The winter break still has most of us in the northern hemisphere in its grip. Besides playing tennis inside and working on your fitness, you can always work on your tennis knowledge or just entertain yourself with a good read. There are a couple of books that stand out from the topic of tennis, be it for their helpful advice for tennis or be it just for the fun of it. Maybe they can help you through the rest of the winter, so that you can start 2025 more focused than ever!
Book No. 1 – “Winning Ugly” by Brad Gilbert
Look, I hate this book in a way, I really do. Anytime I step on court in a league match and my opponent starts obviously applying the strategies this book covers, I absolutely want it to be never written. But the fact that I hate it just shows that Brad Gilbert’s tactics covered here are still very relevant to the day. He covers a bunch of little strategies and tricks that get your opponent to either lose their rhythm or get agitated about something, leading to your chances improving. Whether you want to use all of these in a match or not, I think it also gives you a better chance when someone else starts applying some of these, as you can see them for what they are then.
Additionally, Gilbert presents a multitude of tips and tricks that are rather about improving your own mental game and how to stay resilient, something that we all will benefit from. You might not play more beautiful, faster or any more professional after reading this, but you might just get this little bit more effective. It worked for Gilbert himself, who wasn’t the most talented player by a big margin but managed to get to No. 4 and win 20 titles in his career. Today, he is part of Coco Gauff’s coaching team and still regarded as one of the top tennis experts of our time.
Check out Winning Ugly at Amazon.
Book No. 2 – “String Theory” by David Foster Wallace
If you are not familiar with the name David Foster Wallace, you are now in for a treat. The man was nominated for a Pulitzer Price in fiction but is also regarded as one of the best writers on tennis ever. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2008 but left us a few essays on tennis, which have now been published as a book. From insight about the life on tour or the organization of the US open to a masterful piece on Roger Federer. This is a bit of a different book, not trying to teach or improve something in your tennis, but rather showing the beauty of tennis and playing with words to get the love for this sport across. Another great piece to read on a cold winter’s day, when you are not looking for practical advice and still want to stay close to your passion.
Get String Theory from Amazon.
Book No. 3 – “The Racket” by Conor Niland
Conor Niland is a former tennis professional from Ireland, who might be most famous for his Davis Cup play or this book. He reached his career high ranking, No. 129 in the world, after winning a couple of Challenger titles in 2010. But he shared time on tour with the sport’s golden generation, including players like Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer. Therefor, like only very few others, he can give a unique perspective on how life is on the professional circuit around living legends of the sport. His book paints a picture of the divided tour, where players like Niland himself do everything to earn their spot on tour and pay their expenses, including both the bright and dark sides of tennis. Sure, his autobiography cannot compete with the likes of Nadal in terms of success but will show an entirely different side of the sport, which isn’t always straightforward.
You can get “The Racket” at Amazon.
Book No. 4 – “The Inner Game of Tennis” by Timothy Gallwey
I have said this before when speaking about the mental aspect of tennis, but this book should be in every player’s bookshelf. The standard book on the inner game and how to optimize your relationship with yourself on court is very valuable to any player, regardless of your actual level right now. When you are learning the shots as we talk, it will help you to stop sabotaging your own process and learn faster.
But if you are playing tournament matches, it will still give you tons of benefit with showing you how to stay calm and keep yourself together. Timothy Gallwey takes his insight from years of coaching experience, where he monitored how players would either self-destruct or overthink when playing tennis. The lessons from this can help you improve your tennis in 2025 and hopefully give you as much calmness as they did to me.
You can purchase this book from Amazon.
Which other books might we have forgotten, or which ones do you like? Let’s discuss in the comments!
