Steve Jamison

Whether you’re playing on an overly sunny day, what to pack in your bag, how to handle gamesmanship, what to do when you come up against specific types of players, this book covers a lot of ground. It does feel a bit repetitive at times though if you are attempting to learn from the book repetition is probably helpful to get this stuff ingrained in your brain so you can put it in action without overthinking on the court.

If like me you’re reading this strictly as a tennis fan/fan of Brad show more Gilbert’s analysis on ESPN, not someone who actually plays, then you’ll already be familiar with much of the philosophy behind these tips and strategies and that, along with the repetition I mentioned does get a little tedious if you picked this book up as a pleasure read rather than as the tutorial it’s intended to be. But fortunately those of us who came to this book only for the entertainment value, you’re rewarded with quite a few anecdotes about Gilbert’s career and matches against legends like Connors, McEnroe, and Lendl, an era which I wasn’t lucky enough to see but it sure is riveting to read about.

This book would definitely be of most use to those who play, but for those of us who just watch tennis there’s still quite a bit to hold your interest, too, and if you’re new to watching the sport, it will likely give you a better understanding of it, too. show less

This is a book I've never rated because I more or less have this on my nightstand and read bits of it over and over again. There's just so much good stuff here and it's practical. Wooden is one of the greatest coaches of all time, but more importantly he is a leader and teacher to young men on the court and to men and women off the court.

There is a lot to love here, but mostly I love it for how practical it is. One of my favorite stories or parts of the book is about how Coach Wooden didn't show more allow cursing on the court at any time. His theory, and I buy into this (even if I, err, falter), is that if you can't control your mouth during practice, you definitely won't be able to control it in a high-pressure game. And if you can't control your mouth, you will be prone to acting out in ways that are inappropriate on the court.

Great life lessons and a book I will probably read off and on for the rest of my life. A combination of my favorite college sport and leadership skills, this is one the great books that rates up there with How to Win Friends and Influence People. show less

This book won't help your tennis strokes or any other technical aspect of your game, but it will address the strategy behind the game. The big focus is on knowing your opponents and your own game, knowing the strengths and weaknesses that become apparent during matches, and how to exploit what you observe. There is also emphasis on the mental game of tennis, which includes keeping your cool, dealing with gamemanship, and keeping focus.
The book is organized in quick, easy to read chapters, show more with Gilbert's real-life examples, followed up with a closer look on how to apply his principles to your own game.
Overall, a great, well-written book that will give the serious tennis player food for thought, and ideas to bring into your own game. show less

There are not enough stars for this book. Yes a lot of it is common sense, yes a lot of it is not new but what makes it great is the consistency of philosophy and personality through this book. You know John Wooden lived all these principles daily and the book is as if he were standing next to you. I always struggle taking advice from sports book in to the real world as the principles are frequently not transferable or as effective outside the sports arena- but there is plenty of good advice show more if you want to listen. show less