Below expectations! Recap of Brad experience but nothing extraordinary. Tactics are pretty basic and generic to any sport. I learned a couple of useful info on great tennis players and some tennis jargon but nothing more.

Brad Gilbert is that guy who you “know you’re better than” but lose to. And that’s why this is a great book. because 1) guess what? If you’re losing to them, you’re not better than them. 2) if you’re losing to them, that means you have something to learn here. And every tennis player has lost to someone with “ugly” ground strokes. This book is a long, written reminder to be humble, play smart, never forget your strategy game, never underestimate your opponents, and never underestimate yourself. All in one. I love Gilbert’s general tips as well (like, start warmups with reaction volleys, and bring extra everything to a match) and his dives into the mental aspects of some of his matches with the greats - Connors, McEnroe, Becker, Borg, Lendl, Chang, Sampras, Agassi, etc. TENNIS IS LIFE!

I'm at a stage in my competitive tennis life where I can really use a book like WINNING UGLY. Much of Gilbert's advice is simple. But he is absolutely correct when he says (again and again) that good recreational players don't *think* enough when we play. I hope to spend the winter crafting a few "ugly" wins on the court--fewer unforced errors, more attention to simple tactics, and choosing to "receive" when I win the toss rather than to "serve." This book is a classic whose advice never gets old even as the players Gilbert writes about (McEnroe, Conners, himself) do.

Hi Brad. Thanks to your book, I'm now one step closer climbing up the ladder at my local tennis club in Oslo Norway

Gilbert is so witty and smart and funny, and, as the former coach of players like Agassi and Djokovic (and the current coach of Coco Gauff), and a former ATP player who beat Becker and Chang and numerous others, he has loads of credibility. He introduces ideas about percentage tennis that have been developed and refined in the years since he wrote this book. But his super analytical, left-brained style doesn’t work for my game because it takes me out of the zone. That said, for any tennis nerds out there, no harm in reading this book.

This is maybe the only book I've ever read that felt like I wasn't reading a book. It honestly felt like I was just talking to a friend about tennis, and I loved it. I enjoyed the blend of tennis tips, stories, and general "Brad"-isms. Even though I read the version published in the late 90's, and the players he talked about have since retired, there was plenty that was applicable to my game. It's also fun to see how the game has changed over the past 20+ years. Both as a tennis fan and player, I highly recommend checking this one out!

Different from The Inner Game of Tennis focusing on the right side of your brain, this book focuses on the left side, the analytical side, of your brain. I enjoyed a lot listening to all the match details written by the player himself. All of his preparations, mentalities, and strategies on the court. It's really good to know that there's a way to compete with better players, and also good to know why we lose to a lesser player.

You have to really love tennis to read a book like this. I enjoyed it, although I wish the author would give it a refresh, there are so many newer players and I’d love his take on their game and how the sport has evolved.

Simple strategies you can implement immediately.

A masterpiece on tennis strategy and tactics. How you can win a game using your brain. As I approach my first tournament in thirty years, I needed a way to elevate my skills in a short period. Ruffling through five book samples, I landed on Winning Ugly and couldn’t put it down until it was done. I did spend some time testing strategies during my practices and lessons - I found that it worked immediately.

Worried about returning a powerful serve? Take a few steps behind the baseline.

Heading into a negative spiral? Happy feet! Your opponent will be perplexed and the center of gravity in the court shifts immediately.

Feeling like your game is rushed? Wipe your sweat with a towel and tie your shoe laces.

Not enough warm-up before the game? Just “circle the square”.

In face, whenever Brad Gilbert says “you will like the results you see”, do it.

This book has cemented tennis as being my life long hobby.

Solid book on mental tennis strategy. Did not get a lot of the 1990 references to top players at the time, but had a lot of helpful tactics to think about during match play. Makes me want to go pro.

4.5 stars. Excellent book even though it was originally written in the early 90s and references tennis stars from that era (Agassi, Connors and McEnroe to name a couple). Lots of timeless advice about how to mentally approach the game if you want to win...and most of it is applicable at all levels of play. Highly recommend!