The Racket: Winner of the William Hill Sports activities E book of the Yr Award 2024
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WINNER OF THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2024
A darkly humorous memoir concerning the unusual and engaging world {of professional} tennis.
‘As elegant and highly effective as a Federer backhand … It’s Kitchen Confidential for tennis.’ Ed Caesar
‘Effectively price a learn if you need the within monitor on life on the decrease rungs of the tennis circuit. Warts and all.’Judy Murray
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Conor Niland is aware of what it is like when Roger Federer walks into the dressing room (‘Ciao, bonjour, whats up!’), and he has had the exquisitely horrible expertise of dealing with Novak Djokovic on this planet’s largest tennis stadium – whereas affected by meals poisoning. However he by no means reached the very prime.
The Racket is the story of professional tennis’s 99%: the gamers who roam the globe in hope of climbing the rankings and squeaking into the Grand Slam tournaments. It brings us right into a world the place a number of dozen super-rich gamers – travelling with coaches and physios – share a stage with lonely touring execs whose earnings barely cowl their bills.
Portray a vivid image of the social dynamics on tour, the economics of the sport, and the shadows solid by playing and doping, The Racket is a witty and revealing underdog’s memoir and a novel look inside an interesting hidden world.
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‘An entertaining behind-the-scenes glimpse at life on the worldwide tour’ Telegraph Finest 50 Books of the Yr
‘Fascinating’ The New York Instances
‘Conor Niland might solely have managed a career-high rating of 129 – solely? that’s some achievement in itself! – however The Racket, his account of how he managed this, is up there with the perfect half-dozen books on tennis ever written.’ Geoff Dyer
‘Mixing a ardour for his chosen sport with a practical research of the traumas of the tour, The Racket provides an excellent perception from Eire’s biggest ever tennis participant.’ John Boyne
‘A superb, unvarnished take a look at a brutal sporting life.’ Michael Foley, Sunday Instances
‘Probably the greatest Irish sports activities books of the final decade’ Kieran Shannon, Irish Examiner
‘A stone-cold traditional’ Malachy Clerkin, The Irish Instances
‘Excellent’ Paul Kimmage, Sunday Impartial
‘A thoughtfully constructed memoir … loads of self-deprecating humour, poignancy and perception to make this a page-turner’ The Instances
‘Niland writes concerning the loneliness and absurdity of life on tour with an class and immediacy that makes readers really feel as if they’re alongside the battered professional attempting so onerous to succeed in a greater life for himself.’ Donald McRae, The Guardian
‘Excellent … brutally sincere, brilliantly crafted’ Irish Impartial
ASIN : B0CRD8PWLV
Writer : Sandycove (June 6, 2024)
Publication date : June 6, 2024
Language : English
File measurement : 4.5 MB
Textual content-to-Speech : Enabled
Display Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Phrase Sensible : Enabled
Print size : 305 pages
Prospects say
Prospects discover this tennis e-book pleasurable, with one noting it is a must-read for severe tennis followers. The story receives constructive suggestions, and clients respect its thought-provoking nature, with one overview highlighting its fascinating particulars and self-awareness. Prospects reward the writing, with one describing it as written with love and perception.
13 reviews for The Racket: Winner of the William Hill Sports activities E book of the Yr Award 2024
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Chris Waldorf –
Best tennis book I’ve read
This book really gives one a feel for what it’s like to be a professional tennis player outside of the top 100. Whereas Agassi gives one an idea of the lives of the top few percent of players, Mr. Niland covers the rest. Excellent writer. Good and real stories.
Amazon Customer –
Brilliant book
This is a really good book, filled with so many interesting details and insights about the struggles, myriad challenges and humbling experiences for pro tennis players outside the top 100 trying to make it. I couldn’t put it down. Excellent writing made it an easy, enjoyable read. I loved the author’s sense of humor and keen observations.
Lisa Ford –
Written with love and insight
A beautiful book. The author’s humanity shines through as he shares his vulnerability and love of his family. Like many junior and professional tennis players he had great family support although he wasn’t always on the same page with hisfather. This of course makes the book more interesting. He has a wonderful eye for the telling detail and a fair amount of self awareness – unusual in a young athlete!I wish he had been able to get all the funding and knowledge he needed earlier in his career because it seems he could have gone even further professionally than he did. 129 in the world is still incredible! But this book is redemption and what a fabulous movie it would make. It is much more nuanced than the movie Challengers if anyone has seen that.Highly recommend. Conor has a wonderful voice.
