The Racket: On Tour with Tennis’s Golden Generation – and the other 99%

When Conor Niland was sixteen, the Irish tennis junior number one was given the chance to hit with Serena Williams at Nick Bollettieri’s famous tennis academy. Serena, also sixteen, lived next door to the academy in her own home. The woman who would crown her career with 39 major title wins, reportedly earned $13 million between the ages of 16 to 21 from sports endorsements. Conor’s fortunes weren’t as lucrative despite once playing against Novak Djokovic while suffering from food poisoning! Although he never made it into the top 10 (his highest career ranking was 129), Conor’s experiences were by no means unusual. The Racket is his fascinating deep dive into the world of pro tennis’s 99%, in other words the touring players who roam the globe building their rankings, squeaking into the Grand Slam tournaments, and maybe even beating a few top names along the way. It’s a hard life and one where earnings barely cover expenses, unlike the few dozen rich players who travel with an entourage of coaches, physios, and dieticians.  The Racket is a witty, observant memoir that paints a vivid picture of tennis, the economics of the game, and the shadows cast by gambling and doping.

Format: Kindle Edition, Hardcover & Paperback

Paperback: 272 Pages

Language: English