Know Your "Selves" Better, 29 Sep 2008
As most people can guess by the title, the "inner game" of tennis is the game that takes place iin the mind of the player and is played against barriers such as nervousness, self-doubt, etc.

To gain clarity on the mental problems in tennis, the book looks at the concepts of "Self 1" and "Self 2". Self 1 is the name that is given to the conscious ego-mind which likes the tell Self 2, you and your potential, how to hit the ball and play the game. Or, to put it another way, Self 1 is the "teller" and Self 2 the "doer". I found this to be an interesting idea, as we have all caught ourselves talking to ourselves or have seen others talking to themselves during a game. If you ask someone who they are talking to, they will usually say "I'm talking to myself." This, of course, implies that there are 2 "selves", "I" and "myself"- and so is born the idea of Self 1 and Self 2. Pretty astutue observation in my opinion.

Now according to the book, to achieve peak performance, the key is to resolve any lack of harmony between the two selves, as it is the contrary thinking of Self 1 which causes interference with the natural abilities of Self 2. This requires the learning of several inner skills, such as the art of letting go of self-judgements, letting Self 2 do the hitting, recognizing and trusting the natural learning process, and so on- which is what much of the books spends discussing.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who plays tennis (or any other sport for that matter) as it does a great job in dealing with the fact that many of our difficulties in tennis are indeed mental in origin. Other helpful books for tennis players I've come across include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff.

Inner Game of Nothing Special, 14 Jul 2008
I have not found the reason why people rave about this book. It basically tells you to make a clear mental image of what you want to achieve and trust your body to do it - that's it!

So good. Never forget what the author tells you in this exquisite book., 14 May 2008
This is beautiful. Every chapter just makes perfect sense. Gallwey has taught me many things through this masterpiece - how far in you can get away standing to receive even fast serves, that I was a "good-o" type player and why this mentality won't get you anywhere or at least any happiness, how you shouldn't *try* to win but instead make the *effort* to win, how breathing can transform your game, how awareness is the key to playing to your potential and thoughts are your obstacles, and so much more.

The only thing I lament is that I don't remember what he says in this book everytime I step on court and instead sometimes end up reverting to my erroneous thinking! But I think I'm getting better. I'm determined to win the inner game! What one really needs is to find a way of drilling his advice into their subconscious! I can only recommend continually rereading it!

You should also bear in mind that this book is a lesson on life as well as tennis, and can make you life more peaceful. I think Gallwey says somewhere in here something along the lines of "you can practise concentration to improve your tennis, or you can practise tennis to improve your concentration..." If you buy one book to improve your tennis get this one, no matter what level you're at. It will increase your enjoyment of the game.

A book for ALL coaches not just tennis, 01 Mar 2007
I was recommended this book not to improve tennis (I don't play at all) but to improve my understanding of coaching and improve my own coaching skills.

The book is written by a tennis coach and is of course about tennis, however it is more than that. The skills and principles of the inner self and the competing elements of `I' and `myself' can be applied to all types of coaching whether that be sports, lifestyle or executive.

If you are a coach or want to become a coach this is a great book to read.

The Missing link., 17 Oct 2005
My Tennis nowhere what it should have been, Ive been good at other sports, but not ball sports what this book addreses is we all know what to do and we are all capable of doing it, but we dont/wont for some reason . Not just tennis but with anything else we do. I was trying too hard and not allowoing my subconscieous to do its work it is so capable of.

This gives practical advice on how to concentrate, and blot out your interfearing nerves, easy to follow and straight forward. My favourite at the moment is the book tells of how if you concentrate you can slow the fast balls down in your minds eye, (which is how I would imagine top players do such incredible things) by, literally creating more moments as the ball travels towards you ie instead of saying a serve goes by in 1 moments you can say the saem time is 10 moments, as I understand it this is why everything seems in slow motion in a crash, excellent book. Fills the missing link in learning Tennis.

Know Your "Selves" Better, 29 Sep 2008
As most people can guess by the title, the "inner game" of tennis is the game that takes place iin the mind of the player and is played against barriers such as nervousness, self-doubt, etc.

To gain clarity on the mental problems in tennis, the book looks at the concepts of "Self 1" and "Self 2". Self 1 is the name that is given to the conscious ego-mind which likes the tell Self 2, you and your potential, how to hit the ball and play the game. Or, to put it another way, Self 1 is the "teller" and Self 2 the "doer". I found this to be an interesting idea, as we have all caught ourselves talking to ourselves or have seen others talking to themselves during a game. If you ask someone who they are talking to, they will usually say "I'm talking to myself." This, of course, implies that there are 2 "selves", "I" and "myself"- and so is born the idea of Self 1 and Self 2. Pretty astutue observation in my opinion.

Now according to the book, to achieve peak performance, the key is to resolve any lack of harmony between the two selves, as it is the contrary thinking of Self 1 which causes interference with the natural abilities of Self 2. This requires the learning of several inner skills, such as the art of letting go of self-judgements, letting Self 2 do the hitting, recognizing and trusting the natural learning process, and so on- which is what much of the books spends discussing.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who plays tennis (or any other sport for that matter) as it does a great job in dealing with the fact that many of our difficulties in tennis are indeed mental in origin. Other helpful books for tennis players I've come across include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff.

Inner Game of Nothing Special, 14 Jul 2008
I have not found the reason why people rave about this book. It basically tells you to make a clear mental image of what you want to achieve and trust your body to do it - that's it!

So good. Never forget what the author tells you in this exquisite book., 14 May 2008
This is beautiful. Every chapter just makes perfect sense. Gallwey has taught me many things through this masterpiece - how far in you can get away standing to receive even fast serves, that I was a "good-o" type player and why this mentality won't get you anywhere or at least any happiness, how you shouldn't *try* to win but instead make the *effort* to win, how breathing can transform your game, how awareness is the key to playing to your potential and thoughts are your obstacles, and so much more.

The only thing I lament is that I don't remember what he says in this book everytime I step on court and instead sometimes end up reverting to my erroneous thinking! But I think I'm getting better. I'm determined to win the inner game! What one really needs is to find a way of drilling his advice into their subconscious! I can only recommend continually rereading it!

You should also bear in mind that this book is a lesson on life as well as tennis, and can make you life more peaceful. I think Gallwey says somewhere in here something along the lines of "you can practise concentration to improve your tennis, or you can practise tennis to improve your concentration..." If you buy one book to improve your tennis get this one, no matter what level you're at. It will increase your enjoyment of the game.

A book for ALL coaches not just tennis, 01 Mar 2007
I was recommended this book not to improve tennis (I don't play at all) but to improve my understanding of coaching and improve my own coaching skills.

The book is written by a tennis coach and is of course about tennis, however it is more than that. The skills and principles of the inner self and the competing elements of `I' and `myself' can be applied to all types of coaching whether that be sports, lifestyle or executive.

If you are a coach or want to become a coach this is a great book to read.

The Missing link., 17 Oct 2005
My Tennis nowhere what it should have been, Ive been good at other sports, but not ball sports what this book addreses is we all know what to do and we are all capable of doing it, but we dont/wont for some reason . Not just tennis but with anything else we do. I was trying too hard and not allowoing my subconscieous to do its work it is so capable of.

This gives practical advice on how to concentrate, and blot out your interfearing nerves, easy to follow and straight forward. My favourite at the moment is the book tells of how if you concentrate you can slow the fast balls down in your minds eye, (which is how I would imagine top players do such incredible things) by, literally creating more moments as the ball travels towards you ie instead of saying a serve goes by in 1 moments you can say the saem time is 10 moments, as I understand it this is why everything seems in slow motion in a crash, excellent book. Fills the missing link in learning Tennis.

