaces, and countless hits and misses. Starting at age eight under the tutelage of his demanding father, he climbed the rankings, battling injury, coaching decisions, and snubs from both fans and players. His place in the glamorous and gritty world-class tennis scene gives him much dirt to dish, and all the big names are there--Andy Roddick, Roger Federer, Martina Navratilova, and Jennifer Capriati. Spadea takes shots with John McEnroe at practice, raps with the Williams sisters over email, and trades barbs with Andre Agassi, who once called Spadea a "journeyman." Part memoir and part expose, this equally comic and gripping trip through professional tennis reveals that the game may begin on the court, but it continues far outside the white lines.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Rappin Master
I put off buying this book for some time until I saw Spadea on the Tennis Channel show where they follow him around with his irreverent rapping.I get the vibe and liked it.So, contrary to many reviewers I really liked the book and found it chock full of inside information of life on the tour.But a lot of the inside is the mundane part of the tour life: traveling and hiring & divorcing coaches, hotel accommodations, practice courts and meeting up with other players to practice.While there is not a lot of dishing on fellow players he does discuss quite a few and how they are to play and practice.Agassi comes off great but also a little bad.Blake of course has been mentioned and also Mardy Fish should be in the same sentence.Spadea was the 2nd ranked American but was not selected for Davis Cup when Fish and Blake were selected even though lower ranked players.Spadea, being the confrontational guy he is, discusses this with Captain McEnroe who assures him the best way to play is beat Fish in practice.WHICH HE DOES!Still even on a surface better for his game he is not selected.If you care about representing your country and have grinded your way to the Top 20 after 13 years, wouldn't you be a little upset to be passed by for a younger lower rated "name"?

So, this is a mixed bag.My advice:if you love tennis, don't skip the book.It's entertaining and worth the read and I feel like I know what goes on behind the scenes on the tour.If you want dirt, hey, watch TMZ.

A lot better than I expected!
This book is a lot better than I expected.It is part diary of a single year (2005) on the tour and part biography.The writing style of Dan Markowitz is very lively and entertaining.And, what Spadea has to say about tennis is very insightful.Away from tennis, it is less so including his rapping lyrics and women chasing.Spadea offers a lot of insights and predictions about the game.And, five years later he is often right on.

Early in the book, Spadea does suffer from delusion of reaching the top 10 while he is already over 30 years old.Spadea breaks up with his smartest coach, Pete Fischer, who had formerly developed and coached Sampras winning game.Spadea split because in early 2005, when Spadea earned his best ranking at 19th in the World, Fischer told him that this was the best he could do.And, he should train to consolidate his game at this level.Spadea did not like what he heard and decided to change coach.Similarly, Spadea gets upset when Cliff Drysdale, the former tennis player and now commentator, states he doubts Spadea will ever make it in the top ten.It turns out that Fischer and Drysdale were right as Spadea's ranking during the remainder of 2005 will quickly drop to 75.And, he will spend the remainder of his career near that level and nowhere near the top 20 ever again.He was already 31 and over the hill with no major weapons to successfully keep him near the top of the game much longer.

In the appendix, you see his actual 2005 results.And, they are very descent.He beat James Blake twice when Blake ranked in the 70s.He also beat Robert Ginepri, Thomas Enquist, Ivan Llubicic, Juan Ignacio Chela.He had a good year for a 30 year old, but not good enough to remain in the top 20.

Ultimately, Spadea does accept his fate.Spadea acknowledges the existential angst of falling in the rankings and having to play in qualifiers again.He is interestingly introspective, and those passages read well.

Spadea reflects the challenges of athletes facing retirement.They are only in their thirties.All they know how to do is swing a racket.They have little education.Spadea did not go to college.Most of them have no transferable skills or marketable name.Spadea says that when he retires he wants to do something meaningful.He is now pretty much retired.He has not played an ATP match in 2010, and his activities consist in rapping?!But, what other choices does he have?

The book offers quite a few interesting insights about pro tennis.One of them is...why do the pros always carefully select a ball before serving?It is because they look for the most used ball with the least fuzz that will travel through the air faster.This also explains why they change balls so often in pro tennis.It is not that the balls are that used after just 7 games;but, it is to stop the pros from picking the ball with the least fuzz.In essence, it resets the button when they change balls.This suggests that serving with new balls being an advantage is actually a myth as it contradicts everything else in this paragraph.If pros do get better results when serving with new balls (I don't think they do), it would be solely because of a placebo effect and nothing to do with the prevailing aerodynamics.

