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Strokes of Genius Federer Nadal and the Greatest Match Ever Played L Jon Wertheim 9780547232805 Books

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Strokes of Genius Federer Nadal and the Greatest Match Ever Played L Jon Wertheim 9780547232805 Books

I had no idea how you could write a book about one match, but Wertheim made it work. Great read and a match I recall watching fondly in a bar on the beach in Jamaica during my honeymoon after I got sunburned. Relived it serve by serve in this book and the author did not disappoint. Great back story on both players and some very good insight into both of their upbringings. Anyone who watched that match should read this book.


Tags : Strokes of Genius: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played [L. Jon Wertheim] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. In the 2008 Wimbledon men’s final, Centre Court was a stage set worthy of Shakespearean drama. Five-time champion Roger Federer was on track to take his rightful place as the most dominant player in the history of the game. He just needed to cling to his trajectory. So in the last few moments of daylight,L. Jon Wertheim,Strokes of Genius: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played,Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,0547232802,1981-,1986-,Federer, Roger,,History,Nadal, Rafael,,SPORTS & RECREATION Tennis,Sports,Sports & Recreation,Tennis,Wimbledon Championships,non-fiction;sports stories;tennis story;roger federer;rafael nadal;swashbuckling spaniard verses swedish champion;historic tennis match;two rivals on center court;tennis nemesis;wimbledon tennis;classic tennis;championship tennis;tennis biographies;sports;coaching;team sports;realism;realistic;engaging;lively;uplifting stories;relatable characters;satisfying endings;easy to read;book club reads;discussion books

Strokes of Genius Federer Nadal and the Greatest Match Ever Played L Jon Wertheim 9780547232805 Books Reviews

Well done! Reading this book is just as exciting as watching the game. The author does a fantastic job weaving in several story lines into this legendary game so that when you reach the climax you feel just as exhilarated and as fatigued as these two legendary tennis stars. An awesome read!
I am a passionate, albeit mediocre, recreational level tennis player. Self-taught in the sport, I lack any discernible style or classic strokes, but I have a strong appreciation for good tennis. So, as I watched the 2008 Wimbledon Men's Finals with awe, I knew instantly that I was seeing history in the making. That preliminary verdict has been affirmed and verified in a wonderful new book about the event written by acclaimed Sports Illustrated writer, L. Jon Wertheim.

Werthein does a wonderful job of taking the reader through the unfolding events that occurred a year ago at Wimbledon. He adds spice and texture by weaving in back stories from the early lives and tennis careers of Federer and Nadal - the latest personal embodiments of the ages-old Athens vs. Sparta rivalry. On the surface, the grace vs. brute force analysis is a tempting one to endorse, but the styles of these two great players are not so easily distilled and deconstructed.

Here is how Wertheim sets the stage in contrasting their divergent styles and personas

"Beyond the records, their rivalry was heightened by clashing styles. One could spend hours playing the compare-and-contrast game. Federer versus Nadal embodies righty versus lefty. Classic technique versus ultramodern. Feline light versus taurine heavy. Middle European restraint versus Iberian bravado and passion. Dignified power versus an unapologetic, whoomphing brutality. Zeus versus Hercules. Relentless genius versus unbending will. Polish versus grit. Metrosexuality versus hypermuscular hypermasculinity. A multitongued citizen of the world versus an unabashedly provincial homebody. A private-jet flier versus a steerage passenger. A Mercedes driver versus a Kia driver." (Page 4)

This is a book that will delight even the most casual of tennis fans and everyone who has an appreciation for superlative levels of human achievement.

Enjoy!

Al
Wertheim somehow seemlessly weaves in the details of the match with a huge amount of information on the participants.
Have read this twice now and it was still rewarding upon revisiting.
I love reading about Nadal and Federer, who are the two greatest tennis players of all time. The book talks about how they learned the game, how they practice, how they think, and who influenced them. Plus MUCH MORE! It talks about the game of tennis and fills the reader in on what goes on at Wimbledon. It is just so interesting, I was actually sorry when I came to the last page. You will also discover Rafa Nadal's Uncle Tony and love him for how he thinks and what he instilled in Nadal. Totally unique and admirable characters and beyond interesting.
Rating
4 1/2 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review
Mention the word "Wimbledon" and even non-tennis fans immediately know that you are talking about one of the most prestigious sporting events of the year. So when the finals pit the top two players at the time playing in a match that some consider the greatest tennis match ever played, it will take on a life of its own. L. Jon Wertheim writes about the match and that life it takes in "Strokes of Genius", a riveting account of the 2008 Wimbledon finals between top ranked Roger Federer and second ranked Rafael Nadal.

Just a recap of the play on the court would make a terrific book. It was as even as a match could be, no matter which advanced tennis statistic one wants to use when evaluating the epic battle. While Wertheim's recap was not a shot-by-shot account, there is plenty of description of the action on the court. He writes it in such a detailed and descriptive manner that just like when I was watching the match on TV in 2008, I was getting goose bumps reading about it even though I knew what the outcome would be. I had to take a breath and exhale after reading the passage describing Federer's backhand shot to avoid losing in the fourth set tie-breaker. That describes how good both the match and the writing about the match were.

Wertheim mixes in plenty of information and stories on the two tennis legends as well. These stories are well researched and the knowledge he has gained as a writer of tennis at Sports Illustrated is evident. Topics such as the players trying out new rackets, how they handle media requests and their middle-to-upper class upbringing are described in equal parts humor, detail and precision, with a dash of melancholy when appropriate. Some other nuances about the game in general are also included. One of the better passages on tennis came early in the book when he writes that only in tennis do the opponents warm up with each other. Nadal and Federer warmed up for this match by hitting balls to each other. Can you imagine Mariano Rivera throwing batting practice to David Ortiz? Or Tony Romo throwing warm-up passes to Victor Cruz?

These stories are mixed into the play by play of the match at various points and this is the only downfall of the book. At times, these seemed to hamper the flow of reading the book. The best analogy to describe them is that they felt like excellent commercials you enjoy during breaks in the telecast of the match. I liked reading them, but would have preferred that they come at the beginning or end of chapters, not in the middle after reading about a fantastic Nadal serve or Federer return.

Overall, this is an excellent book that any sports fan will enjoy. This was a match that does become one of those "Where were you when" questions. Reading it will help one relive those great memories.

Did I skim?
No

Pace of the book
Good, despite the switching back and forth between topics.

Positives
Many, but the best is the rich prose and style of writing. Wertheim paints a picture on each topic, from the game itself to Nadal's lifestyle (relatively simple for a sports superstar). This was the first book I read by him, although I have read many of his articles in Sports Illustrated and he is an excellent author.

Negatives
Only the placement of stories and information on the players and the game. That was covered in the review. Otherwise, there were no negatives in this book.

Do I recommend?
Yes, especially for tennis fans. I do think, however, that just like the match, this book would attract non-tennis fans for the excellent storytelling and recap of a historic event.
I had no idea how you could write a book about one match, but Wertheim made it work. Great read and a match I recall watching fondly in a bar on the beach in Jamaica during my honeymoon after I got sunburned. Relived it serve by serve in this book and the author did not disappoint. Great back story on both players and some very good insight into both of their upbringings. Anyone who watched that match should read this book.