Clear and concise, good resource, 14 Dec 2008
Clear and concise information. Ideal for the tennis coach, fitness professional and players to improve their fitness.
The DVD is fantastic and provides a dynamic warm up routine, resistance training exercises etc
However, I gave this book 4 stars because it is nowhere near as good as Mark Kovacs' 'Tennis Training: Enhancing On-court Performance'. If you buy only one book about tennis-specific fitness, then this the book you have to buy. See my review for the book, type in 'Kovacs Tennis' on the search option.
Avoid SAQ Conditioning for tennis (with Roddick on the front cover).

Easy to read, informative and practical, 05 Jun 2008
This is an excellent book on conditioning. It gets on with the exercises with clear instructions and visuals. The book also provides ample detail and theory for people interested to know more about the subject.

The DVD is well laid out and easy to navigate.


Every tennis player and trainer must read this book and watch the DVD, 30 Dec 2007
This book comes with a DVD. I have read the book and watched the DVD carefully several times and liked them very much. I have been playing tennis for many years somewhere between intermediate and advanced level. I thought I was doing everything necessary to keep in shape for tennis until I watched this DVD. Then I realized what I was lacking and doing wrong and revised my conditioning program accordingly. It immediately reflected favorably into my tennis performance.

The conditioning exercises are categorized in the DVD as static, dynamic, stretching, strength, endurance stamina etc. types. Exercises done without any instruments, others done with medicine balls, weights, tennis drills with tennis balls and racket etc. Of course they overlap. They are very clearly explained and demonstrated in a high quality picture and sound DVD.

I believe anybody who would perform these conditionings regularly 3 times a week in addition to playing tennis could become a top player. And top players of course regularly do them, otherwise they would not be top players.

So I highly recommend this book and its DVD to everybody interested in playing tennis.

Safe & Scientific Conditioning, 10 May 1999
Most conditioning methods recommended by even some of the leading lights in tennis have been a regurgitation of methods which was non-progressive and relied heavily on `past, successful experiences'. Afterall, he won with those exercises and practices, so I don't see why .... This book stays closely to the latest research so that the exercises thus recommended are safe, time-saving, objective and practical - the last a criteria for adaptation into actual court strategy w/o too much of a hindrance. Language is simple. Coaches worth their salt should have a serious look at it before dismissing it as another scientific hoodwink by a bunch of scientists who'd never played the real game, except after work.

Know Your "Selves" Better, 29 Sep 2008
As most people can guess by the title, the "inner game" of tennis is the game that takes place iin the mind of the player and is played against barriers such as nervousness, self-doubt, etc.

To gain clarity on the mental problems in tennis, the book looks at the concepts of "Self 1" and "Self 2". Self 1 is the name that is given to the conscious ego-mind which likes the tell Self 2, you and your potential, how to hit the ball and play the game. Or, to put it another way, Self 1 is the "teller" and Self 2 the "doer". I found this to be an interesting idea, as we have all caught ourselves talking to ourselves or have seen others talking to themselves during a game. If you ask someone who they are talking to, they will usually say "I'm talking to myself." This, of course, implies that there are 2 "selves", "I" and "myself"- and so is born the idea of Self 1 and Self 2. Pretty astutue observation in my opinion.

Now according to the book, to achieve peak performance, the key is to resolve any lack of harmony between the two selves, as it is the contrary thinking of Self 1 which causes interference with the natural abilities of Self 2. This requires the learning of several inner skills, such as the art of letting go of self-judgements, letting Self 2 do the hitting, recognizing and trusting the natural learning process, and so on- which is what much of the books spends discussing.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who plays tennis (or any other sport for that matter) as it does a great job in dealing with the fact that many of our difficulties in tennis are indeed mental in origin. Other helpful books for tennis players I've come across include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff.

Inner Game of Nothing Special, 14 Jul 2008
I have not found the reason why people rave about this book. It basically tells you to make a clear mental image of what you want to achieve and trust your body to do it - that's it!

So good. Never forget what the author tells you in this exquisite book., 14 May 2008
This is beautiful. Every chapter just makes perfect sense. Gallwey has taught me many things through this masterpiece - how far in you can get away standing to receive even fast serves, that I was a "good-o" type player and why this mentality won't get you anywhere or at least any happiness, how you shouldn't *try* to win but instead make the *effort* to win, how breathing can transform your game, how awareness is the key to playing to your potential and thoughts are your obstacles, and so much more.

The only thing I lament is that I don't remember what he says in this book everytime I step on court and instead sometimes end up reverting to my erroneous thinking! But I think I'm getting better. I'm determined to win the inner game! What one really needs is to find a way of drilling his advice into their subconscious! I can only recommend continually rereading it!

You should also bear in mind that this book is a lesson on life as well as tennis, and can make you life more peaceful. I think Gallwey says somewhere in here something along the lines of "you can practise concentration to improve your tennis, or you can practise tennis to improve your concentration..." If you buy one book to improve your tennis get this one, no matter what level you're at. It will increase your enjoyment of the game.

A book for ALL coaches not just tennis, 01 Mar 2007
I was recommended this book not to improve tennis (I don't play at all) but to improve my understanding of coaching and improve my own coaching skills.

The book is written by a tennis coach and is of course about tennis, however it is more than that. The skills and principles of the inner self and the competing elements of `I' and `myself' can be applied to all types of coaching whether that be sports, lifestyle or executive.

If you are a coach or want to become a coach this is a great book to read.

The Missing link., 17 Oct 2005
My Tennis nowhere what it should have been, Ive been good at other sports, but not ball sports what this book addreses is we all know what to do and we are all capable of doing it, but we dont/wont for some reason . Not just tennis but with anything else we do. I was trying too hard and not allowoing my subconscieous to do its work it is so capable of.

This gives practical advice on how to concentrate, and blot out your interfearing nerves, easy to follow and straight forward. My favourite at the moment is the book tells of how if you concentrate you can slow the fast balls down in your minds eye, (which is how I would imagine top players do such incredible things) by, literally creating more moments as the ball travels towards you ie instead of saying a serve goes by in 1 moments you can say the saem time is 10 moments, as I understand it this is why everything seems in slow motion in a crash, excellent book. Fills the missing link in learning Tennis.

Clear and concise, good resource, 14 Dec 2008
Clear and concise information. Ideal for the tennis coach, fitness professional and players to improve their fitness.
The DVD is fantastic and provides a dynamic warm up routine, resistance training exercises etc
However, I gave this book 4 stars because it is nowhere near as good as Mark Kovacs' 'Tennis Training: Enhancing On-court Performance'. If you buy only one book about tennis-specific fitness, then this the book you have to buy. See my review for the book, type in 'Kovacs Tennis' on the search option.
Avoid SAQ Conditioning for tennis (with Roddick on the front cover).

Easy to read, informative and practical, 05 Jun 2008
This is an excellent book on conditioning. It gets on with the exercises with clear instructions and visuals. The book also provides ample detail and theory for people interested to know more about the subject.

The DVD is well laid out and easy to navigate.


Every tennis player and trainer must read this book and watch the DVD, 30 Dec 2007
This book comes with a DVD. I have read the book and watched the DVD carefully several times and liked them very much. I have been playing tennis for many years somewhere between intermediate and advanced level. I thought I was doing everything necessary to keep in shape for tennis until I watched this DVD. Then I realized what I was lacking and doing wrong and revised my conditioning program accordingly. It immediately reflected favorably into my tennis performance.

