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

While I have enjoyed reading many books in the past, the book I am currently reading, Winning Ugly, has been especially enjoyable for me. It has been good not only because of the fact that it is on the subject of improvement on my favorite sport, tennis, but also because it has many lessons that apply to life off the court. It is very amusing because of the examples he uses, that often have John McEnroe at the butt of a joke. The author of Winning Ugly, Brad Gilbert, has a great writing style. I think part of the reason that I enjoy this book so much is because of how he makes points by explaining how he has actually used what he talks about against players like Jimmy Conners, Boris Becker, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, and Andre Agassi. It's not a book about the basics of tennis, or how to hit the ball and such, it's a book about the mental aspect of the game, or as he describes it, playing smart. One of the first points he makes is how important it is to stay focused. He talks about how throughout his whole professional career he was playing and beating many players, who, on paper, should have won. The main reason he was able to beat so many players who had a "better game" (i.e. more powerful, cleaner shots) was because of simply making observations, and changing his plans accordingly. A great example of this would be many of his matches against Becker. He realized that in a contest of who could hit the ball harder Becker would win, hands down. So he changed his strategy, instead of hitting the ball as hard as he could, like most players would, he went for shots that didn't generate much power, making Becker hit a shot he isn't comfortable with, and giving him an edge. This book doesn't just help my game, or prove that Brad Gilbert is a great coach and player; he doesn't need to write a book to prove that. He's been number five internationally for long periods at a time, and coached both Andre Agassi and Andy Rodick. What the book proves is that there is a connection between the mind and body that can help improve performance in sports, and elsewhere. It also exposes many important aspects of planning and being able to change plans, without loosing focus and getting distracted by the fact that things may not go your way. I still haven't finished the whole book, but I can honestly say that I get excited every time I read it. That's why this book is, even though I still have more to read, among my top favorite books.

Brad teaches you how to prepare for matches, think properly during a match, and how to take advantage of certain situations other players might miss. I bought this book and couldn't put it down the moment I started reading and finished it in one sitting. After reading this book I realized that when I was on the court I wasn't using my game to the best of my ability.Did my tennis improve after reading it? Well in tournaments before I got the book I had one win and four losses. After reading it, I won 2 doubles tournaments, 3 singles tournaments and had a total record of 32-4. So did it improve? You bet! This book helped my game more than any lesson could ever help!

Brad's book is very helpful if you're a player or a coach. I share bits and pieces of his strategy with my high school team and their mental approach to the game has improved tremendously. Brad touches on every aspect of the game and gives you reasons why you should do certain things. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

It's a part of the game I never knew existed when I played competitive tennis. I read it several years ago when it came out, and it's stuck in my mind.Any great player can win at the top of his game. It takes a champion to be able to win ugly. It's Emmanuel Lasker's style of chess ... fight by making the opponent play the game he's least comfortable with instead of insisting on winning with your game when it's not at its peak.

Winning at a tournament and league level is dictated by mental and physical conditioning, not shotmaking. This book tackles the mental aspect, giving tips on how to think about each point with winning (not shotmaking) in mind. It helps you deconstruct your opponents' game, as well as your own, so that you just plain win. Plus, having read this book and using it will give you a mental confidence.I keep it in my tennis bag, not to read during changeovers, but to remind me that I'm there to win. It's that simple. Another reviewer noted that INNER TENNIS is the theoretic, while WINNING UGLY is the downright practical.Or instead you can just go buy yet another book that shows you a different way to hit your forehand volley. It's your pick. Gilbert's a winner, and the book is engaging reading as well.