Tennis Hits the Books
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.
I spent the past week examining all the titles that were published in 2021. There were quite a few from the major publishing houses. Many additional titles were self published, which can be a bad sign in many other subject areas, but not necessarily for tennis.
There were three books that jumped out at me this year as excellent choices to give as presents this holiday season. I don’t necessarily think that these books should be limited to tennis players. Each of these selections deliver powerful lessons of leadership and the pursuit of excellence.
The Top 3 Tennis Books to Gift in 2021
 | All In: An Autobiography All In: An Autobiography of Billie Jean King is an attempt to bring closure to her story on her own terms. The book culminates with a powerful appeal for others to carry on her legacy of leadership. It is uplifting, inspiring, and a mandatory read for all tennis fans. Full review from August 26. |
 | The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer Stories of the swan song of Federer’s career have been written and re-written over the past decade. The idea that the end is near is palpable and Federer can sense that people are positioning themselves for the finale. That includes sportswriters seeking just one more capstone interview so they can write his final story. Whether this work stands as the final chapter, remains to be seen. Full review from November 4. |
 | Own the Arena: Getting Ahead, Making a Difference, and Succeeding as the Only One The book valuable as a business leadership book while simultaneously providing a tremendous amount of insight into the USTA as an organization. It is one of those books that is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the culture and operation of the USTA. Full review from October 7. |