The conditioning exercises are categorized in the DVD as static, dynamic, stretching, strength, endurance stamina etc. types. Exercises done without any instruments, others done with medicine balls, weights, tennis drills with tennis balls and racket etc. Of course they overlap. They are very clearly explained and demonstrated in a high quality picture and sound DVD.

I believe anybody who would perform these conditionings regularly 3 times a week in addition to playing tennis could become a top player. And top players of course regularly do them, otherwise they would not be top players.

So I highly recommend this book and its DVD to everybody interested in playing tennis.

Safe & Scientific Conditioning, 10 May 1999
Most conditioning methods recommended by even some of the leading lights in tennis have been a regurgitation of methods which was non-progressive and relied heavily on `past, successful experiences'. Afterall, he won with those exercises and practices, so I don't see why .... This book stays closely to the latest research so that the exercises thus recommended are safe, time-saving, objective and practical - the last a criteria for adaptation into actual court strategy w/o too much of a hindrance. Language is simple. Coaches worth their salt should have a serious look at it before dismissing it as another scientific hoodwink by a bunch of scientists who'd never played the real game, except after work.

"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.

Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.

Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.

Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.

This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!

Know Your "Selves" Better, 29 Sep 2008
As most people can guess by the title, the "inner game" of tennis is the game that takes place iin the mind of the player and is played against barriers such as nervousness, self-doubt, etc.

To gain clarity on the mental problems in tennis, the book looks at the concepts of "Self 1" and "Self 2". Self 1 is the name that is given to the conscious ego-mind which likes the tell Self 2, you and your potential, how to hit the ball and play the game. Or, to put it another way, Self 1 is the "teller" and Self 2 the "doer". I found this to be an interesting idea, as we have all caught ourselves talking to ourselves or have seen others talking to themselves during a game. If you ask someone who they are talking to, they will usually say "I'm talking to myself." This, of course, implies that there are 2 "selves", "I" and "myself"- and so is born the idea of Self 1 and Self 2. Pretty astutue observation in my opinion.

Now according to the book, to achieve peak performance, the key is to resolve any lack of harmony between the two selves, as it is the contrary thinking of Self 1 which causes interference with the natural abilities of Self 2. This requires the learning of several inner skills, such as the art of letting go of self-judgements, letting Self 2 do the hitting, recognizing and trusting the natural learning process, and so on- which is what much of the books spends discussing.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who plays tennis (or any other sport for that matter) as it does a great job in dealing with the fact that many of our difficulties in tennis are indeed mental in origin. Other helpful books for tennis players I've come across include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff.

Inner Game of Nothing Special, 14 Jul 2008
I have not found the reason why people rave about this book. It basically tells you to make a clear mental image of what you want to achieve and trust your body to do it - that's it!

So good. Never forget what the author tells you in this exquisite book., 14 May 2008
This is beautiful. Every chapter just makes perfect sense. Gallwey has taught me many things through this masterpiece - how far in you can get away standing to receive even fast serves, that I was a "good-o" type player and why this mentality won't get you anywhere or at least any happiness, how you shouldn't *try* to win but instead make the *effort* to win, how breathing can transform your game, how awareness is the key to playing to your potential and thoughts are your obstacles, and so much more.

The only thing I lament is that I don't remember what he says in this book everytime I step on court and instead sometimes end up reverting to my erroneous thinking! But I think I'm getting better. I'm determined to win the inner game! What one really needs is to find a way of drilling his advice into their subconscious! I can only recommend continually rereading it!

You should also bear in mind that this book is a lesson on life as well as tennis, and can make you life more peaceful. I think Gallwey says somewhere in here something along the lines of "you can practise concentration to improve your tennis, or you can practise tennis to improve your concentration..." If you buy one book to improve your tennis get this one, no matter what level you're at. It will increase your enjoyment of the game.

A book for ALL coaches not just tennis, 01 Mar 2007
I was recommended this book not to improve tennis (I don't play at all) but to improve my understanding of coaching and improve my own coaching skills.

The book is written by a tennis coach and is of course about tennis, however it is more than that. The skills and principles of the inner self and the competing elements of `I' and `myself' can be applied to all types of coaching whether that be sports, lifestyle or executive.

If you are a coach or want to become a coach this is a great book to read.

The Missing link., 17 Oct 2005
My Tennis nowhere what it should have been, Ive been good at other sports, but not ball sports what this book addreses is we all know what to do and we are all capable of doing it, but we dont/wont for some reason . Not just tennis but with anything else we do. I was trying too hard and not allowoing my subconscieous to do its work it is so capable of.

This gives practical advice on how to concentrate, and blot out your interfearing nerves, easy to follow and straight forward. My favourite at the moment is the book tells of how if you concentrate you can slow the fast balls down in your minds eye, (which is how I would imagine top players do such incredible things) by, literally creating more moments as the ball travels towards you ie instead of saying a serve goes by in 1 moments you can say the saem time is 10 moments, as I understand it this is why everything seems in slow motion in a crash, excellent book. Fills the missing link in learning Tennis.

Clear and concise, good resource, 14 Dec 2008
Clear and concise information. Ideal for the tennis coach, fitness professional and players to improve their fitness.
The DVD is fantastic and provides a dynamic warm up routine, resistance training exercises etc
However, I gave this book 4 stars because it is nowhere near as good as Mark Kovacs' 'Tennis Training: Enhancing On-court Performance'. If you buy only one book about tennis-specific fitness, then this the book you have to buy. See my review for the book, type in 'Kovacs Tennis' on the search option.
Avoid SAQ Conditioning for tennis (with Roddick on the front cover).

Easy to read, informative and practical, 05 Jun 2008
This is an excellent book on conditioning. It gets on with the exercises with clear instructions and visuals. The book also provides ample detail and theory for people interested to know more about the subject.

The DVD is well laid out and easy to navigate.


Every tennis player and trainer must read this book and watch the DVD, 30 Dec 2007
This book comes with a DVD. I have read the book and watched the DVD carefully several times and liked them very much. I have been playing tennis for many years somewhere between intermediate and advanced level. I thought I was doing everything necessary to keep in shape for tennis until I watched this DVD. Then I realized what I was lacking and doing wrong and revised my conditioning program accordingly. It immediately reflected favorably into my tennis performance.

The conditioning exercises are categorized in the DVD as static, dynamic, stretching, strength, endurance stamina etc. types. Exercises done without any instruments, others done with medicine balls, weights, tennis drills with tennis balls and racket etc. Of course they overlap. They are very clearly explained and demonstrated in a high quality picture and sound DVD.

I believe anybody who would perform these conditionings regularly 3 times a week in addition to playing tennis could become a top player. And top players of course regularly do them, otherwise they would not be top players.

So I highly recommend this book and its DVD to everybody interested in playing tennis.

Safe & Scientific Conditioning, 10 May 1999
Most conditioning methods recommended by even some of the leading lights in tennis have been a regurgitation of methods which was non-progressive and relied heavily on `past, successful experiences'. Afterall, he won with those exercises and practices, so I don't see why .... This book stays closely to the latest research so that the exercises thus recommended are safe, time-saving, objective and practical - the last a criteria for adaptation into actual court strategy w/o too much of a hindrance. Language is simple. Coaches worth their salt should have a serious look at it before dismissing it as another scientific hoodwink by a bunch of scientists who'd never played the real game, except after work.

"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.

Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.

Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.

Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.

This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!