Late in the book, Spadea mentions steroids.According to him, there may be more steroids affecting the game than we think.Most cases have surrounded the Argentinian players including Canas and Puerta with devastating consequences to their respective careers.They were banned from the game for 2 and 8 years respectively.

On Nadal, Spadea was way ahead of the curve.He predicts that Nadal's career will be less spectacular than the media anticipates because of his defensive grinding style of play that puts too much tear on his body.He indicates that such a style of play is too physically demanding to become a world beater in number of Grand Slam tournaments won.Five years after this book release, Spadea was right.His position was prescient back.Nadal has won 6 Grand Slam tournaments and currently ranks 9th in the post Open era.This is an amazing achievement.But, this could be it.

On Federer, Spadea was not so accurate.At the time, Federer had won seven Grand Slam tournaments.Spadea thought Federer would win no more than 10.Spadea mentioned that there are so many variables including slumps, injuries, young players coming up such as Nadal.He did foresee that Nadal would prevent Federer from winning quite a few Grand Slam tournaments.Spadea's rational made sense.It is just that Federer continuous stay at the top exceededexpectations.Federer did remain healthy and uninjured for the most part (except for mononucleosis in 2008).Nadal did have Federer's number, but Federer's record at cutting through the draw has been better than Nadal.

All in all, this is an excellent book for anyone following the ATP tour.

Interesting, funny, & kind of sad
Pretty interesting account of a life on tour, but the story is marked but sadness as you see Spadea's game & ranking spiral downward as the book progresses. Also heartbreaking to see how often he was treated as an outsider by the elite tennis establishment. Being overlooked can definitely affect one's game. The most annoying aspect of the book for me was, as a woman, reading Spadea's detailed tips on how to score with women. Did he think only men would read this book? I just rolled my eyes & skimmed past the nonsense. Despite the pursuit, no girl is good enough for him to commit to & he seems decidedly confused about his feelings for women overall. Whatever...getting back to the tennis, I have to give props to anyone who can make it to as high a ranking as he did on tour, with tennis being such a challenging game--even top players make tons of mistakes & have trouble staying focused. So it was nice to read this behind-the-scenes glimpse of a sporting life with a lot of ups & downs. Also, the rapping, fashion, & Hollyweird side stories make it a fun book to read overall.

Pathetic drivel
I'm sorry, but Vince Spadea should have kept his secret diary to himself.I did find some of his comments to be interesting, but for the most part the thoughts he expresses in this book are pure drivel and mind chatter.Unfortunately, Vince comes across as a very self-absorbed and superficial human being.Vince paints a picture of himeself as someone who is insecure and way too dependent on what others think about him. He wants the reader to think he is cool because of who he knows and associates with.Sad!I sincerely hope he doesn't represent the whole breed of professional tennis players in today's world.In the end I think Vince was just making another buck for himself with this pathetic account of his tennis touring life.One last thought, Spadea mentions he has only read one book in its entirety.Well this really shows!If he had read a few good books, I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted to publish such self-indulgent crap.

Not sure where all the negativity comes from...
This is a book written best read by people who enjoy playing tennis and watching the pros play, but never had the talent to become a professional and ended up doing something far less glamorous.I finished the book thinking: "Glad tennis is just a fun game that I play with my friends at the club, because now I know there are easier ways of enjoying life and making money than turning pro!"In summary: I thought the book was three things: (1) An insight into an eccentric personality, (2) Informative about the grind of the pro tennis tour and (3) Enlightening because now I know that I would rather my life than a professional tennis player's! ... Read more

Product Description
R to L (Japanese Style).A Heated Battle! Seishun vs. Shitenhoji: The semifinals of the National Tournament begin! Seishun is pitted against powerhouse team Shitenhoji. The first match is No. 3 Singles, with Shusuke up against the Shitenhoji captain, Kuranosuke Shiraishi. Shusuke may be Seishun's resident "genius," but the mysterious Kuranosuke is rumored to play "perfect tennis," a game with no flaws. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is essentially a reference guide that those learning the game can use to support their training, written in a very understandable style. The author introduces the forehand, backhand and serve just like he would in a group situation with a group of beginner juniors. Here Patrick reveals the teaching techniques and progressions that can be followed by parents, aspiring coaches and anyone wishing to help beginner players get off to the right start. He moves on to show how he teaches topspin and slice to an individual and the basic volley. Patrick then subtly takes the reader into sections that intermediate and advanced players can really benefit from. These sections include the return of serve, approach shot, advanced volley and overhead. He moves on to look in depth at shots such as the lob, half volley and drop shot. His sections on fitness and how to prepare for a match will really help those who desire to be ready and compete well on the tennis court. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A must have for every aspiring tennis players
It is very easy to tell that the author of this book is a seasoned tennis player and trainer, and not just a writer who is copying information from one source to another. The author gives step by step instructions that will help both beginners, intermediate and advanced players to improve their tennis moves and skills.Realizing the importance of visual learning, Diegan provides step by step helpful instructions, techniques and moves through illustrations and photographs making them an easy visual reference for aspiring tennis players.The book offers good tips and strategies for players to help them improve their game by going back-to-the-basics. If you are thinking about buying a book to use side by side with your field training, this is it. I strongly recommend buying this book for you or for your loved ones as a gift they will cherish and thank you for.

