Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis--Lessons from a Master

This book is good book for those of you are tournament players but not at the top level. At the beginning it may seem like it is over your head but if you continue through the book, Gilbert begins to talk more to the not as serious players. He gives great tips on how to play before, After and how to win after the match is over. It is a great book for anyone wanting the extra mental edge. It is even better for the internationally ranked players.

I'm not prone to exaggeration, and I don't write many reviews, but this is an excellent and unorthodox book. Do not recommend it to your opponents.

The title suggests using dirty tactics to win at all costs, while the book is actually about Gilbert becoming a world-class player despite his undistinguished strokes. Gilbert accomplished this through mental preparation. Sounds like common sense, right? Analyze your opponents and their strengths and weaknesses as well as yours, pay attention during the match about "who's doing what to whom". This book isn't about how to hit a forehand or backhand (Gilbert rightly points you to a club pro for that) but how to think about where to hit that forehand and backhand depending on what is happening in the match. It's really difficult to do it justice. I'm just an intermediate player but it has already begun to impact how I approach playing matches and what I try to do during practice rallies.

The anecdotes are very interesting, and Gilbert plainly writes about his weaknesses and failures. He compares a number of different players, and even if they're not the current crop, there's plenty to learn and absorb.

I had one revelation late in the book, in a section on psychological tricks that players use. Gilbert doesn't advocate them, and presents them instead so you're prepared if an opponent uses them. I used to idolize John MacEnroe because of his style of play, and considered his tantrums to be minor blemishes on a great career. The book explains that John MacEnroe and Jimmy Connors basically resorted to whining (my word, not Gilbert's) and completely disrupting a match when they were losing, in order to throw off the opponent, and they were accorded much more leniency than other players because of their stature. I think this casts a shadow on their legacies. Anyway, that's just a minor point.

This is trully a great book! The author opens so many hidden stones of the game you would never thought about, and it is fun to read. I really love it! Brad, thank you very much for your excellent job. I wish you were my coach earlier or coaching my son now.

Take a walk inside the mind of the tennis player. Find out what should be going on inside the successful player's mind during a match.

It is worth reading although it could have been much briefer. Overall it is really fun to read.