The Master: The Log and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer by Christopher Clarey

Sheryl, this one is for you. When I was a teenager, my parents made me play in a few USTA tournaments. I would make my mother sit in the car until I lost, and then I would run to my waiting getaway car. I hated the competition. I dreamed of hiking and doing yoga, where no one wins. As for tennis, I prefer to be a fan. My mom and I have now been to every Grand Slam, including Wimbledon three times. We have seen many players fantastic players over the years, and none perhaps, better than this elegant man, Roger Federer. "Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer" is a tribute to his game, and was written in collaboration with the champion, and long-time New York Times correspondent, Christopher Clarey. This reporter has been following Federer since his first started playing professionally. The book features a look inside Federer's early career, including his former coach, Australian Peter Carter, who died in a 2002 car accident while on his honeymoon in South Africa. Carter's death motivated Federer to exceed relentlessly. Another turning point was meeting fellow Swiss tennis player Mirka Vavrinec. The two first met at a tournament in Biel, Switzerland, and later at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2002, she retired from tennis due to a foot injury, and later the pair married  in 2009. They are the parents of two sets of twins. What I enjoyed about this book was the rare chance to see Federer off the court, traveling with his family. Rather than feel overwhelmed, or held back by the responsibilities of traveling the world with small children, he finds that the presence of his kids relaxes him, and enhances his performance. After winning 20 Grand Slam tournaments, he appears to be both a master of the game, and a testament to the powers of dedication and dreaming. To buy this book on Amazon click here