Finding the right book on tennis isn’t always easy. For instance, do you need guidance on playing the sport, or are you looking for an autobiography of one of your favorite players? What about a book on tennis coaches and their teaching methods?
When choosing a tennis book, focus on quality, reader ratings, and who wrote it. From autobiographies to coach-written tennis books, we’ve got plenty of amazing reads throughout this article: so stay tuned.
Which book will be most interesting to you? Let’s dive into this list!
Table of Content
- Our Top Picks
- Best Tennis Books for Improvement
- Highly-Rated Autobiography Tennis Books
- Tennis Books For Technique And Strategy
- Most Inspiring Tennis Books
- Tennis Books By Coaches
- Recently Released Tennis Books
Why Read These Books?
Tennis is one of the greatest sports ever, so finding an equally interesting book surrounding the topic can’t hurt. We have carefully curated these books for you, all with a tennis player/enthusiast in mind.
There’s something for everyone, from self-help and practice books to personal accounts from players and coaches.
Our Top Picks
The Inner Game of Tennis
All In: An Autobiography
Open: An Autobiography
Best Tennis Books For Improvement
The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey
This is not only one of the best-selling tennis books in the world but also dives deeper into the mental aspect of playing tennis. The Inner Game of Tennis focuses on helping you through those on-court difficulties and retraining the brain to maximize your scoring potential. Many readers consider this book groundbreaking, so it’s worth checking out.
Essential Tennis by Ian Westermann
Another must-read tennis book for improving your game is Essential Tennis by Ian Westermann. Written by the founder of the world’s #1 online tennis instruction portal, Ian Westermann dives into on and off-court rituals, practicing methods, and ways to get better at tennis. This book also promises to benefit both coaches and players, so it’s versatile in its subject matter.
Master Your Tennis Game: 50 Mental Strategies and Tactics by Ken DeHart
The next improvement book we recommend to tennis players is Master Your Tennis Game: 50 Mental Strategies and Tactics by Ken DeHart. In this book, Ken writes about the 50 mental ways you can improve your tennis playing, from choosing your mood music to analyzing your opponent’s play style. This is an easy-to-follow book rated well by readers who have purchased it.
Highly-Rated Autobiography Tennis Books
A Champion’s Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis by Pete Sampras, Peter Bodo
One of the more talked about tennis autobiographies is A Champions Mind, authored by tennis player Pete Sampras and writer Peter Bodo. In this autobiography, you can expect to get a deeper, emotional account of Sampras’ career, including the death of a longtime coach and confidant—and the struggles he gutted his way. Pete was at the peak of his career but had many troubles behind the scenes: all things covered in this book.
Rafa by Rafael Nadal, John Carlin
The next autobiography worth checking out is the story of Rafael Nadal, written by him alongside John Carlin. This book broke barriers when released, shining a light on Nadal’s secrets of success and insight into his family history and passion for tennis. Rafa takes us through Nadal winning the Wimbledon 2008 final and into troubles with his physical health and family dynamics.
All In: An Autobiography by Billie Jean King, Johnette Howard, and Maryanne Vollers
One of the highest-rated tennis autobiographies we want to share is All In An Autobiography, which details the iconic career of tennis star Billie Jean King. The book offers a “spirited” account of King’s tennis legacy, starting from the very beginning and leading up to the future of the game. Billie Jean King is incredibly vulnerable in this autobiography, detailing her eating disorder, mental health struggles, politics, sexuality, and more: it’s one of the most vulnerable books on this list.
Insterested in knowing more female tennis players? Check out our article about 10 Best Female Tennis Players of All Time.
Tennis Books For Technique And Strategy
On Court Tennis Quick-Fix Book: Strategy, Technique, Mental Game by Grant Grinnell
One great book on tennis technique and strategy comes from author Grant Grinnell and is filled with 16 chapters, 200+ subheadings, and over 1000+ quick-fix tips for mastering the game. This book is an easy-to-follow “how-to” guide to tennis and should benefit beginner-professional players. The book has been designed to save you time learning and mastering tennis: so it might even be helpful before a game.
How to Play Tennis by Margie Gallagher
Another great tennis book on technique and strategy is this beginner’s guide by Margie Gallagher. For newer tennis players, reading this book lays a strong foundation for your sport. Whether you need help hitting the ball, holding a racket, learning tennis vocabulary, or even tips for singles and doubles: this guide is perfect for reading.
