An engineer overthinks tennis in a daily journal.
In 2021, I mentioned on this site that I was interested in finding a copy of Althea Gibson’s autobiography. At that time, the book was long out of print and the only available copies were priced as a collectors items and way too rich for my blood. Later in the year, I was delighted when Randy Walker of New Chapter Press published a digitized version of the book once again making this book available to the masses.
One of the unexpected benefits of writing this blog has been my discovery of the greatness of wheelchair tennis. When Dylan Alcott announced that the 2022 Australian Open will mark his retirement from competition, I knew that I would be reviewing his recently updated autobiography as “Australian Summer of Tennis” draws to a close. This compulsory read turned out to be a compulsory read: I finished the book in a single sitting.
John Newcombe is a striking figure from the golden era of Australian tennis. The Aussies were also well known for on court achievement and even better known for having a great time off the court. It was an era of sportsmanship and camaraderie that may never exist again. Newcombe’s autobiography, Newk: Life On and Off the Court was published in 2002, but still feels current and relevant to this day.
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Long time readers of this site will be aware that I generally shy away from books about tennis players who are still actively competing. Such books tend to be public relations efforts to polish an athletes image or to take control of the narrative. I was willing to take a flyer on this particular book because Ashleigh Barty may be the last athlete to publicly and effectively deal with mental health issues before it was regarded as an act of bravery. With the “Australian Summer of Tennis” in full swing I was willing to take a chance on the most compelling Aussie player.
As the “Australian Summer of Tennis” gets underway, it is the perfect time to shift our attention to books about the rich tennis heritage from “Down Under.” There is no better place to start than with the most recent biography of the man whose name adorns the side of the stadium where the culmination of the Australian Open is contested.
One of my goals for 2022 is to be more on top of the upcoming release dates for new tennis books. There are four books coming soon that I am tracking for review once they are published. I am kind of surprised that there aren’t any more tennis titles than that coming up. Perhaps there are some forthcoming great tennis books that are still pending publication announcements.
I am expected to regularly deliver “talks” and conference presentations as a part of my day job. This year in those settings, I have consistently issued a strong recommendation for people to read Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin’s Most Dangerous Hackers. In some cases, my language is couched as an imperative. If I could I would wave a magic wand and get everybody in the United States to read this particular book, I would do it.
I don’t think it is unreasonable to stake the claim that the Fiend at Court has independently reviewed more tennis books over the last two years than any other site. That being said, there were quite a few notable titles first published this year that I never got around to reading. (So many books, so little time.) Today I am sharing books from 2021 that are in personal reading queue that I plan to get around to covering… eventually.
Tis the season for recommending thoughtful gifts for tennis players. Today we will consider the three books that every tennis player should own. These books should also be read. Most books can be read and then cast aside after initial consumption. The books in the own category are those timeless classics get revisited and consulted over time. These are the books that make the best gifts.
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Tennis books make excellent gifts. There were a lot of books on tennis published in 2021, and you might be wondering which of these would make the best gifts. Alternatively, perhaps you are considering treating yourself this holiday season. There is nothing better than curling up in front of the fire on a bad weather day reading a book about tennis.