5 tennis players who've written books ft. Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova
A tennis player is one of the most famous professions in the world, with fans always excited to know about the journey of their favorite player. Over the years, many current and former tennis players have authored a book or an autobiography to share their journey to tennis stardom.
An athlete's autobiography is one of the most popular genres, with books written by tennis superstars like Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova, and Rafael Nadal attracting a widespread readership.
Here is a list of five tennis stars who have written books to share their journey to the top.
#1. Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi published his book Open in 2009. Through his memoir, the American tennis superstar engaged the readers with his life journey which began as a small child playing tennis. Agassi wrote about his challenging childhood because of his demanding father.
The eight-time Grand Slam champion further highlighted his struggles while playing professional tennis, shedding light on his physical and psychological struggles while competing at the top of the game.
Agassi ended his career as one of the most decorated tennis players of all time, having completed the Career Grand Slam, winning the Grand Slam eight times, and reaching the World No. 1 ranking.
#2. Rafael Nadal
The 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal published his auto-biography Rafa: My Story, which was an instant hit amongst his fans. The Spanish star is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and is the most followed men's tennis player on Instagram.
In his book Rafa: My Story, Nadal opens up about his childhood and how his career was influenced by his Uncle Toni. The Spaniard started out as a shy and reserved player and went on to dominate the tennis world. Nadal also wrote in great detail about the physical and mental toll the 2008 Wimbledon final against Roger Federer took on his body. Many tennis pundits and former players including John McEnroe have regarded that final as the 'greatest tennis match of all time'.
#3. Andy Murray
Brit star Andy Murray published his book, Seventy-Seven in November 2013. This came after he became the first British men's player to win the Wimbledon title in 77 years, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final that year.
In his book, Murray penned his two-year struggle to attain Wimbledon glory. The Brit star won the gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012 and followed it up with a Wimbledon gold a year later.
The three-time Grand Slam winner even wrote about his mother, Judy Murray's influence on his career and his battle with physical pain and injuries before winning the Wimbledon title. Andy Murray announced his retirement from tennis in 2024.
#4. Maria Sharapova
Russian ace Maria Sharapova had a roller-coaster of a career. Bursting onto the scene as a teenager winning the Wimbledon title at the age of 17, Sharapova soon became the poster girl of women's tennis, winning multiple Grand Slam titles throughout her career.
In her memoir Unstoppable: My Life So Far, published in 2017, Sharapova opened up about the challenges she faced when she was charged with doping by the ITF in 2016. The Russian was eventually banned for two years before hanging up her racquet in 2020. The five-time Grand Slam champion's book includes the in-depth story of how she started her career in Russia and soon became arguably the best women's player in the world.
#5. Brad Gilbert
Former American tennis player Brad Gilbert published his book, Winning Ugly, published in 1993, which became an instant hit among tennis fans. Gilbert, famous for coaching star players like Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Andy Murray, underlined the importance of psychology in tennis and how one could leverage it to outsmart their opponents at any stage of the game.
During his professional career, Gilbert won twenty top-level singles titles, with his biggest win coming at the Cincinnati Masters in 1989. The former World No. 4 also won a bronze medal in the singles event at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.