Great Buy
This book was much more than I expected because it wasn't the usual tennis instruction book with the same pictures and same instructions.It went into more depth and approached tennis lessons from the instructor perspective, which really helps.I think you'll be happy with this purchase.

A "Must-Have" for Coaches and Players
If I could have only one book to teach or learn the game, this would be it.Patrick uses clear instructions, photographs, and diagrams to give you the basics and beyond.He lays out drills and techniques that will help anyone improve whether a beginning or advanced player.Patrick diagnoses problems and gives the cures.If you are a coach you will appreciate the program Patrick lays out for your team.If you put his plan into action, you players will improve.He helps you diagnose your players' faults and gives the cures.Inspiring photos of tennis celebs, instructive photos of Patrick and his students, and clear descriptions of how to craft every stroke.
Basics and beyond...enjoy improving your game or your coaching. ... Read more

Product Description
Ideal for today's young investigative reader, each A True Book includes lively sidebars, a glossary and index, plus a comprehensive "To Find Out More" section listing books, organizations, and Internet sites. A staple of library collections since the 1950s, the new A True Book series is the definitive nonfiction series for elementary school readers. ... Read more

Product Description
‘With Andy, the sky's the limit...’ - John McEnroe. At Wimbledon in 2005, a young, brash Andy Murray came out of nowhere and thrashed star pros Georges Bastl and Radek Stepanek. He took a two-set lead against former finalist David Nalbandian before his dramatic winning run came to a end on the Centre Court. But a legend was born, and Britain had a new sporting hero. Henman Hill was renamed Murray Mound, and Henmania became Andymonium. In 2006, Murray went stellar. Aged just 18 he won his first ATP title at San Jose, California, beating former world no. 1s Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt on the way. In the same month, he deposed Tim Henman to become the British No. 1. By the end of a wonderful year in which he was one of only two players to beat Roger Federer, Murray was no. 17 in the world. But Murray is much more than a truly gifted tennis player and potential grand slam champion. He has changed the face of the British game, blowing away the cobwebs of the All England Club, and dividing opinion with his brash, straight-talking style, anti-establishment rhetoric and on-court anger and passion. A whole new generation of kids are becoming tennis fans. Andy has made tennis cool again, like the days of McEnroe, Borg and Nastase. Here, for the first time, Andy Murray talks in his own words about the long, testing, and often difficult path to superstardom. The boy from Dunblane opens up about dealing with the constant limelight and attention from a media and a general public desperate for a genuine British tennis star, and gives the exclusive lowdown on Wimbledon 2008 as he prepares to launch his bid for grass-court glory. Temperamental, gifted, passionate, fiery: Murray is the dazzling new face of British tennis, and a role model to a whole generation. Andy's story will enthral and excite the entire country. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn and master all the essential skills of tennis to take your game to the next level. Tennis: Steps to Success provides in-depth, progressive instruction and accompanying illustrations for each stroke: the serve, return of serve, forehand, backhand, volley, lob, drop shot, and overhead smash. Practice and improve those techniques with 80 drills that feature a scoring system to gauge and accelerate your progress.

After building a strong skill base, add tactical knowledge to make the right shots in match situations, in both singles and doubles play. With a little work, you’ll be hitting winners in no time!

Become a complete player on the court. As part of the popular Steps to Success Series—-with more than 1.5 million copies sold—-Tennis: Steps to Success will take your performance level to new heights in all facets of the game. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Well done
Book is in a good condition.It was send, however, a bit tool ate. Everything else is wonderful.