Rick Spell –
What is it Like Attempting to Be on the Pro Tour
I play tennis at national age group levels. It can be a grind. But NOTHING like this. This book covers a player and his family thru growing up in a small country, Ireland, who did not put much money in to tennis. It’s interesting to see this top player in his country at an early age play in his first tournament with European country players and learning how their support and level was MUCH higher than his. But he fought on with great family support and ends up in the USA college circuit and the great school, UCAL Berkley. Here he grows and excels to 3rd in the country which is really a great level. And now there is talk of him going pro and getting to the top 100. But first you have to build points which becomes a seven year journey with depressing trips to countries where you don’t want to be in bad conditions with minimal spectators and frankly, minimal chance of making money. But he does rise to the big events for a short while and plays one of the top 3 players of all time: Federer, Nadal or Djoker. I won’t spoil who or what happens but also of note is he had that chance before and after leading late lets a match getaway. Chokes. And he had that happen more than once but not as big. But the story ends well when he realizes his career needs to end and transforms in to a good family life. Really enjoyable if you enjoy tennis.
bob bayliss –
Getting an inside look at professional tennis!
Conor Nolan’s has done tennis a great service with his recently published book “The Racket.” It gives the reader an insider’s perspective on what a difficult journey anyone trying to make it on the professional tour must traverse. Nolan’s navigates the reader through junior, college, and the pro tennis ranks and opens up honestly about the hopes, dreams, fears, and disappointments that every aspiring player faces. I found his book insightful, informative, and thought provoking. It is a must for the serious tennis aficionado! As a retired college coach, I really appreciated Niland’s observations!
ita cadwell –
Wonderful story
This book The Racket is a great read and a wonderful story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nick M –
Tremendous Insight Into the Tennis Tour of the Unseen
Tremendous read. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just a few days. Tennis is by far my favorite hobby and Conor gives a view of the tour I’d never known before. The isolation, self motivation even with top talent is a mountain the size of Everest to climb. One assumes the tour is fancy since we all watch the majors, but the Challenger and ITF tour is an entirely different animal I never realized. By far one of the best books I’ve ever read and one that will be the most memorable. Conor, you are a man among men and I hope you give yourself the credit you deserve for the life you led on tour. Talent alone is not enough, the perseverance to go on is beyond admirable. Thank you for sharing with the world.
Lauren –
Top class
Brilliant read, very digestible and couldn’t put ut down! Would highly recommend.
MR J HARDY –
As someone who loves tennis, I couldn’t put this book down and read it in a matter of days. Conor provides a unique insight into what professional tennis is like for the majority of players on the tour. If you are interested in tennis or professional sport in general I think there are some great lessons here. The book is also funny, Conor has a great writing style and you can’t help but will him along in matches as the pages turn! I found myself trying to watch some of his matches on YouTube after reading the book and quickly realise how talented Conor was. Congrats on a great career and a brilliant book!
Armand Jarri –
Well written. A side of the game of which we’re are usually oblivious.
Michiel –
A great book, Conor takes you along on his journey in a engaging way. A real page turner!
MG00000000 –
Nighland (and not Neeland, as he regularly points out) writes passionately and elegantly about his sport and the life it gave him as a child and young adult.I read the book in rather less time than it takes to complete a 5-set match and honestly enjoyed every page.The book does nothing to dispel the opinion that tennis is a sport for rich kids – without some kind of financial support life on the lower reaches of the tour would be impossible.So why 4 stars rather than 5? It would have been nice if the author had managed to acquire some photos to illustrate his career highs and lows. We all know what Federer looks like but not the run-down clubs and cheap hotels which are home to a Futures competitor.Niland is now coaching but his pupils would do well not listen to all of his advice – one of his stated ambitions is to be the greatest ever Irish singles player, a position he currently holds. The risk of him being usurped seems limited at the moment with no Irishman in the ATP500!
Geoff Lamb –
What a great read. I love tennis, but anyone with a passing interest in tennis should love this too.It follows a career of a talented tennis player who got to 130 in the world. If he was that good in a sport like soccer he would have ended his career as a millionaire. Instead he ends up earning less than $250k over 10 years.