The Racket

On Tour with Tennis’s Golden Generation – and the other 99%

De: Conor Niland

Narrado por: Conor Niland

Brought to you by Penguin.

When Conor Niland was 16, he got the chance to hit with Serena Williams at Nick Bollettieri's famed tennis academy. Conor, the Irish junior number one, was feeling a bit homesick. Serena, also 16, already owned her own house beside the academy.

Conor Niland knows what it's like when Roger Federer walks into the dressing room ('Ciao, bonjour, hello!'), and he has had the exquisitely terrible experience of facing Novak Djokovic in the world's biggest tennis stadium - while suffering from food poisoning. But he never reached the very top.

The Racket is the story of pro tennis's 99%: the players who roam the globe in hope of climbing the rankings and squeaking into the Grand Slam tournaments. It brings us into a world where a few dozen super-rich players - travelling with coaches and physios - share a stage with lonely touring pros whose earnings barely cover their expenses. Painting a vivid picture of the social dynamics on tour, the economics of the game, and the shadows cast by gambling and doping, The Racket is a witty and revealing underdog's memoir and a unique look inside a fascinating hidden world.

©2024 Conor Niland (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Great look into the unseen hustle of the tennis pro

"The Racket" is a phenomenal read for anyone who loves tennis but especially for those curious about the unseen side of the sport. Conor Niland’s memoir offers a rare and candid look at what it truly takes to climb the different circuits before a player can even dream of a Grand Slam appearance.

Unlike memoirs from the sport's titans—who often live in a bubble where the practicalities of travel, equipment, and finances are entirely managed for them—this book illustrates the sheer grind of building a professional career from the ground up. Niland is unflinchingly honest and thorough, including details that paint a vivid picture of the lonely, often unglamorous reality of life on the Futures and Challenger tours. He covers everything from cramped hotel rooms and endless bus rides to the constant pressure of making enough money to justify the next flight.

My only criticism, and it's a small one, is that Conor sometimes rushes past his wins to dwell on the losses and missed opportunities. However, this has the powerful effect of making his victories, when they are finally celebrated, feel so much sweeter and more hard-won. This book is a must-listen for any fan who wants to understand the immense sacrifices and dedication that lie beneath the surface of a professional tennis career.

Well written and insightful

a very well-written book. It tells the s side of the tennis world that we are all oblivious to.

Fantastic book about life behind the scenes of a tennis pro

This book provides excellent insight into how gruelling life on tour is for tennis professionals outside the top 100. As someone very interested in the sport, it provides a unique view into the travel, work, and finances that go into trying to make it big as a tennis player. Engaging throughout and very well narrated by Connor Niland.

Very honest and interesting

I’m a casual tennis fan, general sports fan and enjoy a good sports biography and this was one of my favourites. He doesn’t try to portray a certain image, it’s a very honest book. His degree in literature was put to good use as it is very well written.

The other 99%

Had no idea what it was like to not be a top player on tour. It’s a pretty sad existence honestly, but sharing these kinds of stories can help change it someday. Tennis is a beautiful game and players deserve more support than they receive to turn this into more of a serious profession than it is.

A very hard life

The path to enter a Grand slam tournament requires intensive dedication and discipline and the rewards on that journey can be painfully paltry.

Hats off to the 99%!

Conner Niland provides such a heartfelt and realistic description of what lower level professional tennis players must endure as they try to climb up the rankings ladder and make a living at the thing they have been training for nearly their entire lives. There are really two story lines - how he grew up playing tennis in Ireland (a country not known for tennis) and how he (and others) chased their dreams of a professional career in tennis. The travel, loneliness, lack of financial support, grueling schedules, etc. endured in pursuit of the dream. A great explanation of it all, told in a sincere, and sometimes funny, way. A must read/listen for any junior or parents of juniors who aspire to play professionally.