Tennis Collectables

Life On The Tour

The following are books that cover life on the various pro tours. All give an insight into what life is really like as a tennis professional. This section is listed in alphabetic order of title.

All books are British hardback editions without dustwrapper (D/W) unless otherwise stated. A description of the condition of each book is given using the following terms/abbreviations:
Mint - as new; VG - very good condition; Good - obviously used but complete with no major faults; Ex library - from a public or school library and may contain the occasional stamp or label but in many cases this is the only indication.

As stock is continually changing please email Tennis Collectables with a list of the item(s) you are interested in. We will then get back to you with details of postage costs. All prices include postage within the UK; overseas customers will be charged postage – it costs around $6 to send an average hardback book by Priority Airmail to the USA. We can accept payment by PayPal, Sterling cheques and Postal Orders, and International Money Orders in sterling.

ADVANTAGE RECEIVER - JACK POLLARD. Muller; 1960 1^st Edition; 255 pages. The Australian sportswriter recalls life on the tour and tells how Australia managed to dominate world tennis for so long. Sketches of the greats from Hopman to Gibson. 8 pages of b&w photos.
VG in edgeworn D/W (front endpaper removed) £15.00 (approx $25.50) SOLD OUT


BEHIND THE SCENES IN WOMEN'S PRO TENNIS - GRACE LICHTENSTEIN. Robson Books; 1975 1^st Edition; 239 pages. Fascinating insight into life on women's tour in 1973 as seen from courtside and the locker-room. Features many of the top players - Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Margaret Court, Rosie Casals and also the lesser known players. Many photos.
VG in torn and internally repaired D/W £17.50 (approx $29.75)


COURTING FAME - KAREN STABINER. Kingswood Press; 1987 1st UK Edition; 254 pages. Follows the fortunes of 3 young American girls just about to turn professional. Gives detailed account from the inside of women's tennis.
VG in VG D/W £15.00 (approx $25.50)


COURTS OF BABYLON: TALES OF GREED & GLORY IN THE HARSH NEW WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL TENNIS - PETER BODO. Scribner; 1995 1st US Edition; 480 pages. A celebration and a stinging critique of professional tennis. A highly entertaining expose of tennis with all the star names - Navratilova, Evert, Graf, Lendl, Borg, Seles, Capriati, Agassi, Becker, Connors, Edberg, Goolagong, McEnroe.
Near Mint in Near Mint D/W £25.00 (approx $42.50)


GAME, SET AND DEADLINE: A TENNIS ODYSSEY - REX BELLAMY. Kingswood Press; 1986 1st Edition; 165 pages. The renowned Times correspondent recalls many off-the-court anecdotes from his 25 years of tennis reporting from around the world.
VG in edgeworn D/W £13.50 (approx $22.95)

HARD COURTS - JOHN FEINSTEIN. Bloomsbury; 1991 1st Edition; 438 pages. A massive book covering life on the world tour in 1990 - behind the scenes with all the top pros - Agassi, Navratilova, Graf, Becker, Lendl etc.
VG in VG D/W £22.50 (approx $38.25)


INSIDE TENNIS: A SEASON ON THE PRO TOUR - P BODO & J HARRISON. Delta; 1979 1^st US Softcover Edition; 288 pages. In this extremely interesting large format book, Bodo follows the professional circuit in 1978 to Rome, Paris, Chichester, Eastbourne, London, Indianapolis and New York. Hundreds of photos.
VG (some light creasing to front cover) £20.00 (approx $34.00)  SOLD OUT

LADIES OF THE COURT - MICHAEL MEWSHAW. Crown; 1993 1^st US Edition; 327 pages. Mewshaw examines the issues affecting the women's tour - equal prize money, sexual abuse, ambitious partners and lesbianism.
VG in VG D/W £16.50 (approx $28.05)


LADIES OF THE COURT - MICHAEL MEWSHAW. Little Brown; 1993 1^st Edition; 327 pages. Mewshaw examines the issues affecting the women's tour - equal prize money, sexual abuse, ambitious partners and lesbianism. 8 pages of b&w photos.
Good in edgeworn D/W £10.00 (approx $17.00)