A compelling read for the tennis buff., 10 Apr 2008
Good writing, interesting stories, easy to read - a chapter at a time or a
pleasant afternoon of tennis anecdotes that the tennis buff will thoroughly enjoy.
Well done.

Serious is McEnroe's enormously entertaining story of how a shock-haired kid from Queens grew up on the world stage. Who would have thought that John McEnroe would evolve from Grand Slamming superbrat into the most refreshingly candid and authoritative elder statesmen of tennis? He is still kicking over the statues, but with a hard-won wisdom to temper the explosiveness that characterised his oncourt personality.

This book, written in collaboration with James Kaplan, grew out of a New Yorker profile of McEnroe that the journalist wrote a couple of years ago, but for the most part reads like unadulterated SuperMac, unfiltered and straight from the source--who lest we forget was one of the greatest tennis players of the modern era, and a Wimbledon legend.

I don't get tired of such compliments. I feel proud of having earned them. And--I admit it--there's a part of me that's addicted to the attention. It's one reason--I'll also admit this--that I'm writing this book. It's not just to get attention, but to do some serious thinking about how much attention I need, and why I need it.

This openness is occasionally a mixed blessing--there's a touch of the Oprah's about some of his attempts at self-justification--but overall McEnroe "thinking out loud" is as hugely entertaining as you might expect. Forthright opinions on just about everything, from heyday rivalries with the likes of Borg and Conners--through his battles with the tennis establishment and the media (touching on his occasionally tempestuous private life)--to what's wrong with the game today. Ace.--Alex Hankin

Know Your "Selves" Better, 29 Sep 2008
As most people can guess by the title, the "inner game" of tennis is the game that takes place iin the mind of the player and is played against barriers such as nervousness, self-doubt, etc.

To gain clarity on the mental problems in tennis, the book looks at the concepts of "Self 1" and "Self 2". Self 1 is the name that is given to the conscious ego-mind which likes the tell Self 2, you and your potential, how to hit the ball and play the game. Or, to put it another way, Self 1 is the "teller" and Self 2 the "doer". I found this to be an interesting idea, as we have all caught ourselves talking to ourselves or have seen others talking to themselves during a game. If you ask someone who they are talking to, they will usually say "I'm talking to myself." This, of course, implies that there are 2 "selves", "I" and "myself"- and so is born the idea of Self 1 and Self 2. Pretty astutue observation in my opinion.

Now according to the book, to achieve peak performance, the key is to resolve any lack of harmony between the two selves, as it is the contrary thinking of Self 1 which causes interference with the natural abilities of Self 2. This requires the learning of several inner skills, such as the art of letting go of self-judgements, letting Self 2 do the hitting, recognizing and trusting the natural learning process, and so on- which is what much of the books spends discussing.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who plays tennis (or any other sport for that matter) as it does a great job in dealing with the fact that many of our difficulties in tennis are indeed mental in origin. Other helpful books for tennis players I've come across include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff.

Inner Game of Nothing Special, 14 Jul 2008
I have not found the reason why people rave about this book. It basically tells you to make a clear mental image of what you want to achieve and trust your body to do it - that's it!

So good. Never forget what the author tells you in this exquisite book., 14 May 2008
This is beautiful. Every chapter just makes perfect sense. Gallwey has taught me many things through this masterpiece - how far in you can get away standing to receive even fast serves, that I was a "good-o" type player and why this mentality won't get you anywhere or at least any happiness, how you shouldn't *try* to win but instead make the *effort* to win, how breathing can transform your game, how awareness is the key to playing to your potential and thoughts are your obstacles, and so much more.

The only thing I lament is that I don't remember what he says in this book everytime I step on court and instead sometimes end up reverting to my erroneous thinking! But I think I'm getting better. I'm determined to win the inner game! What one really needs is to find a way of drilling his advice into their subconscious! I can only recommend continually rereading it!

You should also bear in mind that this book is a lesson on life as well as tennis, and can make you life more peaceful. I think Gallwey says somewhere in here something along the lines of "you can practise concentration to improve your tennis, or you can practise tennis to improve your concentration..." If you buy one book to improve your tennis get this one, no matter what level you're at. It will increase your enjoyment of the game.

A book for ALL coaches not just tennis, 01 Mar 2007
I was recommended this book not to improve tennis (I don't play at all) but to improve my understanding of coaching and improve my own coaching skills.

The book is written by a tennis coach and is of course about tennis, however it is more than that. The skills and principles of the inner self and the competing elements of `I' and `myself' can be applied to all types of coaching whether that be sports, lifestyle or executive.

If you are a coach or want to become a coach this is a great book to read.

The Missing link., 17 Oct 2005
My Tennis nowhere what it should have been, Ive been good at other sports, but not ball sports what this book addreses is we all know what to do and we are all capable of doing it, but we dont/wont for some reason . Not just tennis but with anything else we do. I was trying too hard and not allowoing my subconscieous to do its work it is so capable of.

This gives practical advice on how to concentrate, and blot out your interfearing nerves, easy to follow and straight forward. My favourite at the moment is the book tells of how if you concentrate you can slow the fast balls down in your minds eye, (which is how I would imagine top players do such incredible things) by, literally creating more moments as the ball travels towards you ie instead of saying a serve goes by in 1 moments you can say the saem time is 10 moments, as I understand it this is why everything seems in slow motion in a crash, excellent book. Fills the missing link in learning Tennis.

Clear and concise, good resource, 14 Dec 2008
Clear and concise information. Ideal for the tennis coach, fitness professional and players to improve their fitness.
The DVD is fantastic and provides a dynamic warm up routine, resistance training exercises etc
However, I gave this book 4 stars because it is nowhere near as good as Mark Kovacs' 'Tennis Training: Enhancing On-court Performance'. If you buy only one book about tennis-specific fitness, then this the book you have to buy. See my review for the book, type in 'Kovacs Tennis' on the search option.
Avoid SAQ Conditioning for tennis (with Roddick on the front cover).

Easy to read, informative and practical, 05 Jun 2008
This is an excellent book on conditioning. It gets on with the exercises with clear instructions and visuals. The book also provides ample detail and theory for people interested to know more about the subject.

The DVD is well laid out and easy to navigate.


Every tennis player and trainer must read this book and watch the DVD, 30 Dec 2007
This book comes with a DVD. I have read the book and watched the DVD carefully several times and liked them very much. I have been playing tennis for many years somewhere between intermediate and advanced level. I thought I was doing everything necessary to keep in shape for tennis until I watched this DVD. Then I realized what I was lacking and doing wrong and revised my conditioning program accordingly. It immediately reflected favorably into my tennis performance.

The conditioning exercises are categorized in the DVD as static, dynamic, stretching, strength, endurance stamina etc. types. Exercises done without any instruments, others done with medicine balls, weights, tennis drills with tennis balls and racket etc. Of course they overlap. They are very clearly explained and demonstrated in a high quality picture and sound DVD.

I believe anybody who would perform these conditionings regularly 3 times a week in addition to playing tennis could become a top player. And top players of course regularly do them, otherwise they would not be top players.

So I highly recommend this book and its DVD to everybody interested in playing tennis.

Safe & Scientific Conditioning, 10 May 1999
Most conditioning methods recommended by even some of the leading lights in tennis have been a regurgitation of methods which was non-progressive and relied heavily on `past, successful experiences'. Afterall, he won with those exercises and practices, so I don't see why .... This book stays closely to the latest research so that the exercises thus recommended are safe, time-saving, objective and practical - the last a criteria for adaptation into actual court strategy w/o too much of a hindrance. Language is simple. Coaches worth their salt should have a serious look at it before dismissing it as another scientific hoodwink by a bunch of scientists who'd never played the real game, except after work.