Good for beginners, but could be better for others
Overall, this book gives solid advice on the fundamentals.Great for beginners and intermediates who need a reveiw of key fundamentals. It needs some improvement on the example pictures.Possibly using pictures of real people in action demonstrating the subject matter would be better than the hand drawn pictures.Multi-framed pictures of the ground strokes and serves would be a great improvement.The exercises and drill didn't do much for me, but suppose would be helpful for others.

Provides a solid foundations of basic skills
It is hard to learn a game like tennis from a book but this book does the best job on communicating the basic skills and concepts.Jim Brown helps new players develop confidence through the well written instructions.When a family member wanted to learn about tennis, this is the book I had them read.

A good activity book for teaching fundamentals to 1-8 pupils
This book is useful to teach people the fundamentals of the game without the aid of video or trained personnel. I've read many books on the subject and found very few printed resources that can communicate as effectively asthis book. The chapters are well-organized, pertinent, and clear.

Ihaven't seen my copy of the book in 3 years, as a co-worker I loaned it torefuses to return it. My recollection is that the chapters take the reader,or more appropriately the coach/instructor, through the steps to accomplisheach outlined task. The introduction/overview, demonstration, drills, andreview of each topic is handled quite well. I've been an accomplishedplayer for 29 years and a teaching professional for the last 21 and Ilearned some helpful drills that are very appropriate for most levels ofplayers. I use this guide as a training manual for my newest assistants.Additionally, I place copies of lessons at each court for a circuit-type,self-learning/drilling workout for many of my teenage intermediate/advancedplayer workouts. The drills are easy to follow.

While I don't advocateall of the drills, I'm impressed by the layout of the learning structurecreated. I recommend this reference book for virtually all instructors. Ibelieve many learning individuals would benefit from reviewing thecontents, as they could easily follow the steps. ... Read more

Product Description
The ABC's of Tennis was created to help parents introduce the game of tennis to young children and promote reading at an early age.Meet our enthusiastic and talented bunch of kids as they lob,spin and volley their way, A through Z. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Finally...a great children's book...The ABC's of Tennis
This is a superb book. Every parent should consider buying this favorite reader for any young sports enthusiast, especially if your child is interested in the sport of tennis.If your child doesn't run to you night-after-night asking you to read this one to them, you'll be shocked. The attention to detail and diversity is incredible.Congratulations GHL.

Happy in Harleysville, PA

The ABC's of Tennis
A wonderfully illustrated and written book introducing young children to terms used in tennis A through Z.My kids want to read it every night before bed.They love looking at the pictures! ... Read more

Product Description
Whirlwind's story is, indeed, a history of black tennis in America. Almost every significant African-American player to emerge before the 1980s trained on his backyard court. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

very important Book
Much Props to Dr.Robert walter Johnson for paving the way which isn't talked about nearly enough.Doug Smith observed and learned from Dr Johnson as Dr Johnson taught on the court and off the court lessons on how to survive and also how to stay classy. from Althea Gibson,Arthur Ashe and other players Dr.Johnson taught them and paved the way. He was a Pioneer and a trailblazer.this is a Book that is a incredible journey and a book that will make you think and reflect. a must have book.

An example of opening doors to others...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is one that every well-to-do African American should read. It details how those who had opened their doors to help others who couldn't afford to. How building and making available to those promising few kids something they could strive for. We need more like whirlwind today.

Remebering the Great Ones
This book was such a great breath of fresh air!It is so good to read about African-American accomplishments, but it is even better to find out how it began.We always hear about the tennis greats of today, like the Williams' sisters but what about those African-Americans who paved the way.Doug Smith did an excellent job of presenting Dr. Johnson's story. I loved it!

Writers Notes 2005 Book Award Winner
Among the common qualities of world-changing people, you'll find passion, discipline, and an unrelenting determination to succeed. Dr. Robert Walter Johnson is no exception. It wasn't enough for Johnson to be a legendary college running back-thus the nickname `Whirlwind'--and a practicing medical doctor. He took his backyard pastime of tennis and built doors for the African American community into an exclusionary sport, shepherding the early tennis careers of greats such as Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe. Noted tennis writer Doug Smith delivers a gripping story of the life and times of this superb athlete, mentor, and visionary.

