Hardcourt Confidential: Tales from Thirty Years in the Pro Tennis Trenches »

Patrick McEnroe is a former Grand Slam doubles champion and singles semifinalist. He is currently the United States Davis Cup captain, a tennis commentator for ESPN, and head of the United States Tennis Association's player development program. McEnroe lives with his family in New York City.

Peter Bodo has been a senior writer/editor at Tennis magazine for almost thirty years. He's written or cowritten numerous books, including Pete Sampras's New York Times bestseller, A Champion's Mind. Bodo lives with his family in New York City and upstate New York.

An entertaining and unfiltered look at professional tennis as only Patrick McEnroe can offer.

Patrick McEnroe has been in the world of professional tennis in one way or another for most of his life. As a player, coach, and ESPN commentator, he's seen it all. The significant tennis books of recent years have all been autobiographies-famous players burnishing their image or attempting to set the record straight within carefully controlled memoirs. No one has been willing to do a book that pulls back the curtain and presents an honest, no-holds-barred look into the ultimate gentleman's sport and the larger-than-life personalities that inhabit it. Patrick McEnroe does just that.
Curious to know which marquee player threw a tantrum and bailed early on a tournament? Why Roger Federer, presumably the greatest player of all time, has a losing head-to-head record with Rafael Nadal? Why certain tennis prodigies burned out early? The real role of coaches like Nick Bollettieri? Which player is as much of a diva off the court as on? The greatest match ever played? In Hardcourt Confidential, McEnroe uses his twenty-five-plus years in the trenches of the game to tell true tales and wild stories about the players you think you know (from Sampras to Agassi to Roddick to the Williams sisters), how and why the game has changed since he first swung a racket, and what the future holds in store for American tennis. McEnroe takes an unapologetic look at the men, women, and events of the past three decades, right up to the epic Federer vs. Nadal rivalry that dominates the game today. He's got a lot to say and he's not afraid to say it.

Kirkus Reviews

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 expose, Juiced, 2005). McEnroe's memoir, however, falls short of achieving the same headline-grabbing status because its author is neither a superstar-the 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 temper-nor in possession of a bombshell revelation-the 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 players-though 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 fans-best for tennis junkies older than 30. Select events in New York area. Tie-in with author's tournament and broadcast schedule