Lucky Loser

Adventures in Tennis and Comedy

De: Michael Kosta

Narrado por: Michael Kosta

From a host of The Daily Show and stand-up comic, Michael Kosta, comes a wildly funny and insightful memoir about his unlikely journey from professional tennis player (#864 in the world) to professional comedian (there’s no ranking system in comedy but he’s probably . . . top 50?).

Before Michael Kosta was performing stand-up comedy specials and hosting The Daily Show, he was a professional tennis “star,” reaching the lofty heights of the #864 ranked men’s singles player in the world. Stop laughing. That’s better than your world ranking. As a tennis pro, Kosta traveled across the globe, competing in such exotic locales as the Netherlands, Tokyo, and even rural Illinois before deciding to put down his racket and pursue a more stable and predictable career: comedy.

In a completely unexpected and wild journey through the backwaters of professional tennis, Kosta shows the unlikely ways life on the court prepared him for life in front of a microphone. Like comedy, tennis is brutally competitive, and most people lose at it. Unlike comedy, no one in tennis puts a gun on the table as they count out your earnings in twenty-dollar bills at the end of the night.

And then there are the things that have more to do with what happens to you—and what you end up learning—as part of growing up. Topics include: how to properly discard an unwanted European hard-boiled egg, giving CPR to your dead grandpa, cringe-worthy “sex” in the Red Light District, crying so hard in a car that strangers call the cops, and also happy things like what it feels like when your dreams come true.

From misadventures in tennis to the humbling setbacks of comedy, Lucky Loser is a heart-filled story of making your own luck, the universal experience of failure, and the many ways in which we all inevitably lose on the way to success.

©2025 Michael Kosta (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Loving this!

I'm halfway the audiobook, but as a former amateur tennis player, father a pro-aspiring tennis pro son that is going to do college tennis, and partner of a stand-up comedian, this is right up my alley!

Best Tennis and Life book I’ve read in a while

Ok I’m biased. I played tennis, David cup, D1, etc. but the way Kosta wrote this book, his journey l, wasn’t only intriguing, but it was super funny. Also, he reads this bio so it’s a much better quality than some rando getting $8/hour to read this shit (good shit)

I loved in every chapter. Thanks Michael.

Two of my favorite things, tennis and comedy. I love this book. I love your family. Thank you for sharing your two… Three loves.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fun going on your journey… So to speak. I love the story. I love the performance and I enjoyed your way and loving way of looking at things.

Didn’t want this to end!

Loved hearing Michael Kosta read his memoir! It was full of life lessons, parenting advice (didn’t expect that did you?) & provided a heartfelt demonstration of how dedication, hard work & passion can get you closer to your dreams. Overall, super entertaining to hear his stories of how his comedy career got started (really enjoyed the reflections from childhood) and how the transferable skills from being a pro tennis competitor played a role is supporting the tough skin needed to survive as a stand up comic. I want another book!! So much has happened since his first Jay Leno appearance…readers want more!

Tennis never failed him

He might’ve left tennis; however, tennis never left him. Great story! Amsterdam and Japan is most entertaining hehe.

Great storyteller

Great storyteller with good reflection and life lessons learned. Enjoyed the listen and the tennis stories.

Good stories could've been funnier

I love listening to comedians' memoirs that they perform themselves because they can tell the jokes with the right inflection and timing to maximize the laughs. For some reason Costa was lacking in this department, a ton of the book it felt like he was just reading a book. Maybe he's not the strongest reader? I also thought there were definitely missed opportunities to cram in more jokes. There were funny situations and absolutely a few laugh out loud moments, but other comedians seem to be able to cram jokes throughout whereas this seemed more like I was reading a pro tennis player's memoir who was trying to be funny every once and a while. Overall some good stories and an interesting listen but not a side splitter by any means.

Smart, honest, and really funny!

Delightful listen— engaging, with humorous asides and footnotes. He invites the listener into the worlds of tennis and comedy without pretension, which is essential for those of us curious about his journey. Well done, Mr. Kosta!

Enjoyable, Honest, Funny and Unexpected

I’m a big fan of Michael Kosta, so I started off biased in his favor. But this book delivered so much more than I expected. Like a well crafted joke where every word matters, this memoir is a carefully curated series of memorable stories. They add up to the life lessons that launched a career. The thrill for me was how Kosta managed to retain the verbal cadence and delivery that gives his comedy its distinct brand while adapting it to the very different task of narrating an audiobook.

The glimpse into the sprawling and difficult world of professional tennis was enlightening. It’s a fun ride because Kosta is unflinchingly candid about his flaws and screw ups, and unafraid to boast about the best moments. You come to realize that he worked hard to get this book right, and for me that was the overarching lesson. Hard work pays off. Self assessment and honest introspection is essential to finding one’s path. And an athlete’s awareness about how one can blow a big lead can become a comedian’s secret to maintaining his cool when the gig of a lifetime finally comes along.

Giggling through the grocery store.

Great stories and laughs. Found myself listening during walks, taking the kids to sports events and in the grocery store where I think people looked at me strange while I laughed out loud putting produce in my cart. Sad to finish it, hoping for a sequel.