A fascinating and important sports book
"Whirlwind" portrays the triumphs and travails of an unsung pioneer for racial justice in the mostly white tennis world before and after Althea Gibson broke the color barrier in 1950.
Doug Smith, who attended the tennis program conducted by Dr. Robert Walter Johnson, chronicles how Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson and other promising young African-American players learned lessons about ethics and etiquette as well as strokes and strategy.Dr. Johnson, while an altruist, was no saint, particularly in his family life, and his personal adventures and misadventures are part of what makes this biography so fascinating. Sports fans and history lovers will especially appreciate this poignant story.I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
R to L (Japanese Style). Ryoma and Keigo's incredible match turns into a battle of stamina and sheer will: whoever's left standing to make the last play will be the winner. Meanwhile, Fudomine's captain, Kippei Tachibana, plays his team's last quarterfinal match against Shitenhoji. His opponent is his ex-teammate, Senri Chitose. Can Kippei overcome the demons of his past and defeat his old friend? Four-time consecutive U.S. Junior tournament champ Ryoma Echizen comes to Seishun Academy to further his reign as The Prince of Tennis. His skill is matched only by his attitude--irking some but impressing all as he leads his team to the Nationals and beyond! ... Read more

Product Description
Raise the level of your game with the complete instruction found in Serious Tennis. Internationally known instructor Scott Williams, in conjunction with 20 of the top tennis minds in the world, presents the same technique, conditioning, mental training, and strategy tips used to develop the world's best players.

Serious Tennis shows you how to

• use SMARTS to improve your strokes,

• develop tactical awareness and increase anticipation,

• perform better under pressure,

• hit the ideal shot at the right time, and

• tailor equipment to your style of play.

If you’re dedicated to becoming a better player, you owe it to yourself to get the best instruction in the game. Get Serious Tennis and become the kind of player you've always wanted to be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Fine Instructional Book with Some Unique Observations
The author presently coaches in Florida and obviously knows his tennis well. It is similar to many other conventional tennis instructional books. However, it has some things that other books don't take into account. For example, it discusses sports vision which few other books tackle. The concept of eye dominance is seen by some coaches (e.g., Robert Lansdorf, Maria Sharapova's coach) as very important. Scott Williams also makes some interesting observations about footwork on volleys (landing before or after the contact point depends on ball height, etc) which happen to be quite true but rarely commented on. In addition, the author also adds comments from leading tennis coaches or experts. It is a fine comprehensive tennis book that you may want on your shelf simply because it has a slightly different angle on tennis. I have most tennis instructional books and have known or met many tennis authors/coaches; I do recommend this to be one of the finest books over the past decade.

Very Good, Complete Tennis Analysis
I bought this book as I have mentally been struggling with nerves in match play.There were a couple of chapters on the psycology of tennis and how to deal with nerves and pressure.I found those helpful.The famous sports psychologist, Jim Loehr was quoted in there quite a bit.

While I did not buy the book for stroke production that is the substantial part of the book and they covered every shot imaginable with emphasis on their "Smart" approach.This is a large book that I could see in any Tennis Pro's office as it is great reference material and you could hand out to students who wanted to read more on a problem.Also, there were quite a few references to drills to preform on different shots.

Overall a very good, informative book.

My #1 tennis book
This is the best of instructional books out there.The author does not give you a glam rock romp of who he has instructed on the tour, but instead he gives YOU the "I want to be better than average club player" guy some solid advice on more than just tennis stroke production which you probably already have in place in your game.You actually remember the advice in a match, you use it to improve your game that is in place already and you are given tools to complete your game on and off the court.This is the book that took me pushed me beyond a 4.5.

Best tennis book I have
EXCELLENT BOOK !!

I have a few tennis books from Vic Braden and Brad Gilbert which are not bad but this book is by far the best.

So many club players concentrate only on swinging which is why SMART system is tremendously useful to anyone serious about tennis.

For instance, in the past, I never know there is such a great difference of using dominant eye versus non-dominant eye.
I now can see the ball more clearly and quickly.

Serious Tennis Helps You Get Serious About Your Tennis.
This book helped me improve parts of my game that I just could n't improve further with more court time or match play. The expert advice from leaders in the field of professional tennis allowed me to explore avenues of improving my game that are usually reserved as resources of the pro players.Williams' SMARTS system helped me streamline my stroke production and the expert advice helped me to hone my skills into a completely different level of play.Finally some refreshing and useful tennis reading that you can actually apply to your game!Pictures are great.My favorite chapter, because I find the info in it sticks in my head when I'm playing: Performing Under Pressure - Chapter 9.I would like to take a clinic with this author.Will probably carry this book with me to some matches.I'm looking forward to the updated edition to Serious Tennis! ... Read more