"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.

Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.

Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.

Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.

This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!

A compelling read for the tennis buff., 10 Apr 2008
Good writing, interesting stories, easy to read - a chapter at a time or a
pleasant afternoon of tennis anecdotes that the tennis buff will thoroughly enjoy.
Well done.

From subway-rider to seniors tennis player, 03 Oct 2008
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament and 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician and art dealer.

Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, rests in self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating and wearying or impressive and inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, and ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidenced in his contentious statement that his vision and reflexes are still sharp and quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".

Many autobiographies by sportsmen are chock-full of platitudes and circumlocution for fear of offending anyone. McEnroe, an individual never shy of expressing his opinion, does not take this evasive route in Serious. He moans about spectators who are "eating cheese sandwiches, checking their watches, and chatting with their friend about the stock market", whilst he is on court "by myself, fighting to the death". His first impressions of Wimbledon in 1977 left him outraged . "All that bowing and curtsying to royalty... It felt like the class system at its worst", he growls. These protests show that McEnroe, the bad-boy of tennis, has made the transition from angry young man to angry middle-aged man.

The candour with which McEnroe expresses his feelings of self-doubt and weakness is revealing. Repeatedly, he makes reference to the fact that reaching the apex of men's tennis had not satisfied him. In an almost casual aside he speaks of "not enjoying competitive tennis that much... [of] being afraid to lose". It seems, on the basis of what McEnroe says, that it can be lonely at the top. McEnroe also displays a self-awareness that belies much of his aggressive and arrogant public image. He confesses that his late career downturn could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including: "having kids", "appreciating the good life" and "going Hollywood". However, he also has the chutzpah to acknowledge that instead of retiring, for the last half-decade of his career he "chose world-class mediocrity". Why? McEnroe gives a clear, concise and remarkably honest explanation: "I just couldn't walk away from that kind of money".

That self-effacing mentality is reinforced in his words of approval and admiration for his arch-rival Bjorn Borg. The journalist Tim Adams picks up on this in his short analysis On Being John McEnroe [2003] observing that both McEnroe and Borg seemed "immediately to see in the other qualities and philosophies that they lacked in themselves, both as players and people". Serious bears out that assertion. Occasionally, McEnroe comes across, in the superlatives that he uses to describe Borg, as an awestruck fan: "I thought he was incredible looking", "I thought that he was magical - like some kind of Viking god" and his belief that he is "the best athlete I've ever seen on a tennis court".

With his anecdotes about having dinner with Madonna and Sean Penn, meeting George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde and Van Morrison backstage at a Bob Dylan concert and his revelation that the first time he and his first wife - the actress Tatum O'Neal - made love "we were high [on drugs], and it was terrible", John McEnroe shows that he is not your average sportsman. Serious provides a vivid and colourful exploration and contextualisation of why McEnroe is so very different.


Very interesting read, 10 Aug 2008
I am too young to have watched McEnroe playing at his peak, but still I found this a very interesting and entertaining read. McEnroe writes openly and honestly about himself and it's fascinating to read about how he developed from such an angry 'wild child' into the mature and clearly intelligent man you see commentating on Wimbledon today.

I thought he achieved an appropriate balance between writing about tennis and his achievements in his career and writing about his personal life and his development as an individual. I learned some things about him I would never have known and the book furthered the respect I have for the man he is today and the interest I have in the game of tennis.

Wonderful book., 21 Jul 2008
Never was really into tennis but thought I would get this book as he seems such a funny guy on this years wimbledon. It gives an insight into the joys and downfalls of one of tennis great entertainers from his early days and a brief indicatio of his battles with other tennis greats. A must have biography.

A "Seriously" good autobiography., 15 Aug 2007
Serious is an autobiography for any tennis fan. McEnroe clearly expresses his feelings throughout the book in his journey from a young boy into number 1 in the world.

John McEnroe is a tennis legend. He has enjoyed an incredible career at all levels and owns 77 singles titles including 7 Grand Slam titles. McEnroe, even though one of the greats on the singles tour, he was also a success in doubles. He was ranked number 1 in the world for a record 257 weeks and 74 doubles titles including 8 Grand Slams.

The book gives an insight to McEnroe's feelings and mentality from his early days, up to his last (non-senior) game including his famous rivalries between Conners and Borg.

On a personal level, I thought the most interesting section of the book was his struggle to regain his number one ranking. This, I felt, showed me how much mental resilience and determination McEnroe had. I also found his marriage to Tatum O'Neal intriguing as well as his experiences and troubles with the media- which I deeply sympathized with.

As I said before, this should be read by all tennis fans. Have a good time reading!


Seriously interesting, 13 Jul 2007
An interesting insight into the great tennis player's background and mental processes. Although I am generally sympathetic towards him and regard him now as an outstanding commentator, the book is in places a bit overly defensive and self-justificatory, e.g. he still cannot seem to accept he might ever have been wrong about a linecall.

Know Your "Selves" Better, 29 Sep 2008
As most people can guess by the title, the "inner game" of tennis is the game that takes place iin the mind of the player and is played against barriers such as nervousness, self-doubt, etc.

To gain clarity on the mental problems in tennis, the book looks at the concepts of "Self 1" and "Self 2". Self 1 is the name that is given to the conscious ego-mind which likes the tell Self 2, you and your potential, how to hit the ball and play the game. Or, to put it another way, Self 1 is the "teller" and Self 2 the "doer". I found this to be an interesting idea, as we have all caught ourselves talking to ourselves or have seen others talking to themselves during a game. If you ask someone who they are talking to, they will usually say "I'm talking to myself." This, of course, implies that there are 2 "selves", "I" and "myself"- and so is born the idea of Self 1 and Self 2. Pretty astutue observation in my opinion.

Now according to the book, to achieve peak performance, the key is to resolve any lack of harmony between the two selves, as it is the contrary thinking of Self 1 which causes interference with the natural abilities of Self 2. This requires the learning of several inner skills, such as the art of letting go of self-judgements, letting Self 2 do the hitting, recognizing and trusting the natural learning process, and so on- which is what much of the books spends discussing.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who plays tennis (or any other sport for that matter) as it does a great job in dealing with the fact that many of our difficulties in tennis are indeed mental in origin. Other helpful books for tennis players I've come across include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff.

Inner Game of Nothing Special, 14 Jul 2008
I have not found the reason why people rave about this book. It basically tells you to make a clear mental image of what you want to achieve and trust your body to do it - that's it!

So good. Never forget what the author tells you in this exquisite book., 14 May 2008
This is beautiful. Every chapter just makes perfect sense. Gallwey has taught me many things through this masterpiece - how far in you can get away standing to receive even fast serves, that I was a "good-o" type player and why this mentality won't get you anywhere or at least any happiness, how you shouldn't *try* to win but instead make the *effort* to win, how breathing can transform your game, how awareness is the key to playing to your potential and thoughts are your obstacles, and so much more.

The only thing I lament is that I don't remember what he says in this book everytime I step on court and instead sometimes end up reverting to my erroneous thinking! But I think I'm getting better. I'm determined to win the inner game! What one really needs is to find a way of drilling his advice into their subconscious! I can only recommend continually rereading it!

You should also bear in mind that this book is a lesson on life as well as tennis, and can make you life more peaceful. I think Gallwey says somewhere in here something along the lines of "you can practise concentration to improve your tennis, or you can practise tennis to improve your concentration..." If you buy one book to improve your tennis get this one, no matter what level you're at. It will increase your enjoyment of the game.

