Hardcourt Confidential: Tales from Twenty Years in the Pro Tennis Trenches
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

Patrick McEnroe was never the tennis stud his brother, John, was, but he has made a nice career out of the game. As a player, he was a Grand Slam doubles champ, advanced to the singles semis in another Grand Slam, and is currently the U.S. Davis cup captain. He's also ESPN's lead tennis analyst. But can he write? Yes, he can. His inspiration sprang from his storytelling ability over dinner and drinks; people kept urging him to gather his tennis stories and put them in a book. The result is a mischievously entertaining and wholly informative, anecdote-heavy look at the relatively insular world of professional tennis. The PG-rated anecdotes are never malicious and usually chuckle-worthy; the analysis of the game and its global growth owes its acuity to McEnroe's unique vantage point as a former athlete, current administrator, and professional observer. Serious tennis fans will find information and perspective here that will add depth to their knowledge of the sport; casual observers will delight in McEnroe's wry wit and sense of the absurd.--Lukowsky, Wes Copyright 2010 Booklist

With the assistance of Tennis magazine veteran Bodo, former pro, current Davis Cup captain and tennis lifer McEnroe dishes on his more famous brother, current and former stars, and life on and off the court.Sports tell-alls are most successful when they court controversy, whether penned by a charismatic legend (see Andre Agassi's brutally honest Open, 2009) or a washed-up has-been with the juiciest dirt (see Jose Canseco's steroid expos, Juiced, 2005). McEnroe's memoir, however, falls short of achieving the same headline-grabbing status because its author is neither a superstarthe journeyman player experienced limited success as a singles player; he fared far better in doubles, but those accomplishments were overshadowed by his brother John's breathtaking skill and legendary tempernor in possession of a bombshell revelationthe closest he comes is calling out superstars Serena Williams and Agassi for selfish behavior and excoriating domineering parents of young tennis prodigies. However, though the author lacks his brother's explosive magnetism, he exudes sufficient Everyman charm and provides enough in-the-trenches tales, both from his long playing career and as Davis Cup captain. In that role, he has experienced a mix of extraordinary success and crushing defeat, leading stars like Andy Roddick (whom McEnroe praises effusively), the "mercurial" James Blake and the patriotic doubles tandem of Bob and Mike Bryan. The book excels when the author details the conflicts of interest that arise between his broadcasting duties and role with the United States Tennis Association and dishes amusing, if largely innocuous, gossip on his contemporaries and current playersthough his repeated critiques of the women's game may come off as misogynistic if taken out of context. When he delves too deeply into technical tennis talk, less-dedicated readers may head for the exits.Not for casual fansbest for tennis junkies older than 30. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Patrick McEnroe was never the tennis stud his brother, John, was, but he has made a nice career out of the game. As a player, he was a Grand Slam doubles champ, advanced to the singles semis in another Grand Slam, and is currently the U.S. Davis cup captain. He's also ESPN's lead tennis analyst. But can he write? Yes, he can. His inspiration sprang from his storytelling ability over dinner and drinks; people kept urging him to gather his tennis stories and put them in a book. The result is a mischievously entertaining and wholly informative, anecdote-heavy look at the relatively insular world of professional tennis. The PG-rated anecdotes are never malicious and usually chuckle-worthy; the analysis of the game and its global growth owes its acuity to McEnroe's unique vantage point as a former athlete, current administrator, and professional observer. Serious tennis fans will find information and perspective here that will add depth to their knowledge of the sport; casual observers will delight in McEnroe's wry wit and sense of the absurd. Copyright 2010 Booklist Reviews.