Product Description
Chuck Kriese, men's head tennis coach at Clemson University and former U.S. Junior Davis Cup Team coach, is the all-time winningest coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and his career victories stand among the top in U.S. collegiate history. His coaching accomplishments include eleven ACC titles, eight national top ten finishes, and six ACC Coach of the Year awards. The Kriese coaching legacy has produced thirty All-Americans, sent twenty-three former players to the professional ranks, and spawned twelve current collegiate level coaches from among his former players and assistants. Coach Kriese is the author of three other books--Total Tennis Training, Winning Tennis, and Youth Tennis. He has lectured on the sport in the United States, England, Japan, Spain, and the Netherlands.Coaching Tennis, formerly published as Total Tennis Training, is a recipe for total player development that gives players and coaches the competitive edge when it comes to understanding the complex sport of tennis. The most comprehensive coaching guide available, it is complete with detailed descriptions of physical training techniques, useful approaches for mental and emotional development, and keys to establishing player strategy and team unity. Updated to discuss every conceivable aspect of the modern game from technical skills to momentum management, practice drills to goal setting, directional guidelines to coaching philosophies--discover Coach Kriese's unique motivational program, a formula proven in competition and proven by champions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Coaching Tennis by chuck Kreise
I've coached for over 30 years and Chuck's book is clearly one of the best I've read.A must read for any tennis coach - high school, college, or private coach.
Well done Chuck,
Rich Berman
Owner/operator, Rich's Tennis School

Great Tennis Book
As a lifelong tennis aficionado, I try to read a bit of everything that has to do with the sport.I must say, this is the most thorough and fascinating tennis book.Kriese covers everything that a player needs to know: The fundamentals for beginners and more advanced strategies for professionals.I found the sections on "directionals" (where to place the ball) and "pecking order" (how to play against opponents of different rankings) to be the most helpful.And not only is it informative, but very entertaining as well.Kriese spices the text with personal stories and antidotes that he has collected throughout his long career as a teacher.And it's less than the price of a single tennis lesson.

Great Book!!
This book does an excellent job at covering all the aspects of playing and coaching tennis.He divides tennis into 3 parts:the physical, the mental, and the emotional and he covers all three areas well.For example, he writes about your "role" when you play someone:are you the underdog or the favorite (he gives several other roles too)?He explains how to be comfortable with your role and how to excell in your role.He also writes about the different types of player personalities and how to best motivate them as a coach.I thought this book was just great.

Coaching Tennis
This is an outstanding book that deals with every aspect of coaching tennis.The book is very easy to read and includes charts, diagrams and photos to supplement the excellent techniques described.A must for anysuccessful tennis coach!

A great guide to techniques, theory and drills for tennis
This book is great for the beginner, intermediate or even an advanced coach/player.No matter what level player the reader is, Kriese gives good advice on getting mentally and physically ready for the game.His advicecovers stretching and physical training, advice on how to play the gameagainst many types of players, (ex. players with good forehands and weakbackhands, players who are fast and come to the net, etc.), drills toprepare for the game, photos of techniques, diagrams on drills...and Icould go on.I've been using this book for almost two years to get tips ondrills and techniques as a player/coach.It's helped improve my game andthe players I teach.I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Product Description
Everyone who thrills to a good match and delights in good writing will love this dazzling anthology of the best tennis ever played in literature. If any sport is a metaphor for our complicated human existence, tennis is. The cumulative effect of these stories is to see life through tennis, and to see tennis itself portrayed more beautifully than ever before. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

John Feinstein ... eatyour heart out!
If you are a lover of the short story, even perhaps, a storyteller or writer yourself -- AND -- you are nuts about the game of tennis, then this book is probably the equal of such pleasures as sex, good scotch, and cigars combined.

After becoming happily tired from the work of the day, I allow my mind to sink into the literary construction of these fine stories, and identify with the familiar sentiments of the character players it contains.In addition, the second half of the book is comprised of some nifty tennis poetry.A solid buy.

Usefull
I found this book, as an active tennis player, to be very insightfull and enightening. This book would be good for anyone tennis player or not. Lifes secrets are uncovered by using the maetaphor of tennis. All and all a very worth while book to read. ... Read more

Product Description
As a coach, your success depends on the success of your players. Now you can better ensure players’ development and team performance with Coaching Tennis Successfully.

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) presents this comprehensive manual with information on planning productive practices, conducting drills, developing physical and mental skills, and teaching match tactics. You’ll find ideas to prepare singles players and doubles teams for competitive matches. Plus, the book offers the best methods and helpful tips for teaching key skills:

· Footwork

· Serves

· Groundstrokes

· Overheads and volleys

With more than 670,000 members and programs that encompass all 50 states and beyond, the USTA is able to tap into the best minds and mentors in tennis coaching. Coaching Tennis Successfully synthesizes and shares that expertise to give you the winning edge! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Coaching Tennis
As a first year Coach I found this book Excellent. It taught me tennis from the Coach's perspective, rather then the players.