A book for ALL coaches not just tennis, 01 Mar 2007
I was recommended this book not to improve tennis (I don't play at all) but to improve my understanding of coaching and improve my own coaching skills.

The book is written by a tennis coach and is of course about tennis, however it is more than that. The skills and principles of the inner self and the competing elements of `I' and `myself' can be applied to all types of coaching whether that be sports, lifestyle or executive.

If you are a coach or want to become a coach this is a great book to read.

The Missing link., 17 Oct 2005
My Tennis nowhere what it should have been, Ive been good at other sports, but not ball sports what this book addreses is we all know what to do and we are all capable of doing it, but we dont/wont for some reason . Not just tennis but with anything else we do. I was trying too hard and not allowoing my subconscieous to do its work it is so capable of.

This gives practical advice on how to concentrate, and blot out your interfearing nerves, easy to follow and straight forward. My favourite at the moment is the book tells of how if you concentrate you can slow the fast balls down in your minds eye, (which is how I would imagine top players do such incredible things) by, literally creating more moments as the ball travels towards you ie instead of saying a serve goes by in 1 moments you can say the saem time is 10 moments, as I understand it this is why everything seems in slow motion in a crash, excellent book. Fills the missing link in learning Tennis.

Clear and concise, good resource, 14 Dec 2008
Clear and concise information. Ideal for the tennis coach, fitness professional and players to improve their fitness.
The DVD is fantastic and provides a dynamic warm up routine, resistance training exercises etc
However, I gave this book 4 stars because it is nowhere near as good as Mark Kovacs' 'Tennis Training: Enhancing On-court Performance'. If you buy only one book about tennis-specific fitness, then this the book you have to buy. See my review for the book, type in 'Kovacs Tennis' on the search option.
Avoid SAQ Conditioning for tennis (with Roddick on the front cover).

Easy to read, informative and practical, 05 Jun 2008
This is an excellent book on conditioning. It gets on with the exercises with clear instructions and visuals. The book also provides ample detail and theory for people interested to know more about the subject.

The DVD is well laid out and easy to navigate.


Every tennis player and trainer must read this book and watch the DVD, 30 Dec 2007
This book comes with a DVD. I have read the book and watched the DVD carefully several times and liked them very much. I have been playing tennis for many years somewhere between intermediate and advanced level. I thought I was doing everything necessary to keep in shape for tennis until I watched this DVD. Then I realized what I was lacking and doing wrong and revised my conditioning program accordingly. It immediately reflected favorably into my tennis performance.

The conditioning exercises are categorized in the DVD as static, dynamic, stretching, strength, endurance stamina etc. types. Exercises done without any instruments, others done with medicine balls, weights, tennis drills with tennis balls and racket etc. Of course they overlap. They are very clearly explained and demonstrated in a high quality picture and sound DVD.

I believe anybody who would perform these conditionings regularly 3 times a week in addition to playing tennis could become a top player. And top players of course regularly do them, otherwise they would not be top players.

So I highly recommend this book and its DVD to everybody interested in playing tennis.

Safe & Scientific Conditioning, 10 May 1999
Most conditioning methods recommended by even some of the leading lights in tennis have been a regurgitation of methods which was non-progressive and relied heavily on `past, successful experiences'. Afterall, he won with those exercises and practices, so I don't see why .... This book stays closely to the latest research so that the exercises thus recommended are safe, time-saving, objective and practical - the last a criteria for adaptation into actual court strategy w/o too much of a hindrance. Language is simple. Coaches worth their salt should have a serious look at it before dismissing it as another scientific hoodwink by a bunch of scientists who'd never played the real game, except after work.

"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.

Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.

Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.

Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.

This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!

A compelling read for the tennis buff., 10 Apr 2008
Good writing, interesting stories, easy to read - a chapter at a time or a
pleasant afternoon of tennis anecdotes that the tennis buff will thoroughly enjoy.
Well done.

From subway-rider to seniors tennis player, 03 Oct 2008
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament and 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician and art dealer.

Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, rests in self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating and wearying or impressive and inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, and ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidenced in his contentious statement that his vision and reflexes are still sharp and quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".

Many autobiographies by sportsmen are chock-full of platitudes and circumlocution for fear of offending anyone. McEnroe, an individual never shy of expressing his opinion, does not take this evasive route in Serious. He moans about spectators who are "eating cheese sandwiches, checking their watches, and chatting with their friend about the stock market", whilst he is on court "by myself, fighting to the death". His first impressions of Wimbledon in 1977 left him outraged . "All that bowing and curtsying to royalty... It felt like the class system at its worst", he growls. These protests show that McEnroe, the bad-boy of tennis, has made the transition from angry young man to angry middle-aged man.

The candour with which McEnroe expresses his feelings of self-doubt and weakness is revealing. Repeatedly, he makes reference to the fact that reaching the apex of men's tennis had not satisfied him. In an almost casual aside he speaks of "not enjoying competitive tennis that much... [of] being afraid to lose". It seems, on the basis of what McEnroe says, that it can be lonely at the top. McEnroe also displays a self-awareness that belies much of his aggressive and arrogant public image. He confesses that his late career downturn could be ascribed to a variety of factors, including: "having kids", "appreciating the good life" and "going Hollywood". However, he also has the chutzpah to acknowledge that instead of retiring, for the last half-decade of his career he "chose world-class mediocrity". Why? McEnroe gives a clear, concise and remarkably honest explanation: "I just couldn't walk away from that kind of money".

That self-effacing mentality is reinforced in his words of approval and admiration for his arch-rival Bjorn Borg. The journalist Tim Adams picks up on this in his short analysis On Being John McEnroe [2003] observing that both McEnroe and Borg seemed "immediately to see in the other qualities and philosophies that they lacked in themselves, both as players and people". Serious bears out that assertion. Occasionally, McEnroe comes across, in the superlatives that he uses to describe Borg, as an awestruck fan: "I thought he was incredible looking", "I thought that he was magical - like some kind of Viking god" and his belief that he is "the best athlete I've ever seen on a tennis court".

With his anecdotes about having dinner with Madonna and Sean Penn, meeting George Harrison, Chrissie Hynde and Van Morrison backstage at a Bob Dylan concert and his revelation that the first time he and his first wife - the actress Tatum O'Neal - made love "we were high [on drugs], and it was terrible", John McEnroe shows that he is not your average sportsman. Serious provides a vivid and colourful exploration and contextualisation of why McEnroe is so very different.


Very interesting read, 10 Aug 2008
I am too young to have watched McEnroe playing at his peak, but still I found this a very interesting and entertaining read. McEnroe writes openly and honestly about himself and it's fascinating to read about how he developed from such an angry 'wild child' into the mature and clearly intelligent man you see commentating on Wimbledon today.

I thought he achieved an appropriate balance between writing about tennis and his achievements in his career and writing about his personal life and his development as an individual. I learned some things about him I would never have known and the book furthered the respect I have for the man he is today and the interest I have in the game of tennis.

Wonderful book., 21 Jul 2008
Never was really into tennis but thought I would get this book as he seems such a funny guy on this years wimbledon. It gives an insight into the joys and downfalls of one of tennis great entertainers from his early days and a brief indicatio of his battles with other tennis greats. A must have biography.

A "Seriously" good autobiography., 15 Aug 2007
Serious is an autobiography for any tennis fan. McEnroe clearly expresses his feelings throughout the book in his journey from a young boy into number 1 in the world.

