Strokes of Genius

I have been a keen follower of Wertheim's tennis mailbag on cnnsi.com (now si.com) for over 21 years now, and while I deeply admire his analysis for the most part, this book did not really live up to the hype. Nor for that matter, to the absolute cracker of a match it seeks to pay tribute to.One issue I had with the book, was the all-too-convenient stereotyping of the Great players involved. The 2008 Wimbledon Final was an absolute Classic, and richly deserves the Tag as "The Best Match of All Time". That being the case, one needs to admire BOTH of the players involved. One needs to respect the unique talents which they EACH brought to this match, and to their rivalry overall. Whether one is a Fed or Rafa fan overall, or where one stands in the GOAT debate, is immaterial. In evaluating a match of such caliber, one shouldn't have to put down one player even lightly, just in order to extol the other.While reading Wertheim, one can't help getting an impression of his bias towards Federer. Nothing wrong with that, he is as entitled to his opinion as anyone else. But constantly extolling the beauty of only one player's game, while slipping in references to the other's style of play as "heavy" or "brutal", is really unnecessary. Why does there have to be only one straitjacket definition of what qualifies as beauty of the game?Sample this from the introduction of the book : "Federer's feline light versus Nadal's bovine heavy.......Federer's dignified power versus an unapologetic whoomping brutality, Federer's Zeus versus Nadal's Hercules". In discussing each man’s playing style, Wertheim talks about "Relentless genius Federer versus unbending will Nadal”. Doesn't Nadal bring his own brand of genius into play? Likewise, while discussing his book, Wertheim gives us more in the same vein in his columns: " the easy grace of Federer versus the toil and trouble of Nadal, celestial versus earthbound...... flight versus fight." It's rather clear from the metaphors and adjectives employed, that he feels Federer plays at a different level from Nadal.The point is this: Federer no doubt, has the more fluid, elegant, artistic game. But then, Nadal has more swashbuckling, passionately intense, pulsating one. Fans may prefer one or the other, rate one higher than the other. The debate is endless, the only sure thing is that BOTH players have been enriched by this rivalry, and the presence of the other to spur him on to greater heights.While reading this book, unfortunately, one doesn't quite get that feeling. One comes away with an unfortunate taste of Wertheim's possibly subliminal bias--- that of appreciating the beauty of only one Great player's game, while not seeing the beauty inherent the other's vibrant and resolute style, too. As an author writing about such a Classic, closely contested match, Wertheim really ought to have been more even handed. Especially considering Nadal won the match!I also found it a tad mystifying why there was a somewhat dismissive reference to Djokovic in the book. Granted, in 2009 when the book was released, Djokovic hadn't yet built on his potential to become an integral part of "The Big 3". But perhaps its high time to modify these references in a fresh edition? This bias has seemingly lived on though; because in Wertheim's columns in the dozen years since this book, he has consistently (perhaps subliminally) sought to talk down the Djokovic versus Nadal rivalry. A pity, really, because Nadal himself is on record multiple times as stating Djokovic at his peak is a far more difficult rival for him than Federer. It's really not necessary to talk down another Great rivalry, in order to extol a match which is such an unforgettable Classic in its own right. Steve Tignor, for instance, brings a more even handed insight and astuteness, in analysing memorable matches.

Terrific writing on the 2008 epic match. Every detail was covered. I read it and i was glad to repurchase it.

I love reading about Nadal and Federer, who are the two greatest tennis players of all time. The book talks about how they learned the game, how they practice, how they think, and who influenced them. Plus MUCH MORE! It talks about the game of tennis and fills the reader in on what goes on at Wimbledon. It is just so interesting, I was actually sorry when I came to the last page. You will also discover Rafa Nadal's Uncle Tony and love him for how he thinks and what he instilled in Nadal. Totally unique and admirable characters and beyond interesting.

I was concerned that it could be redundant, only being about one match, but with the authors extras it was a great read.