I had played both High School Tennis, as well as College Tennis for a Southeastern Conference school. This book helped me to understand the mental part of the game that had top be imparted to the players, as well as the refresher for the physical part. Passing on the mental toughness required for the players was critical for their future in Tennis.

coaching for dummies
As a beginning tennis coach, this book helped me immensely

Terrific stuff for the novice coach
Covers all the basics with a personal touch. Well done!

right to the point of coaching tennis
Iam a coach of a high school tennis team. I found your book right on the money. Thank you for writting it ... Read more

Product Description
VISION TENNIS is the unique story of Tony Randzinger, an average tennis player who's won his fair share of matches during his high school career.But he's got one big problem: he's constantly haunted by his own negative thoughts, which cause him to choke on the court. Written by Peak Performance Training Consultant Michael Zosel, VISION TENNIS follows Tony's search for the winning combination of mental and physical skills to overcome his self-doubts and enable him to play to the fullest of his potential.VISION TENNIS is sure to help any reader better his or her tennis experience! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Story That Teaches the Secrets of Bad Writing
This book is anti-literature. The "story" is silly, cliched, and unconvincing. I threw the book out. I could have attempted to re-sell it, or even donate it to a local library, but I wanted to do my small part in making sure I didn't unnecessarily expose anyone else to Mr. Zosel's vision. I'm a little annoyed that Amazon requires that I award this book even one star.

Inspiring, educational read
Solid sport psychology concepts in an engaging format. I didn't put the book down until I was finished with the last page! Tennis players of all ages can relate to Tony and learn with him as he develops his mental game.

Tony's Da Bomb
I think Vision Tennis is a great book.It teaches people how to deal with tough situations in the game of tennis.Being a tournament player, I was able to learn a lot of things that helped me to be a better player, both physically and mentally.I liked it when the author described how he played against the top players in his region.The author, Michael Zosel told you how not to choke and what you should do before playing a match.It ended up being a great story in the end.If you want to get better both mentally and physically you must read this book.

an engaging story that's fun to read
My daughter would not put it down.She immediately used ideas from the book to improve her performance in tournament play.She came off the court excitedly telling me about how she had dealt with negative self-talk, aswell as improvements in her visualization and concentration.She washaving more fun and playing better!(She beat a girl soundly in straightsets that just weeks before had beaten her.)

Vision Tennis
Provides the tools of mental toughness in a format which is incredibly fun and enjoyable to read.Extremely useful for both juniors and adults.....anyone who want to raise the level of their game.This bookwould be an ideal "team book" for coaches to provide to theirplayers, so that each can develop/adapt their own personal approach tomental toughness. This book is a winner! ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you are just starting out, have been competing for decades, or are returning to the game after an extended break, Playing Tennis After 50 will improve your play and enhance your experience on and off the court.

With tactics and techniques ranging from basic to advanced, you'll learn to adapt court positioning and tweak shot selection for stellar singles, doubles, and mixed doubles play. Special features such as how-to-practice games and Stroke Doctor tips will correct common errors and improve skills while you play the game.

Off the court, Playing Tennis After 50 will help you avoid aches and injury with stretching and strengthening exercises. Then double your pleasure with expert information on the latest equipment, tips on finding the right club and playing partner, and ways to make tennis alifelong activity! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Girl Talk!
Obviously written by girl for girl with most of content on emotion, talk talk talk before during after game. Guys get enough of that and just want to get on the court and go at it regardless of AGE. 70 % fluff. The objective is to play.

Very well written book - Better for weaker tennis players.
If you are an older person who is considering taking up tennis or have played for fun but want to get a bit more serious about it then this book is your bible.It covers all aspects of the game though there are entire books written about the topics of each of its chapters.Its not complete but it is broad in coverage.

The segments on health, strategy and tactical consideration for older players was good and so was the dynamics and psychology of doubles and singles play.You're not going to get all those topics in just any other book.

There are a lot of tennis books out there but what really allows this book to stand out is that it is well written, easy to understand, and nicely illustrated.All this adds up to a book that can convey its knowledge well.

For less than the price of a private lesson this is a winner.

