"Confidence goes back and forth across a tennis net much like the ball itself."
"One of them is the tennis player Andre Agassi's memoir, Open, widely considered to be "the best athletic autobiography out there." Open is a "raw, honest" chronicle, Leitch writes, of the complicated, often bitter feelings the eight-time Grand Slam champion had about the sport that was making him millions."
"as tempting as it is to just shut your brain off, sports are always layered with meaning, and their influence extends far beyond their emotional appeal."
Singles tennis exposes players' vulnerability by isolating them on court and making each point a personal performance. Opponents shape one another's fortunes, and emotional shifts register visibly on players' faces. Confidence moves back and forth across the net like the ball. Sports provoke adrenaline, deep investment, and aspiration while also carrying layered meanings that extend beyond immediate emotional appeal. Athletic memoirs can reveal complicated, often bitter feelings about careers that bring fame and wealth, and historical moments can cast long shadows over matches and players' experiences.
Read at The Atlantic
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