Rating:4 1/2 of 5 stars (excellent)Review:Mention the word "Wimbledon" and even non-tennis fans immediately know that you are talking about one of the most prestigious sporting events of the year. So when the finals pit the top two players at the time playing in a match that some consider the greatest tennis match ever played, it will take on a life of its own. L. Jon Wertheim writes about the match and that life it takes in "Strokes of Genius", a riveting account of the 2008 Wimbledon finals between top ranked Roger Federer and second ranked Rafael Nadal.Just a recap of the play on the court would make a terrific book. It was as even as a match could be, no matter which advanced tennis statistic one wants to use when evaluating the epic battle. While Wertheim's recap was not a shot-by-shot account, there is plenty of description of the action on the court. He writes it in such a detailed and descriptive manner that just like when I was watching the match on TV in 2008, I was getting goose bumps reading about it even though I knew what the outcome would be. I had to take a breath and exhale after reading the passage describing Federer's backhand shot to avoid losing in the fourth set tie-breaker. That describes how good both the match and the writing about the match were.Wertheim mixes in plenty of information and stories on the two tennis legends as well. These stories are well researched and the knowledge he has gained as a writer of tennis at Sports Illustrated is evident. Topics such as the players trying out new rackets, how they handle media requests and their middle-to-upper class upbringing are described in equal parts humor, detail and precision, with a dash of melancholy when appropriate. Some other nuances about the game in general are also included. One of the better passages on tennis came early in the book when he writes that only in tennis do the opponents warm up with each other. Nadal and Federer warmed up for this match by hitting balls to each other. Can you imagine Mariano Rivera throwing batting practice to David Ortiz? Or Tony Romo throwing warm-up passes to Victor Cruz?These stories are mixed into the play by play of the match at various points and this is the only downfall of the book. At times, these seemed to hamper the flow of reading the book. The best analogy to describe them is that they felt like excellent commercials you enjoy during breaks in the telecast of the match. I liked reading them, but would have preferred that they come at the beginning or end of chapters, not in the middle after reading about a fantastic Nadal serve or Federer return.Overall, this is an excellent book that any sports fan will enjoy. This was a match that does become one of those "Where were you when" questions. Reading it will help one relive those great memories.Did I skim?NoPace of the book:Good, despite the switching back and forth between topics.Positives:Many, but the best is the rich prose and style of writing. Wertheim paints a picture on each topic, from the game itself to Nadal's lifestyle (relatively simple for a sports superstar). This was the first book I read by him, although I have read many of his articles in Sports Illustrated and he is an excellent author.Negatives:Only the placement of stories and information on the players and the game. That was covered in the review. Otherwise, there were no negatives in this book.Do I recommend?Yes, especially for tennis fans. I do think, however, that just like the match, this book would attract non-tennis fans for the excellent storytelling and recap of a historic event.

On the surface, Strokes of Genius by Jon Wertheim is an account of the memorable 2008 Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the top two players in the world. The contest was immediately cast as the best match ever. That may be true even though this year's final between Federer and Andy Roddick was also excellent. Mr. Wertheim's book goes much deeper than just a replay of the match. We are supplied with interesting background material on both Federer and Nadal. For any tennis fans, this is good stuff. You learn the history of the players, the development of their tennis games, their handling of the emotional side of tennis, their quirks, their strengths, and their weaknesses. You also receive a great deal of insight into life on the pro tennis tour and begin to get a feel for the effort required to reach the top.Wimbledon has always been a place of fascination for me. I have watched the championships whenever possible for years. After reading this book, I believe that I will be better able to understand some of the nuances of what it takes to be a Wimbledon champion. I also know much more now about Federer and Nadal than I did before, and I admire both men for their amazing tennis skills.We happened to be in Paris this past June when the final of the French Open was played. We did not attend the matches the last weekend, but we noticed that there was definitely a buzz around town about the tournament and about Roger and Rafa in particular. Of course, it turned out that Nadal couldn't play, so Federer swept through the tournament for his first French Open title. We watched the championship match in a sports bar in Montmartre, and the French people in the bar seemed to have a real appreciation for Federer. I wish now that Strokes of Genius had been published a little earlier. If I had read the book before watching the French Open final, I would have been even more absorbed by the tennis.I highly recommend Strokes of Genius to any tennis players and to those of you who are simply fans of the game.