Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis--Tales from Tour and Lessons from the Master

Gilbert's first coach summed up his play thus: ``No forehand. No backhand. No volley. Weak serve.'' What has carried him to the ranks of the top five in 11 years as a pro is his ability to plan and win the mental game, according to Gilbert, writing with TV producer Jamison. Thus the key line in this instructional book for players at all levels is, ``The mind is a terrible thing to waste and tennis players waste it all the time.'' Gilbert warms up by discussing pre-match thinking, getting the right equipment and overcoming nervousness. Then he presents his advice: try to get an early lead and stretch it; above all, destroy your opponent's game plan, varying your strategy according to the type of player he or she is. Finaly, he analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the stars. This is not a book for the courtly, but those who don't mind winning ugly will be well served. Photos not seen by PW. (June)