The words of many of my former coaches live rent-free in my head. Their quips and corrections echo through my mind every time I step onto a tennis court. It shapes how I move, think, and compete. The hallmark of a good tennis coach is the words that have become immortalized in the minds of their players. I have never met Tracy Townsend, but after recently stumbling across a used copy of his 2021 book Look at All that Room Above the Net: Wit and Wisdom from a Lifetime in Tennis, I now have his voice joining my inner chorus.
This book isn’t a deep technical manual of tennis mechanics. Instead, it’s a collection of philosophies, tactical themes, and life lessons from decades on the court. Townsend’s writing is witty, sharp, and philosophical in a way that reminds readers why tennis is so much more than ball-striking. From my perspective as a tennis blogger, many of his short essays are fertile ground for future posts, each one a spark that could launch a new exploration of strategy, mindset, or tennis culture.
One of the unexpected perks of buying a used copy is inheriting the previous reader’s dog-eared pages. It’s like having a stranger’s highlight reel guiding me to the passages they found most important. For example, one flagged section emphasizes that variety is the spice of tennis and observes that players who develop a diverse arsenal of shots generally find more success. That idea dovetails nicely with last Sunday’s post on the assortment of food at the US Open and serves as a reminder that, whether it’s menus or match play, variety keeps things interesting.
Another dog-eared passage offers a philosophy on returning serve that resonated immediately with me. I’m adopting it without delay, but I’m not spoiling the details here. Any future opponent who wants that scouting report will have to buy the book and piece it together themselves. Some secrets are worth guarding.
The title essay, Look at All that Room Above the Net, is appealing to me because I have always regarded hitting the ball into the net as a sin. Townsend puts that truth into words with the kind of clarity and humor that makes it stick. Equally aligned with my own competitive philosophy is his commentary on “torturing your opponents.” I’ll admit without hesitation that I hit drop shots not only for tactical advantage, but also for the pure joy of watching my opponent sprint forward. No spoiler alert required there for any future matches against me. You will see drop shots early and often.
Look at All that Room Above the Net: Wit and Wisdom from a Lifetime in Tennis (<- Sponsored Link)
In the end, Townsend’s book is sound, entertaining, and brimming with insight. It’s not just about playing better tennis but also about thinking better tennis, and laughing a little along the way. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned competitor, you’ll find at least one idea here that resonates and makes its way into your own mental highlight reel. And that, in my view, is the ultimate measure of a good coach, or a book worth reading.
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