Complete Conditioning for Tennis by Paul Roetert, Todd S. Ellenbecker
This next book on tennis is perfect for players wanting to “up” their game. Written by tennis players, Complete Conditioning for Tennis covers everything from improving footwork, enhancing stamina, and mental focus, to preventing common injuries. If you want to improve at the sport, this ultimate guide is the one for you.
Most Inspiring Tennis Books
Serena Williams: The Inspiring Story of One of Tennis’ Greatest Legends by Clayton Geoffreys
If you want to read something inspiring, this book on Serena Williams will impress you. In this biography, the author covers Serena’s childhood, professional career, personal life, rivals, and the legacy behind her. What makes this book inspiring is its attention to details regarding race, gender, and what it truly meant to the world to see a player like Williams succeed.
Roger Federer: The Inspirational Story of Tennis Superstar Roger Federer by Bill Redban, Michael Pauley
Another great, inspiring read on tennis surrounds the icon, Roger Federer. In this biography, the authors cover Federer’s career and personal story, ranging from youth and family life to his legacy, charity work, and the future of his game. This is a must-read for fans of Roger, as well as those wanting a deeper look into his life.
Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi, Erik Davies
Open: An Autobiography is one of the best-selling tennis books and covers the remarkable life of Andre Agassi. In this book, you can learn more about Agassi’s upbringing and tumultuous relationship with his father. Another standout topic in this book is Andre Agassi’s marriage to Brooke Shields and his dive into philanthropy: all told from the star in a raw, unfiltered manner.
Tennis Books By Coaches
Every Moment Matters: How the World’s Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams by John O’Sullivan
A great read on tennis coaching, written by a coaching expert, is Every Moment Matters. In this book, you’ll learn about some of the sports’ best coaches, their techniques, and what makes them create superstar tennis players. What gives this book an edge is how the author compiled hundreds of interviews with top coaches, sports scientists, psychologists, and athletes: combining them into this “blueprint” of the sport.
USTA Mental Skills and Drills Handbook by Larry Lauer, Daniel Gould, Paul Lubbers, Mark Kovacs
Another good tennis book on coaching by coaches is USTA Mental Skills and Drills Handbook. This book is authored by the USTA, offering coaches, parents, and players of all levels the opportunity to learn more about the ins and outs of the sport, as well as self-regulation, goal setting, motivation, stress management, concentration, imagery, confidence, sportsmanship, and character building.
Building a Champion: The Fundamentals of Playing & Coaching Tennis by Dan McCain
The next tennis book on coaching is by Dan McCain and is a great how-to type of read for those coaching and playing tennis. Dan McCain is a highly-respected tennis coach, offering tips and tricks to create a superstar on the court. This book is essentially his “lifetime of knowledge,” so it’s comprehensive.
Recently Released Tennis Books Worth Reading
Naomi Osaka: Her Journey to Finding Her Power and Her Voice by Ben Rothenberg
This new release is currently one of the best-selling tennis books on Amazon and covers the life and career of Naomi Osaka. This book is a deeply-reported, revealing biography of the tennis stars’ life on and off the court and will undoubtedly be a great read for fans.
Racquets & Dreams: The Amazing Journeys of Tennis Champions by Omid Zad
The next new tennis book release comes from author Omid Zad and explores tennis’s biggest icons’ “hard work, devotion, and fighting spirit.” This book offers complete coverage of the sport’s most famous players, from tennis stars Rod Laver and Billie Jean King to the unmatchable Martina Navratilova and Jimmy Connors.
One Slam Wonders?: Career Stories of The Greatest One-Time Major Champions by Rachit Agarwal
This new tennis book release by Rachit Agarwal is fascinating, covering players who only won a single major championship game. In this independently-published book, you can expect to learn more about the intricate nature of tennis and the sometimes heartbreaking defeat players experience.
What’s Next
In this article, we covered some of the best books on tennis, from inspirational stories to autobiographies and even coaching/technique releases. Our top three books include All In: An Autobiography, Open: An Autobiography, and The Inner Game of Tennis.
Although very different, each of these books tells a different side to the game of tennis and tackles some of the physical and mental barriers it presents. Which one is your favorite?
