ABOUT THE BOOK

In an unparalleled Golden Era, the tennis gods blessed our sport with the four greatest champions in its 150-year history—Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Serena Williams. Now in GAME CHANGERS: How the Greatest Players, Matches, and Controversies Transformed Tennis, Paul Fein treats readers to in-depth features about these legends, their rivalries, and their legacies.

This wide-ranging compendium also includes poignant portraits of New-Gen stars such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff.

Fein, an award-winning journalist, shares these and other riveting stories with the expertise and passion that infused his highly popular Tennis Confidential books, which ranked No. 1 among tennis books on Amazon. 

The chapter titled The Sport We Love will especially appeal to recreational players and tournament competitors. It features essays titled “A Game of Emotion,” “What Motivates Tennis Players,” “46 Great Things About Tennis,” and “Tennis: A Game of Beauty.”

In probing interviews, charismatic champions Andre Agassi and Monica Seles reveal how they evolved as they overcame career-threatening adversity. A comprehensive interview with eminent historian Richard Hillway—titled “The Origin of Tennis: History, Mystery, and Myth”—about our sport’s visionary founders and 19th-century leaders is essential reading for everyone interested in this seminal period.

Both casual and serious tennis fans will enjoy deeply researched essays analyzing the many controversies that embroil and enliven the sport. Fein presents thought-provoking arguments about the GOAT debate, the legalization of coaching, the Wimbledon ban on Russian and Belarusian players, flawed ranking systems and seeding methods, the merits of the service let, and the importance of an Olympic gold medal in tennis.

How does tennis stack up in terms of athleticism among the world’s leading sports? A multi-faceted essay titled “Who Are the Greatest Athletes of All Time?” will challenge, confirm, or perhaps change your opinions. 

Other engrossing pieces include Gauff’s dream debut, the Isner-Mahut epic and its ramifications, a famous foot fault that caused a tempest, the teen who shocked the sports world, and the greatest “what ifs” in tennis history.  

Whether you are a new tennis fan or a longtime aficionado, you’ll relish the Momentous Matches. Here, you’ll learn about, or relive, the most storied duels in tennis history at the prestigious Grand Slam events—Wimbledon and the U.S., French, and Australian Opens. 

All the pieces in GAME CHANGERS are spiced up by amusing anecdotes, juicy quotes, and fascinating facts. Do you know what Queen Elizabeth II suggested, while at a Wimbledon luncheon, that Roger Federer do? Or who said, “I feel 10 times more stress watching her match than when I’m actually playing mine!” about his pro tour girlfriend? You’ll find the answers in the “Fascinating Facts” sidebars sprinkled throughout the book. 

What’s so funny about tennis? You’re guaranteed to laugh at the quick quips, double entendre, wisecracks, zingers, bon mots, and other hilarious humor found in The Light Side. 

Paul Fein has written for over 100 tennis, sports, and general interest magazines in 30 countries and received more than 40 writing awards. In 1991, Tennis Week honored Fein as “International Writer of the Year.” 

Fein’s diverse tennis background includes being a top-10 ranked New England men’s open and top-5 national senior player, Springfield (Mass.) Satellite Tournament founder and director, cable TV commentator, U.S. Tennis Writers’ Association vice president, NELTA tournament consultant, tennis club and council president, NEPTA ranking committee Co-Chairperson, and USPTA (Elite) teaching pro. 

His instruction book, The Fein Points of Tennis: Technique and Tactics to Unleash Your Talent—also published by Coaches Choice—was named a Silver Winner in the Adventure, Sports, and Recreation category in the Foreword Reviews 2021 INDIES Book of the Year competition. 

Stan Smith—a former Wimbledon and U.S. champion, Davis Cup star, and world No. 1—wrote the Foreword. Smith was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987 and served as its President from 2011 to 2022. 

Imprint: Coaches Choice
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Price: $34.95 
Pages: 431 
ISBN: 9781606796214 
Website — PaulFein-GameChangers.com