Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis--Lessons from a Master Paperback – May 31, 1994

Brad Gilbert offers an insightful perspective on aspects of the game that many of us may overlook. The concepts discussed in this book capture the essence of what it takes to be a winner and can be applied to all areas of life.

I'm a 6.0 player and here's my story with winning ugly.For some time I used to have very good strokes and a very solid constructed game that would normally destroy anyone in my league or even higher, yet it didn't. Instead, I kept struggling with my matches, especially against players ranked lower than me. Sometimes I'd barely win and sometimes I'd lose like an idiot. Regardless of the result, most of the time I would: first blame my strokes, then blame my lack in physical preparation and lastly I would blame my point preparation. Bottom line was, my mind and mental preparation weren't considered or blamed for my results. Then one day I watched this Chris Evert interview on the tube and she was saying how grateful she would have been if "Winning Ugly" had been available for her when she was a student learning. This puzzled me, as Chris Evert eventually had over 90% of winning percentage through her career. Then Mary Carillo -the interviewer- agreed and said something about the book helping players who struggled with results. I felt related to what I had just heard and decided to buy the book.So what happened next was a dramatic change in my game over the next months.The first thing Brad made me realize was that I had been struggling because of my mental preparation and approach to the game, not because of my beautiful shots. Then I realized an epitome that has been sealed in my brain: in order to win matches, I had to use my mind first, then my strokes.To be fair and honest, the initial results were mixed. It was hard to stop playing "hitting big" tennis and start playing "percentage" tennis -or as Brad calls it, "winning ugly". It was hard to play a 30-15 differently than a 40-0; I was used to normally play both points the same. Now, I do play a 30-15 way different than a 40-0. After about two, three months I started seeing results. This guy I used to play against, who was actually quite even with me... all of a sudden I started to beat him. Badly and soundly. I kept using my strokes, only this time I was doing it smarter.That's the result Brad's book can do for you.The book is about strategy and mental approach to a tennis match. It states several key moments during a match and how to prepare for them, so that you are ready when they come -because yes, they will come-. I personally like this down to Earth phrase from the book: "there are people who play just for fun and don't care of winning or losing, but isn't it more fun winning?"As other reviewers have stated, Gilbert uses examples from his career to prove his points and the majority of the time he does it pretty well. However sometimes the stories go a bit over abroad and sound more like "the Gilbert miracle" rather than a chapter of Winning Ugly... but it's only by a bit -it may bother some people though-. I think it would have been interesting if Brad would have included at least a couple of examples from players not being him or his pupil Agassi.There is also a hidden lesson not from Gilbert and it's Ivan Lendl's. I gained much more admiration for Ivan knowing his methods and how and why he employed them. I actually adopted some of his strategies, because they prove incredibly useful against most opponents. I even used the "hey Mr referee, can you please tell my opponent to not take much time during serves" gag.Summarizing, Winning Ugly is a valuable -perhaps the most valuable- mental asset a tennis player can have. I recommend it to every player who is into tennis and has a true competitive nature.

Helpful as Can BeBrad Gilbert is a well-known player and commentator among tennis fans. While he is often made fun of for comparing tennis to just about every sport, many consider Gilbert one of the most knowledgeable people when it comes to tennis tactics and concepts. This is especially evident in his book “Winning Ugly.” The title more or less sums up the main principle of the book: how to win efficiently, even if you’re not on your game. He gives great tips on what to do in certain situations. For instance, I learned a lot about how to calm myself down during a big point. Gilbert states “So when you go out on the court and you feel that pre-match tightness, remember my four nerve busters: 1. Breathe like you’ve got asthma, 2. Get happy feet, 3. Read the label, 4.Sing a song” (Gilbert 51). After trying out the aforementioned tactics, I can honestly say that pressure on a tennis court is no longer an issue for me. Tips like these are given throughout the book, and almost all lead to immediate results.I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5. If you’re a tennis player, this book is a MUST READ. It will do wonders to your game, and, while the book is geared for “club player,” it translates into every level up to the pros. It give you such an advantage before the match even starts, as Gilbert helps change the way you approach each game. Rather than looking at the entire match, he dissects every point and its significance to the match. Before you know it, 30-15 points are going to feel like 40-0. IF YOUR ARE NOT A TENNIS PLAYER, DO NOT GET THIS BOOK. It will be a huge waste of your money and time.

I am a 4.0 club player trying to improve my decision making. This is very nice and gives me lots of food of thoughts.

Brad Gilbert does a great job outlining a lot of different strategies but most importantly how to come up with a game plan/ strategy against different players. Not just “hit cross court” or “hit inside out forehand” but more about being able to read your own strengths/weaknesses and your opponent’s strengths/weaknesses and finding the best way to come out with a win. Great book

This book was recommended to my son by his tennis coach. His coach said it really helped him after reading it, so, clearly this is a great book to help improve your tennis game.

I purchased this book after realising that my teenage son was "getting in his head" during competitions and needed a way to help him calmly separate himself emotionally, focus and play his best. Of course, the book helped his temperamental mother (me :) as well!