John McEnroe is a tennis legend. He has enjoyed an incredible career at all levels and owns 77 singles titles including 7 Grand Slam titles. McEnroe, even though one of the greats on the singles tour, he was also a success in doubles. He was ranked number 1 in the world for a record 257 weeks and 74 doubles titles including 8 Grand Slams.

The book gives an insight to McEnroe's feelings and mentality from his early days, up to his last (non-senior) game including his famous rivalries between Conners and Borg.

On a personal level, I thought the most interesting section of the book was his struggle to regain his number one ranking. This, I felt, showed me how much mental resilience and determination McEnroe had. I also found his marriage to Tatum O'Neal intriguing as well as his experiences and troubles with the media- which I deeply sympathized with.

As I said before, this should be read by all tennis fans. Have a good time reading!


Seriously interesting, 13 Jul 2007
An interesting insight into the great tennis player's background and mental processes. Although I am generally sympathetic towards him and regard him now as an outstanding commentator, the book is in places a bit overly defensive and self-justificatory, e.g. he still cannot seem to accept he might ever have been wrong about a linecall.

Andy's Achievements, 18 Dec 2008
Since this book was published earlier this year Andy has achieved alot. The turning point being when he came back from 2 sets down to beat Gasquet at Wimbledon, he has also beaten Nadal, Djokovic and Federer, reached the final of the US Open and is now number 4 in the world. At 21 that is some achievement especially over the last few months. Yes I am an Andy Murray fan and am proud to be so. Lets get behind our young sports people in what ever sport and encourage them. Any achievement is a positive, lets stop being so negative. Andy is a young lad, like all of us at that age he has sometimes had to learn the hard way. Lets give him a chance and get behind him in 2009. I found his book an insight in to the world of tennis.

Unfit for purpose, 02 Jul 2008
Purpose - potential use as toilet paper.

Conclusion - unfit for purpose.

Who will rid us of this turgid, turbulent, non-achieving egotist?

Diary of a foetus-Bananas are not the only fruit, 18 Jun 2008
There has been some beastliness evident by a certain respondent to other respondents negative reviews regarding the sporting God Adam Murray. I can assure you that I have read Adams book cover to cover and indeed have followed Adam all around the world watching his wonderful table tennis tournaments so would politely ask you in advance to refrain from questioning my credentials and knowledge in this area. I swear on Margaret Thatchers life this is the truth.
Is this another example of the insipid 'celebrity' 'Hello' magazine, 'big brother' pernicious treadmill which dictates if you have been on television for more than five minutes you are, de facto, interesting enough to the non-achievers that compose the rest of society to detail your exploits in book form for all to read?
This guy is 21 years of age! Nelson Mandela was in prison for longer than that; he had his autobiography published when in his 70's after living a life worth reading about!
Here is a genuine quote from Adam Murrays book:
'To be honest, I think bananas are pathetic fruit, they don't look great for a start. They're not straight and I don't like the black bit at the bottom. I'm more a peaches and plums sort of guy....'
What the hell is that?
You have to be extremely conceited and have a very self inflated view of yourself to write an autobiography at 21 after playing a few rounds of table tennis.
Wayne Rooney has a five book deal, yes FIVE, who buys these exercises in tittle-tattle?
What an absolute waste of beautiful trees that sustain wildlife and enhance our living environment to have them cut down because a greedy pointless jumped up little berk is so self-important to believe that his life and achievements are worthy of documenting for the nation. Before I receive the standard 'he has achieved more in 21 years than you will in a lifetime' nonsense I will have you know that just this morning I delivered a litter of kittens, performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre on a passing nun who choked on a holy wafer and discovered the cure for male pattern baldness.
I shan't waste another moment on this nonsense of a book.
I saw an extract of a programme about Louis Armstrong when he came to England quite a few years ago. A young boy at the airport played his trumpet for Louis and later wrote off a letter to him thanking him for listening; Louis Armstrong wrote a nice letter back thanking him for his letter and expressing how much he had enjoyed his trumpet playing. What a very nice un-conceited man he was, a great loss to those who knew him and for the contribution he has made to the world via genuine talent and a lifetime of achievement.

I see trees of green........ red roses too
I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....warm sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin'.. how do you do
They're really sayin'......I love you.

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world






Stick to playing tennis, 10 Jun 2008
This is the sort of petty, point-scoring exercise which gives sports books a bad name. Think of Ashley Cole's dismal effort to explain his move from Arsenal to Chelsea and you will have some notion of the petulant tone which pours forth from Murray, Young Misery Guts. It's difficult to know what is worse; the lecturing manner in which he berates other British players for being "lazy" and then wriggled out of sticking to his guns when interviewed by Jonathan Ross last week; or the padding out of his "life" story at 21 with a section on the Dunblane tragedy, when he himself admits he was too young to recall what happened.
Murray should do himself and everybody else a favour, study the video of Rafael Nadal's destruction of Roger Federer at Roland Garros and realise the improvements he will have to make in his game to reach similar heights. Until then, he should spare us his sententious claptrap!

Why?, 10 Jun 2008
Why on earth has Andy Murray had his autobiography published? He is only 21, there isn't anything there to fill more than forty pages. Also,he has not achieved more in tennis than Tim Henman .Has he made four semi finals at Wimbledon? No. Has he made the semi finals of the French Open? No.Has he won 11 titles yet? No. Doing this and shooting your mouth off at his age when you have nothing of interest to say to anyone is a pointless exercise. He also has to be the most miserable tennis player I've seen in years. Do yourself a favour Andy. Concentrate on your tennis and grow up.

Know Your "Selves" Better, 29 Sep 2008
As most people can guess by the title, the "inner game" of tennis is the game that takes place iin the mind of the player and is played against barriers such as nervousness, self-doubt, etc.

To gain clarity on the mental problems in tennis, the book looks at the concepts of "Self 1" and "Self 2". Self 1 is the name that is given to the conscious ego-mind which likes the tell Self 2, you and your potential, how to hit the ball and play the game. Or, to put it another way, Self 1 is the "teller" and Self 2 the "doer". I found this to be an interesting idea, as we have all caught ourselves talking to ourselves or have seen others talking to themselves during a game. If you ask someone who they are talking to, they will usually say "I'm talking to myself." This, of course, implies that there are 2 "selves", "I" and "myself"- and so is born the idea of Self 1 and Self 2. Pretty astutue observation in my opinion.

Now according to the book, to achieve peak performance, the key is to resolve any lack of harmony between the two selves, as it is the contrary thinking of Self 1 which causes interference with the natural abilities of Self 2. This requires the learning of several inner skills, such as the art of letting go of self-judgements, letting Self 2 do the hitting, recognizing and trusting the natural learning process, and so on- which is what much of the books spends discussing.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who plays tennis (or any other sport for that matter) as it does a great job in dealing with the fact that many of our difficulties in tennis are indeed mental in origin. Other helpful books for tennis players I've come across include Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff.

Inner Game of Nothing Special, 14 Jul 2008
I have not found the reason why people rave about this book. It basically tells you to make a clear mental image of what you want to achieve and trust your body to do it - that's it!

So good. Never forget what the author tells you in this exquisite book., 14 May 2008
This is beautiful. Every chapter just makes perfect sense. Gallwey has taught me many things through this masterpiece - how far in you can get away standing to receive even fast serves, that I was a "good-o" type player and why this mentality won't get you anywhere or at least any happiness, how you shouldn't *try* to win but instead make the *effort* to win, how breathing can transform your game, how awareness is the key to playing to your potential and thoughts are your obstacles, and so much more.

