Best tennis book ever?

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by WCT

Was there a lot in the book about Tanner's feelings for Connors? If so, what were they? Although Tanner didn't tun out to be any moral pillar.

Tanner talks about how Connors always did what his mother and grandmother (one mom and two mom) told him to on the court and how feisty a competitor Connors was even back then. There's the bits about how Tanner usually beat Connors in the juniors, but Connors tended to have Tanner's number in the professional game. Tanner also talks about how Connors was determined to do things his way in the early and mid 1970s and how aloof he was from the other players. In those days, the Aussies, the Americans and some of the Brits would hang out with each other, while the Spaniards and Latin Americans did likewise, as did the mainland Europeans. Connors, though, didn't even stay in the same hotel as the rest of the players.

Tanner goes into detail about 1975 Wimbledon. The semi final line-up was Connors vs. Tanner and Ashe vs. Roche. Ashe was trying to tell Tanner what tactics you need to use to beat Connors, i.e. giving Connors soft balls, angled volleys, making him run and generate his own pace. It's interesting that Ashe was giving Tanner advice on how to beat Connors when Tanner had just beaten Connors a few weeks earlier in Nottingham, and Connors' only other loss that year had been in the Australian Open final against Newcombe. Incidentally, after Tanner beat Connors in the quarter finals of Nottingham, it was Roche who beat Tanner in the semi finals.

When Tanner's Wimbledon semi final match with Connors came about, he tried to incorporate some of the strategy that Ashe had been telling him to use, but Tanner said his angled volleys weren't good enough, and Connors tracked down everything and rode a wave of momentum. Tanner went back to his original gameplan in the third set, but it was no good as Connors crushed him. Tanner then talks about how he watched Ashe play out his gameplan to near perfection in the final against Connors, and how he couldn't believe what he was seeing, but said that he was so happy for Ashe it was almost like he himself had won Wimbledon.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Tanner talks about how Connors always did what his mother and grandmother (one mom and two mom) told him to on the court and how feisty a competitor Connors was even back then. There's the bits about how Tanner usually beat Connors in the juniors, but Connors tended to have Tanner's number in the professional game. Tanner also talks about how Connors was determined to do things his way in the early and mid 1970s and how aloof he was from the other players. In those days, the Aussies, the Americans and some of the Brits would hang out with each other, while the Spaniards and Latin Americans did likewise, as did the mainland Europeans. Connors, though, didn't even stay in the same hotel as the rest of the players.

Tanner goes into detail about 1975 Wimbledon. The semi final line-up was Connors vs. Tanner and Ashe vs. Roche. Ashe was trying to tell Tanner what tactics you need to use to beat Connors, i.e. giving Connors soft balls, angled volleys, making him run and generate his own pace. It's interesting that Ashe was giving Tanner advice on how to beat Connors when Tanner had just beaten Connors a few weeks earlier in Nottingham, and Connors' only other loss that year had been in the Australian Open final against Newcombe. Incidentally, after Tanner beat Connors in the quarter finals of Nottingham, it was Roche who beat Tanner in the semi finals.

When Tanner's Wimbledon semi final match with Connors came about, he tried to incorporate some of the strategy that Ashe had been telling him to use, but Tanner said his angled volleys weren't good enough, and Connors tracked down everything and rode a wave of momentum. Tanner went back to his original gameplan in the third set, but it was no good as Connors crushed him. Tanner then talks about how he watched Ashe play out his gameplan to near perfection in the final against Connors, and how he couldn't believe what he was seeing, but said that he was so happy for Ashe it was almost like he himself had won Wimbledon.

and who didn´t roote for Arthur in that final? BTW, Roscos and Arthur were longtime doubels partners, after Ashe split with Riessen.Tanner had played before with Charlie Pasarell, himself, Ashe´s best friend in tennis...so, it´s like a big family over there.All of them southeners, BTW

[WCT]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Tanner talks about how Connors always did what his mother and grandmother (one mom and two mom) told him to on the court and how feisty a competitor Connors was even back then. There's the bits about how Tanner usually beat Connors in the juniors, but Connors tended to have Tanner's number in the professional game. Tanner also talks about how Connors was determined to do things his way in the early and mid 1970s and how aloof he was from the other players. In those days, the Aussies, the Americans and some of the Brits would hang out with each other, while the Spaniards and Latin Americans did likewise, as did the mainland Europeans. Connors, though, didn't even stay in the same hotel as the rest of the players.

Tanner goes into detail about 1975 Wimbledon. The semi final line-up was Connors vs. Tanner and Ashe vs. Roche. Ashe was trying to tell Tanner what tactics you need to use to beat Connors, i.e. giving Connors soft balls, angled volleys, making him run and generate his own pace. It's interesting that Ashe was giving Tanner advice on how to beat Connors when Tanner had just beaten Connors a few weeks earlier in Nottingham, and Connors' only other loss that year had been in the Australian Open final against Newcombe. Incidentally, after Tanner beat Connors in the quarter finals of Nottingham, it was Roche who beat Tanner in the semi finals.

