Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis--Lessons from a Master by Brad Gilbert, Steve Jamison Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis--Lessons from a Master
Book Review: Non poetry in motion
Summary: 4 Stars
This book, like Gilbert's game, will not knock your socks off at first glance. The writing style is plain, and there is not much in the way of technicality or fancy shot making advice. It really is about winning ugly. Gilbert does two major things in this book. First he breaks down the game itself. Second he breaks down the mind of the player. Gilbert really shows his understanding of the critical nature of certain points in the match and what to do in certain situations. He also shows from vast experience just how psychological the game is. Gilbert doesn't focus on 'great players' so much as he focuses on players with a mentally tough approach to the game, the thing that makes them really hard to beat. There are plenty of examples he uses from Mac to Connors to Lendl, all to great effect. And gives an insider's look into some of the game's greatest minds, and what they do to win. You don't necessarily need to read this as a tennis guide either. There are a lot of things which you can apply in life. It makes for an overall entertaining read.Book Review: One of the most useful "how-to" books I've ever read
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is just amaizing: I was only half through it when I started using its recommendations and I started to win games with players who used to beat me routinely. If you feel that you need a boost in your tennis results, get this book. If you are satisfied with your results, get it anyway -- you will be surprised ... and it is a very entertaining reading too.I'm a recreational player of 3.0 - 3.5 level. My tennis lesson were always about strokes, tosses, serves, etc. This book opened for me the world of the game tactics, strategy and psychology ... and have I mentioned that it is a very entertaining reading too?
Book Review: One the best books ever written about tennis
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a book any serious tennis player cannot afford to miss. If you want to win much more often than you do now or simply want to bring your game to the next level, just read it.
Highly recommandable and entertaining.Book Review: Outstanding Book for Tennis Players
Summary: 5 Stars
This book helped me more than any other tennis book or tennis article I have ever read. It really teaches you how to win in tennis.A really must read for anyone who did not grow up playing tennis.
Book Review: Should be titled "Playing Smart"
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm not prone to exaggeration, and I don't write many reviews, but this is an excellent and unorthodox book. Do not recommend it to your opponents.
The title suggests using dirty tactics to win at all costs, while the book is actually about Gilbert becoming a world-class player despite his undistinguished strokes. Gilbert accomplished this through mental preparation. Sounds like common sense, right? Analyze your opponents and their strengths and weaknesses as well as yours, pay attention during the match about "who's doing what to whom". This book isn't about how to hit a forehand or backhand (Gilbert rightly points you to a club pro for that) but how to think about where to hit that forehand and backhand depending on what is happening in the match. It's really difficult to do it justice. I'm just an intermediate player but it has already begun to impact how I approach playing matches and what I try to do during practice rallies.
The anecdotes are very interesting, and Gilbert plainly writes about his weaknesses and failures. He compares a number of different players, and even if they're not the current crop, there's plenty to learn and absorb.
I had one revelation late in the book, in a section on psychological tricks that players use. Gilbert doesn't advocate them, and presents them instead so you're prepared if an opponent uses them. I used to idolize John MacEnroe because of his style of play, and considered his tantrums to be minor blemishes on a great career. The book explains that John MacEnroe and Jimmy Connors basically resorted to whining (my word, not Gilbert's) and completely disrupting a match when they were losing, in order to throw off the opponent, and they were accorded much more leniency than other players because of their stature. I think this casts a shadow on their legacies. Anyway, that's just a minor point.