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In the Forward to TENNIS CONFIDENTIAL, Bud Collins announces that
"Paul Fein lets you in on the whole tennis picture." This
is a perfect description of the book. It is a collection of the
best articles of Paul Fein, a freelance tennis writer for over twenty-five
years. These stories, one-on-one interviews, editorials and greatest
moments cover tennis from every aspect.
Between the sections -- Portraits of the Stars, Memorable Interviews,
Topical Trends and Burning Issues, The Great Controversies, Twentieth-Century
Retrospectives and The Ten Greatest Matches In Tennis History --
Paul Fein manages to include all the greatest players in tennis
history. From Ted Tinling to Venus Williams, his in-depth knowledge
and probing questions are apparent.
Intertwined with the previously published articles are Fascinating
Facts. These after-the-story tidbits include things like "Andre
Agassi signed his first autograph at age six," "Gustavo Kuerten
often sings in the locker room after playing a tournament" and "Jimmy
Connors said he invented the fist-pump victory gesture in tennis."
These notes are included in every article, making the articles a
little more current and entertaining.
Among his freelance efforts, Paul Fein was often a contributor
to College And Junior Tennis in its print form. We often forgot
that his knowledge as a player, coach and tournament director led
him to some wonderful articles that went beyond the juniors. TENNIS
CONFIDENTIAL is a testament to that.
-- Marcia Frost,
Editor-in-Chief, College and Junior Tennis
TENNIS CONFIDENTIAL is so well-written and comprehensive that it
should please most people who like tennis or are in some way engaged
in tennis.
-- Patrik Cederlund,
Editor, Tidningen Tennis (Sweden)
TENNIS CONFIDENTIAL is the complete package. It has very interesting
features and powerful interviews with the stars, such as Pete, Andre,
the Williams sisters and my most famous alumnus, John McEnroe. Fein
analyzes tennis' biggest issues authoritatively, fairly and thoroughly.
His essays on equal prize money, ranking systems, on-court coaching
and the power crisis are especially persuasive. You'll also enjoy
enlightening pieces about teen queens, evolving playing styles and
how Open Tennis came about, which enabled today's players to become
rich and famous. History buffs will savor the 10 greatest matches
ever played. I found TENNIS CONFIDENTIAL fascinating. And I'm sure
you will, too.
-- Dick Gould,
Stanford men's tennis coach
I have worked in tennis for over 35 years and have read almost all the books which have been published on this wonderful sport. TENNIS CONFIDENTIAL is a unique collection of well-written essays and articles on subjects which are sure to be of interest to any tennis fan. I particularly enjoyed the section of "Memorable Interviews" and the chapter on "Records Are Made To Be Broken" as well as "The Ten Greatest Matches in Tennis History." Paul Fein is a good tennis player and lover of the sport as well as a good tennis writer, and the combination is a winner.
-- John Beddington,
former European Director, Grand Prix Tennis Circuit; former Vice President, IMG; former Tournament Director/Chairman, Canadian Open Tennis Championships; and current Founder and Tournament Director, The Masters Tennis at The Royal Albert Hall, London.
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