From singles and doubles play to practice and improvement tips for any over 50
Whether you're over 50 and new to tennis or returning to the game after a long break, PLAYING TENNIS AFTER 50 is for any who would return to the sport. Discussions range from beginning to advanced techniques and cover everything from singles and doubles play to practice and improvement tips for any over 50. The exercises for over-50 participants are a key and important part of this fine resource.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Made my tennis more rewarding and challenging
I've been playing tennis for many years and had got into a rut.Playing Tennis After 50 has "juiced" my interest by changing my approach to the game from the point that I walk on the court all the way through play.I am doing more than just playing at tennis. I now have more than a vague idea of what I am about to do.Its about goals, strategy and tactics as well as more basic stuff.A must for my bedside reading between games!

Playing tennis after 50 and loving it!
This is a must read tennis book for seniors who are beginners and also a refresher book for more advanced senior players. A tennis 101 course
with illustrations on strategy and techniques for singles and doubles.
Emphasizing that tennis can be a fun lifetime sport, no matter what the age. It is a very encouraging read for those of us who are seniors,
who love the game and know the benefits.

Linda Pugliese ... Read more

Product Description
What common elements separate the best tennis players from the rest? Maximum Tennis will teach you the 10 defining characteristics that allow the top professionals to play their best.

Play from the heart. Simplify your stroke. Focus on the elements you control. As a professional player, an elite coach, and a coach of elite coaches, author Nick Saviano has seen the differences these keys can make. Saviano distills the nature of championship play into its essence, helping you play to your strengths and enjoy the game every time you step on the court. Some of the best to ever play and coach add their own examples to each of Saviano’s lessons. Contributors include Jim Courier, Chris Evert, Nick Bollettieri, Stan Smith, and many more.

Champions aren’t born; they’re made. With Maximum Tennis and hard work, you’ll be the best player you can possibly be. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great keys to improving your tennis game.
This is a wonderful overview of some relatively simply things you can do to take your game to the next level.It's got a lot of excellent information and ideas without being overwhelming.Practical, and worth the time to read.It's written by a master coach, so he knows his stuff!

Wonderful and useful book
Of all the tennis books I have read, this is probably my favorite.My copy is now heavily notated and underlined.There is lots of useful wisdom in this book.

Fine Guide for Becoming a Player
Nick Saviano was a world-class player, top adminstrator and coach with USTA, and now consulting on his own (after the book was published). His views in this book are the templates for developing players for USA Tennis High Performance; i.e., the American system for player development. But it is a system, not an academy. And this is a book, not a personal coach. Still, it gives a wonderful template how to create a developmental program, set goals, develop style of play, customize personal tactics, prioritize training, plan a training and tournament schedule, etc. It allows players (juniors and adults) to organize and take charge of their tennis life. It is a good book for players trying to put pieces together: strokes, tactics, training, etc into a personal package. It puts together your passion for tennis, your personality, and talents into what you probably should do on the court. It may be the best book in the subfield and is a fine resource for parents and juniors (older than 12 years old) and college players. It is also an excellent resource for the serious player (development, juniors, tennis training/planning, understanding your self and game) who would like to improve his or her tennis using a long-term plan. It is obviously a great resource for coaches, too.

Tennis Players Guide to Fun with Success
I am a member of the USTA, played countless tournaments and have read many books and magizine articles during my 30 years of playing the game.
Maxium Tennis, by far, offered me more information and guides on how to become all I can be by providing me with information and directions in areas I have not found any place else.
The stories of Saviano's relationships with many well known professionals, are not only fun to read, but give very beneficial tips on improving your play.
This book can put you on the road to reaching greater achievements then you thought possible. Have FUN! A Must to read!

A very experienced coach gives mental recommendations
Nick Saviano is an excellent coach with great credentials. Saviano attempts to improve the reader's mental outlook of tennis by focusing on 10 key subjects.
Tennis instructional books are difficult due to the varied backgrounds and levels of the readers. In this respect, I thought the author did an excellent job of trying to provide information that would please everyone. What I liked most about this book were the anecdotal stories provided throughout the book. All of the stories have memorable characters. The stories range from Saviano playing late in his career against an unknown but talented Boris Becker, to his coaching experience with Courier and Agassi.
While there were parts of the book I found boring like the typical summary descriptions of strokes, some parts were extremely helpful. Examples include Agassi's statement about not taking his racquet back on returns and the importance of making sure practice is fun so the athlete doesn't get mentally drained.

Overall, I would recommend this book for tennis players looking to improve their game. Still, the best book I have ever read for help is Brad Gilbert's, "Winning Ugly". ... Read more