“The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” Among New Chapter Press Christmas Gift Book Offerings
“The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” along with “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” by Steve Flink and “The Secrets of Spanish Tennis” by Chris Lewit among offerings for tennis fans
The only time in the history of Wimbledon that the men’s singles final was not played is incredibly told in detail by the crowned champion, Sidney Wood, in his illuminating tennis biography “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was… And Other Tennis Tales Of A By-Gone Era.”
Wood won the 1931 Wimbledon title by default over Frank Shields—his school buddy, doubles partner, roommate, Davis Cup teammate and the grandfather of actress and model Brooke Shields—in one of the most curious episodes in sports history. In reaching the final, Shields posted one of the most heroic conclusions to a Wimbledon tennis match, in a scene somewhere reminiscent to the baseball scene in the movie “The Natural” starring Robert Redford.
Wood tells the tale of how Shields was ordered by the U.S. Tennis Association not to compete in the championship match so that he could rest his injured knee in preparation for an upcoming Davis Cup match. Three years later the story continues when he and Shields played a match at the Queen’s Club for the Wimbledon trophy. Also included are a compilation of short stories that deliver fascinating anecdotes of the 1930s and a signature document of the play and styles of 20th-century tennis legends. The book is for sale for $19.95 here https://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257847/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_6LUjAb1CNQJSG
“The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” features profiles and rankings of the greatest matches of all time dating from the1920s featuring Bill Tilden and Suzanne Lenglen up through the modern era of tennis featuring contemporary stars Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Flink breaks down, analyzes and puts into historical context the sport’s most memorable matches, providing readers with a courtside seat at these most celebrated and significant duels. Flink also includes a fascinating “greatest strokes of all-time” section where he ranks and describes the players who best executed all the important shots in the game through the years.
The hard-cover book, that makes for a centerpiece of a coffee table or at your local tennis club, retails for $28.95, and can be purchased here on Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257936/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_Qj-rybVBRK7ZW or at www.NewChapterMedia.com and where ever books are sold.
Flink, one of the most respected writers and observers in the game, is currently a columnist for Tennis.com. A resident of Katonah, N.Y., he is the former editor of World Tennis magazine and a former senior columnist at Tennis Week. The book has received high praise from some of the most respected names in the sport, including Chris Evert, a winner of 18 major singles titles in her career, who wrote the foreword to the book. Said seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras, “Steve Flink was there reporting on almost every big match I played in my career. He has seen all of the great players for the last 45 years. I encourage you to read this book because Steve is one of the most insightful writers on the game that I have known and he really knows his tennis.”
The Secrets of Spanish Tennis ($19.95 for sale here https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559491/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_2DUjAb11C47RB) by New York City elite tennis teaching professional Chris Lewit, is the culmination of years of study on the Spanish way of training by Lewit, who visited many of the top Spanish academies and studied and interviewed some of the leading coaches in Spain to discern and distill this unique and special training methodology.
The Greatest Jewish Tennis Players of All Time ($19.95 for sale here https://www.amazon.com/dp/193755936X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_WKUjAbQJMXVJG) by tennis journalist Sandra Harwitt is unique among other books on tennis as it is a guide to the best and most influential Jewish tennis players in the history of the sport. It includes features and biographies of the greatest players, stories of both break-out success and anti-Semitism. This history also discusses the ways in which Jewish individuals have been instrumental behind the scenes, playing key roles in the growth of tennis into one of the world’s most popular sports.
Other recommended tennis titles are as follows;
Titanic: The Tennis Story ($19.95 for sale here https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559041/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_FNUjAbV8X1V9K) by Lindsay Gibbs is the stirring and remarkable historical novel that tells the story of the intertwined life of Dick Williams and Karl Behr who survived the sinking of the Titanic and went on to have Hall of Fame tennis careers. Two years after both had harrowing escapes from the famous disaster, the two met in the quarterfinals of the modern-day U.S. Open. An emotional and touching work, this novel brings one of the most extraordinary sports stories to life in literary form. This real-life account – with an ending seemingly plucked out of a Hollywood screenplay – weaves the themes of love, tragedy, history, sport and perseverance.
On This Day In Tennis History ($19.95, 528 pages, for sale here https://www.amazon.com/dp/0942257421/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_HOUjAbD91C0SF) is a fun and fact-filled, this compilation offers anniversaries, summaries, and anecdotes of events from the world of tennis for every day in the calendar year written by Randy Walker. Presented in a day-by-day format, the entries into this mini-encyclopedia include major tournament victory dates, summaries of the greatest matches ever played, trivia, and statistics as well as little-known and quirky happenings.
Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others by Rick Macci ($19.95 for sale here https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559254/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_XPUjAbS7M86V5) offers the secrets to success both on and off the tennis court by master coach and motivator Rick Macci, who coached tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova among others. Through anecdotes and more than 100 sayings that exemplify his teaching philosophy, this inspirational manual helps pave the way to great achievement not only in tennis, but in business and in life.
“Old School” Hollywood Meets “Old School” Tennis In “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” Book
Incredible stories connected the Hollywood lives of such stars as Grace Kelly, Errol Flynn, Gary Cooper, Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx and others to the world of international tennis are featured in the writings of 1931 Wimbledon champion Sidney Wood in the new book “THE WIMBLEDON FINAL THAT NEVER WAS…AND OTHER TENNIS TALES FROM A BYGONE ERA.”
THE WIMBLEDON FINAL THAT NEVER WAS ($15.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com), which will be published June, 2011, details the life and times of Wood with a focus on one of the most unusual episodes ever in sport when he won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon in a default – the only time in the history of The Championships that the men’s singles final was not played. Wood, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 97, tells the story of how he won the title over Frank Shields, his school buddy, doubles partner, roommate and Davis Cup teammate – and the grandfather of actress and model Brooke Shields – when Shields was ordered by the U.S. Tennis Association to withdraw from the final to rest his injured knee in preparation for an upcoming Davis Cup match for the United States. He then discusses his “private understanding playoff” that saw his match with Shields at the Queen’s Club tournament final in London three years later be played for the Wimbledon trophy.
Wood, who could be called the greatest story teller tennis ever had, also relates fascinating anecdotes and stories that involve famous personalities from Hollywood and across the globe. Stories include his romance with Grace Kelly, his qualifying for the modern day US Open doubles championship with Errol Flynn, his on-court tennis joking with Charlie Chaplin and Groucho Marx among many others.
David Wood of Queens, N.Y., the youngest son of Wood, serves as contributor to the volume.
Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press is also the publisher of Tennis Made Easy by Kelly Gunterman, Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer, The Bud Collins History of Tennis by Bud Collins, The Education of a Tennis Player by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), The Lennon Prophecy by Joe Niezgoda (www.TheLennonProphecy.com), Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog by Susan Anson among others.
Wimbledon’s Most Controversial Conclusion Explained In Book
Wimbledon’s most controversial conclusion from 1931 years ago – as well as fascinating tales featuring some of the greatest Hollywood stars and legends – are featured in the book THE WIMBLEDON FINAL THAT NEVER WAS…AND OTHER TENNIS TALES FROM A BYGONE ERA. The book, published by New Chapter Press, is the posthumously-published memoir of Sidney Wood, the Wimbledon champion from 1931 and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
THE WIMBLEDON FINAL THAT NEVER WAS ($15.95, New Chapter Press, available here on amazon.com: http://amzn.to/m89Ivj details the life and times of Wood with a focus on one of the most unusual episodes ever in sport when he won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon by forfeit. Wood, who passed away in 2009 at the age of 97, tells the story of how he won the title over Frank Shields, his school buddy, doubles partner, roommate and Davis Cup teammate – and the grandfather of actress and model Brooke Shields – when Shields was ordered by the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) to withdraw from the final to rest his injured knee in preparation for a U.S. Davis Cup match following Wimbledon. He then discusses his “private understanding playoff” that saw his match with Shields at the Queen’s Club tournament final in London three years later 1934 – be played for the Wimbledon trophy.
Wood, who could be called the greatest story teller tennis ever had, also relates fascinating anecdotes and stories that involve some of greatest titans of tennis and such legendary Hollywood personalities as Grace Kelly, Errol Flynn, Charlie Chaplin, Groucho Marx, Gary Cooper among others. Wood also critiques all the best players and all the best strokes for every top player through the years – from Bill Tilden, Rene Lacoste and Don Budge all the way to the modern era of the game.
Wood was born on November 1, 1911 in Black Rock, Conn., and was a long-time resident of New York, N.Y., Southampton, N.Y., and Palm Beach, Fla. When he won the Wimbledon title in 1931 at age 19, he was the youngest man to win the singles title at the All England Club – 17-year-old Boris Becker breaking his record in 1985. He still holds the record of being the youngest player to compete at Wimbledon at age 15 in 1927. He was a singles finalist at the 1935 U.S. Championships and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1964.
David Wood of Queens, N.Y., the youngest son of Wood, served as a contributor to the volume.
Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press is also the publisher of “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer (www.RogerFedererBook.com), “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf (www.CliffRicheyBook.com), “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “The Lennon Prophecy: A New Examination of the Death Clues of The Beatles” by Joe Niezgoda (www.TheLennonProphecy.com), “Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Susan Anson, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According To Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.
The Indiana Jones of Tennis
By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
The life and times of former Wimbledon champion Sidney Wood is straight out of a Hollywood movie. Not only did the 1931 Wimbledon champion hob nob with such famous actors as Gary Cooper and Errol Flynn, but he seemed to be a character in one of their action movies – an Indiana Jones of the tennis world, so to speak. Many of his tennis tales and fascinating off-court exploits are documented in the book THE WIMBLEDON FINAL THAT NEVER WAS…AND OTHER TALES FROM BYGONE ERA ($15.95, available here on Amazon.com:
via @amazon
The book not only features stories of Wood winning the 1931 Wimbledon final without striking a ball, and setting the record straight on what indeed happened, him playing a French Open final drunk, why he once dumped actress and future princess Grace Kelly, how he qualified for the modern-day U.S. Open doubles championship with the aforementioned actor Errol Flynn, how he shot guns with Gary Cooper and handled guns in taking down real-life criminals, and his analysis of the greatest male tennis players of all time from the only person who saw them all from Bill Tilden to Roger Federer.
As a publisher of the book, one of my favorite tales is the following, excerpted below, where Wood pulls a stunt seemingly out of the Indiana Jones “Raiders of the Lost Ark” movie in order to get to the tournament in Los Angeles.
My maiden voyage, at age 19, was when my train trip to the Pacific Southwest Tournament in Los Angeles was derailed in Kansas City. The conductor told me we would be in the station for a half hour, so I made a quick call to a Kansas player friend, Junior Coen, and bought some magazines. After meandering back to the gate, I
was startled to see the lights of our observation platform heading west, not only with my six racquets and bags, but with a newly-met, dazzling starlet en route to Hollywood.
I raced back to the phone and somehow talked a barnstorming-type, probably broke, pilot into chasing after the Super Chief. Of a lot of bumpy rides I later had in those days, this was the worst. We flew perhaps 200 feet above the Santa Fe tracks in the hot sun, and when we passed over the numerous corrugated-roof
buildings at rail-side, the little plane would pitch up and down like a kite, and yaw wildly in the thermals.
A couple of hours later, we caught sight of the train and it looked like we could beat it to Herrington, Kansas in time. Herrington had no airport, but my dauntless pilot headed for any clear area he could find. In due course, we spied the station and a mile or two away we swooped down onto a fallow field and taxied up to an astonished farmer. Our host immediately entered into the spirit of the chase and led us to his barn where he had a nicely preserved Model T which he cranked up, and we tore at a mad 50 mph to the station with only minutes to spare before the train got there. My bags and racquets were still aboard, as was my disbelieving fair maiden friend.
Mark Keil – My Times in New Haven
Tennis coach Mark Keil takes at look the ATP event held in New Haven, Conn., each year. After losing early in Washington DC, I would head back to Tampa to train for a few days before heading up to the event held at Yale University.
I sometimes would hit with Jennifer Capriati in Florida, and she would hit the ball so deep. Since I was accustomed to mostly playing doubles, I would play her baseline games to eleven and she would give me a run for my money. She was a goofy girl, in a good way, and really didn’t like to practice, but we all didn’t really. She was always talking about her boyfriend at the time, Xavier Malisse, and how crazy he was.
[ad#adify-300×250]The campus at Yale where the tourney is played (then known as the Volvo International, now the Pilot Penn) is like an oasis in the middle of east Los Angeles. This is where Sidney Wood, the 1931 Wimbledon champion would hone his game. You might still be able to catch him cruising the grounds.
One year I played with Adam Malik, the All-American out of Kentucky who was from Malaysia. We played Marius Barnard and Brent Haygarth from South Africa. Marius liked to bounce the ball a lot before he served. Adam would blink constantly when talking to you. Brent was a stellar player out of Texas A&M, who dates former tour player Tara Snyder. We played a tight match and came up short 7-6, 4-6, 4-6.
In 1998, I played with T.J. Middleton, a team member of the NCAA champion Georgia Bulldog’s in 1987. We would always have a good time, and hung out together that week at Toad’s Place. Unfortunately, we went down to the tough German doubles team of Marc-Kevin Goellner and David Prinosil. They would get to the finals of the French Open together, losing to the wild Jensen brothers. Marc patented wearing a baseball cap turned backwards, inspiring the craze you see now in tennis. The summer tennis season was coming to a close, and the last big dance was upon us.
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