The only thing I lament is that I don't remember what he says in this book everytime I step on court and instead sometimes end up reverting to my erroneous thinking! But I think I'm getting better. I'm determined to win the inner game! What one really needs is to find a way of drilling his advice into their subconscious! I can only recommend continually rereading it!

You should also bear in mind that this book is a lesson on life as well as tennis, and can make you life more peaceful. I think Gallwey says somewhere in here something along the lines of "you can practise concentration to improve your tennis, or you can practise tennis to improve your concentration..." If you buy one book to improve your tennis get this one, no matter what level you're at. It will increase your enjoyment of the game.

A book for ALL coaches not just tennis, 01 Mar 2007
I was recommended this book not to improve tennis (I don't play at all) but to improve my understanding of coaching and improve my own coaching skills.

The book is written by a tennis coach and is of course about tennis, however it is more than that. The skills and principles of the inner self and the competing elements of `I' and `myself' can be applied to all types of coaching whether that be sports, lifestyle or executive.

If you are a coach or want to become a coach this is a great book to read.

The Missing link., 17 Oct 2005
My Tennis nowhere what it should have been, Ive been good at other sports, but not ball sports what this book addreses is we all know what to do and we are all capable of doing it, but we dont/wont for some reason . Not just tennis but with anything else we do. I was trying too hard and not allowoing my subconscieous to do its work it is so capable of.

This gives practical advice on how to concentrate, and blot out your interfearing nerves, easy to follow and straight forward. My favourite at the moment is the book tells of how if you concentrate you can slow the fast balls down in your minds eye, (which is how I would imagine top players do such incredible things) by, literally creating more moments as the ball travels towards you ie instead of saying a serve goes by in 1 moments you can say the saem time is 10 moments, as I understand it this is why everything seems in slow motion in a crash, excellent book. Fills the missing link in learning Tennis.

Clear and concise, good resource, 14 Dec 2008
Clear and concise information. Ideal for the tennis coach, fitness professional and players to improve their fitness.
The DVD is fantastic and provides a dynamic warm up routine, resistance training exercises etc
However, I gave this book 4 stars because it is nowhere near as good as Mark Kovacs' 'Tennis Training: Enhancing On-court Performance'. If you buy only one book about tennis-specific fitness, then this the book you have to buy. See my review for the book, type in 'Kovacs Tennis' on the search option.
Avoid SAQ Conditioning for tennis (with Roddick on the front cover).

Easy to read, informative and practical, 05 Jun 2008
This is an excellent book on conditioning. It gets on with the exercises with clear instructions and visuals. The book also provides ample detail and theory for people interested to know more about the subject.

The DVD is well laid out and easy to navigate.


Every tennis player and trainer must read this book and watch the DVD, 30 Dec 2007
This book comes with a DVD. I have read the book and watched the DVD carefully several times and liked them very much. I have been playing tennis for many years somewhere between intermediate and advanced level. I thought I was doing everything necessary to keep in shape for tennis until I watched this DVD. Then I realized what I was lacking and doing wrong and revised my conditioning program accordingly. It immediately reflected favorably into my tennis performance.

The conditioning exercises are categorized in the DVD as static, dynamic, stretching, strength, endurance stamina etc. types. Exercises done without any instruments, others done with medicine balls, weights, tennis drills with tennis balls and racket etc. Of course they overlap. They are very clearly explained and demonstrated in a high quality picture and sound DVD.

I believe anybody who would perform these conditionings regularly 3 times a week in addition to playing tennis could become a top player. And top players of course regularly do them, otherwise they would not be top players.

So I highly recommend this book and its DVD to everybody interested in playing tennis.

Safe & Scientific Conditioning, 10 May 1999
Most conditioning methods recommended by even some of the leading lights in tennis have been a regurgitation of methods which was non-progressive and relied heavily on `past, successful experiences'. Afterall, he won with those exercises and practices, so I don't see why .... This book stays closely to the latest research so that the exercises thus recommended are safe, time-saving, objective and practical - the last a criteria for adaptation into actual court strategy w/o too much of a hindrance. Language is simple. Coaches worth their salt should have a serious look at it before dismissing it as another scientific hoodwink by a bunch of scientists who'd never played the real game, except after work.

"Fire it up one time...BAM!", 26 Sep 2007
There are many cases in which professional athletes have come back from devastating injuries and personal problems to regain their place in the spotlight. However, there are only a few of these stories that are as inspiring as the case of James Blake. A series of events in 2004 changed the life of this tennis player forever. He broke his neck in a practice session, lost his father to cancer and then became ill with zoster, a stress related disease that among many drawbacks, affects equilibrium. And then, just when things could not get worse, the love of his friends and family catapulted James back to his rightful spot in the tennis world and in life.

Generally, when I read books of this kind, I cannot help feeling that the athlete is sharing only what the public expects, holding back facts that they may consider a little embarrassing. We usually see somebody struggling, but that also has a kind of bravado to face the situation. This could not be further from the truth in this case though. I felt that James is not holding anything back and is spilling his guts trying to get us to understand every detail of his struggle. Andrew Friedman definitely helps, displaying a proficient writing style and not letting the book get boring at any point.

Besides containing a fair amount of personal aspects related to the fight against adversity and the importance of friendship, this book has some very interesting insights into the mind of a tennis player. Blake shares with us the process by which he became a professional tennis player, but also what goes through the mind of a pro during a match and at the end of the year when it is time to take stock. There are many snippets of information about players on the tour and these keep us engaged and at times help lighten up the mood.

Blake is the kind of pro that plays from the heart, and you can see that passion in his storytelling too. It is no surprise that his mentor and idol is Andre Agassi, who also displays similar traits in the court. Or that Blake is amazed by the talent of Fernando Gonzalez, who plays without a safety net and goes all out in every point, looking for impossible winners. James Blake lives like this, fighting adversity and going for the break right after his serve has been broken, and he has proven he knows how to do this. Granted, he got some help along the way.

This is a story that can be appreciated by anyone. It does not matter whether you are a tennis player or not. In this regard, the author included a glossary of tennis terms to help the novice, and allow them full enjoyment. I hope that if you read this book you will love it as much as I did, and I wish James every success in his future tournaments. So far 2007 has been a pretty good year for him!

A compelling read for the tennis buff., 10 Apr 2008
Good writing, interesting stories, easy to read - a chapter at a time or a
pleasant afternoon of tennis anecdotes that the tennis buff will thoroughly enjoy.
Well done.

From subway-rider to seniors tennis player, 03 Oct 2008
In an earnest moment of this frank autobiography John McEnroe tells us that "I'm very proud of my tennis career". The record books show that he has every right to be pleased with himself. In his professional career he won 77 singles tournament and 77 doubles - a total of 154 ("more than any other pro to play the game", as McEnroe helpfully points out). Serious is his personal attempt to convey how he went from being "a kid from Queens, a subway rider" to becoming a father of six, a key player on the seniors' tennis circuit, commentator, musician and art dealer.

Unsurprisingly, he finds that the answer, to a large extent, rests in self-belief. It is the reader's choice as to whether you find this attitude to be infuriating and wearying or impressive and inspiring. McEnroe clearly could not care less either way. He points out that to be the number one player requires "major league ego... You need ego to get there, and ego to stay there". Fortunately, McEnroe has plentiful supplies of the stuff. That is evidenced in his contentious statement that his vision and reflexes are still sharp and quick enough that, on a given day, he could "give anyone on the men's tour a run for his money for a set or two".

Many autobiographies by sportsmen are choc