The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by W. Timothy Gallwey

This book is probably one of the most respected and used books in the sport, and it was great to see it re-released. It first came out in 1972 and since then it shaped the lives of many of the world’s greatest players. Now, a whole new generation of players can benefit from the wisdom in these pages, and there is a boatload.

Although there is always controversy over how much the brain really comes into play with sports, many believe that the mental game is even more important than the physical game. If you can’t get it together in your head, chances are your body won’t be able to get it together either. Tennis is a physical game that requires a lot of endurance physically, but you’ve also got to be mentally tough if you want to succeed.

This book offers a complete view of the mental game of tennis, from many different aspects. While some of the advice may be a little too “out there” for some readers, by far, if you want to play a better game, this is the book that you need to read. The discussion on the two selves and how they factor into the way you play the game is worth the cost of the book alone.

We especially enjoyed the seventh chapter, which is all about learning how to focus. If you don’t have proper focus, you just can’t take your game up to the next level, whether you’re a beginner or a pro on the circuit. The advice in this chapter should be very beneficial to those that are having a hard time getting into a mental groove when they play. The last chapter is also vital reading and goes further into depth on how the techniques mentioned in this book can be applied both on and off the court.

Whether you’re just starting out as a tennis player or you’ve been playing for fifty years, there is something in this book for you. It’s hard to go wrong with a book that Billie Jean King called her tennis bible and it’s evident once you pick it up that there is a lot to be learned. It’s very well suited to beginners and will give them the foundation they need to succeed in the sport of tennis, no matter what level they play on. Experts will find falling back on this advice is incredibly beneficial.

We highly recommend revisiting this book if you’ve read it before, and it’s the perfect gift for a kid just getting interested in picking up a racquet. The lessons contained in this book would be worth hundreds of dollars if you got them from a pro and it’s hard to beat the quality of the foundation that this book can lay for your future in tennis. This is still one of the best books ever written on the sport of tennis.