When Tanner's Wimbledon semi final match with Connors came about, he tried to incorporate some of the strategy that Ashe had been telling him to use, but Tanner said his angled volleys weren't good enough, and Connors tracked down everything and rode a wave of momentum. Tanner went back to his original gameplan in the third set, but it was no good as Connors crushed him. Tanner then talks about how he watched Ashe play out his gameplan to near perfection in the final against Connors, and how he couldn't believe what he was seeing, but said that he was so happy for Ashe it was almost like he himself had won Wimbledon.

Interesting. What I've read previously made it seem like this was a strategy Ashe's camp came up with after the Connors Tanner semi. I've also read Ashe started thinking of it after seeing Connors play Ramirez in the quarters.

Ashe wrote an article, a week after the match, in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED detailing what he did and how he did it. That article read like he came to the realization after the semis. It was him, Donald Dell, Dennis Ralston and Pasarell, I think.

That article talks about the Tanner upset in that warmup tourney. Ashe said they used different balls and commented that the balls were sometimes as important as the surface. In any case, from what you wrote, the Tanner book makes it seem like this was in Ashe's head earlier if he was advising Tanner about it.

[DHender499]

Hi Jay1,

I stumbled onto your post and very much appreciate it. My book, "Endeavor To Persevere," was a labor of love, written with the mindset that I was a witness to a remarkable history. In being a recorder of that history, I felt it my ultimate duty - as the eyes and ears of those reading the book - to be meticulous about my facts and the events that I wrote about. Beginning in 1974, I would write during and after each Open. I always knew these writings would be a memorialized in the book that you praised so highly. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to know those words brought pleasure to a reader.

Stay well,
Douglas Henderson Jr.

[JAY1]

Originally Posted by DHender499

Hi Jay1,

I stumbled onto your post and very much appreciate it. My book, "Endeavor To Persevere," was a labor of love, written with the mindset that I was a witness to a remarkable history. In being a recorder of that history, I felt it my ultimate duty - as the eyes and ears of those reading the book - to be meticulous about my facts and the events that I wrote about. Beginning in 1974, I would write during and after each Open. I always knew these writings would be a memorialized in the book that you praised so highly. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to know those words brought pleasure to a reader.

Stay well,
Douglas Henderson Jr.

Hi Douglas, Great to hear from you, i'm very suprised but really pleased you read my posting. Are you still around tennis much these days?
I live, eat and sleep tennis everyday. I'm fortunate enough that tennis is also my career as well as my passion. I run my own tennis club in London.
It would be great to talk more with you? I'm sure we can exchange a few stories about tennis. I would love to tell you about my latest tennis project, it would certainly take you back to the 70s & 80s? My email is jay_henley@hotmail.com
It would be great to hear from you. Best wishes-Jay

[DHender499]

Originally Posted by JAY1

Hi Douglas, Great to hear from you, i'm very suprised but really pleased you read my posting. Are you still around tennis much these days?
I live, eat and sleep tennis everyday. I'm fortunate enough that tennis is also my career as well as my passion. I run my own tennis club in London.
It would be great to talk more with you? I'm sure we can exchange a few stories about tennis. I would love to tell you about my latest tennis project, it would certainly take you back to the 70s & 80s? My email is jay_henley@hotmail.com
It would be great to hear from you. Best wishes-Jay

Hi Jay,

Don't have a lot of spare times these days, but will keep in touch. Your comments on many subjects are insightful an on-point - as are many of the other comments I've read in this forum. It reminds me of when I first became smitten by tennis. So, to use a cliche, I feel you. However, golf has moved to the top rung of the ladder in terms of my passion. I love Rafa, am glad Federer won Wimbledon (after Rafa was upset) not a Djoker fan, wish that Serena had consistently taken her tennis seriously and am depressed that the USTA has ruined American tennis. I think that golf is the perfect metaphor for life life. After all, we must play the ball where it lies.

Stay well,
Doug

P.S. I've copied your email address down and will write soon. You can befriend me on Facebook to see some tennis pictures that you are sure to like.

D.H.

[suwanee4712]

Originally Posted by jaggy

I liked Pam Shrivers, I think Passing shots was the name, she was pretty candid, talked about life being mistaken for being lesbian, how annoying certain other players were and made Carling Bassett sound like a fun chick.

If you want to know what daily life on tour throughout a season is like this book gets you close. Yes she can be annoying and says things she shouldn't say but the book made me respect her. To balance a personal life, competing with friends and enemies, making sponsors happy, and dealing with the fact that more than likely you are going to lose every week at some point makes her very tough but very human.

[ClarkC]

Originally Posted by Frank Silbermann

For instruction, I would have to say _Ed Faulkner's Tennis: How to Play it, How to Teach It_

Most books only gave advice and suggestions as to how to hit the strokes; the book enumerated dozens of specific variations shown with photo sequences, and for each variation the book told whether it was tolerable -- or whether the it was something that was just plain incorrect and which the instructor would need to make the pupil change.

It is from this authority that I know that the techniques which significantly improved my game of late, which are based on what today's pros are doing, are in fact incorrect.

I take it you are being sarcastic and criticizing the book, based on the last paragraph quoted?

[Paul Murphy]

Winning Ugly is terrific for instruction and tips, as someone else mentioned.
But Gilbert also talks about his opponents and uses them as examples which makes it more interesting than a drier instructional tome.
It's a pretty good insight into what it was like to face the big boys of era, particularly Lendl and McEnroe.

Agassi's book is beautifully written.
It's a pity there aren't more that we can say that about.