LADIES OF THE COURT - MICHAEL MEWSHAW. Warner Books; 1994 Paperback Edition; 327 pages. Mewshaw examines the issues affecting the women's tour - equal prize money, sexual abuse, ambitious partners and lesbianism. Has updated preface. 8 pages of b&w photos.
VG (light creasing to covers) £8.50 (approx $14.45)


REMEMBRANCE OF GAMES PAST: ON TOUR WITH THE TENNIS GRAND MASTERS - JOHN SHARNIK. MacMillan; 1986 1^st US Edition; 374 pages. A behind-the-scenes look at life on the Grand Masters Tour in the year that Rod Laver joined up again with his fellow all-time greats (Rosewall, Stolle, Sedgman, Emerson etc). Full of nostalgia about the tennis legends, there is also much advice about conditioning and play for the mature player. 8 pages of b&w photos.
VG in VG D/W £22.50 (approx $38.25)

SHORT CIRCUIT: 6 MONTHS ON THE MENS PROFESSIONAL TENNIS TOUR - MICHAEL MEWSHAW. Atheneum; 1983 1^st US Edition; 306 pages. A controversial view of life on the men’s pro circuit.
VG in VG D/W £15.00 (approx $25.50)

TENNIS CONFIDENTIAL: TODAY’S GREATEST PLAYERS, MATCHES & CONTROVERSIES – PAUL FEIN. Brasseys; 2002 1^st US Edition; 319 pages. A collection of essays and interviews with inside scoops about the game’s greatest stars past and present. Includes interviews with Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe & Jimmy Connors and revealing features about Andre Agassi, Serena & Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Anna Kournikova. Also reviews the careers of tennis legends such as Martina Navratilova, Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver.
VG in edgeworn D/W (1” tear to upper rear edge) £15.00 (approx $25.50)


TENNIS ODYSSEY. Volvo North America Corp; 1984 1st US Softcover Edition; 64 pages. A view of men's professional tennis and the showcase events, the players, the history and its traditions. Many colour photographs.
VG £20.00 (approx $34.00)


TENNIS SET - REX BELLAMY. Cassell; 1972 1st Edition; 206 pages. A tour of the international circuit in the company of the leading players.
VG in VG D/W (2 tiny tears to upper edge of jacket) £15.00 (approx $25.50)

VG in edgetorn D/W £12.50 (approx $21.25)

TOUGH DRAW: THE PATH TO TENNIS GLORY - ELIOT BERRY. Henry Holt; 1992 1st US Edition; 320 pages. Berry follows the pro circuit during 1990 & 1991 and records his impressions of the top players - Agassi, Graf, Becker, Connors, Capriati, Edberg, Navratilova etc.
VG in VG D/W INSCRIBED 'FOR LARRY WHOSE GOOD SPIRIT WAS SO NICE TO BE AROUND ELIOT BERRY' £35.00 (approx $59.50)
VG in edgeworn D/W £27.50 (approx $46.75)

VENUS ENVY: A SENSATIONAL SEASON INSIDE THE WOMENS TENNIS TOUR - JON WERTHEIM. Harper Collins; 2001 US Edition; 226 pages. Fascinating account of life on the Womens Tour in 2000 featuring Venus & Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Mary Pierce, Anna Kournikova, Jennifer Capriati. 8 pages of colour photos.
Mint in Mint D/W £22.50 (approx $38.25)
VG in VG D/W  £17.50 (approx $29.75)


VENUS ENVY: POWER GAMES, TEENAGE VIXENS, & MILLION DOLLAR EGOS ON THE WOMEN'S TENNIS TOUR - JON WERTHEIM. Perennial; 2002 1^st Softcover US Edition; 232 pages. Fascinating account of life on the Womens Tour in 2000 featuring Venus & Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Mary Pierce, Anna Kournikova, Jennifer Capriati. 8 pages of colour photos.
Good (edgewear to the covers) £7.50 (approx $12.75)