{"product_id":"the-cruelest-game-isbn-9780385550727","title":"The Cruelest Game","description":"\u003cb\u003eA revelatory exposé of professional tennis by revered New York Times and The Athletic tennis writer Matthew Futterman, featuring never-before-reported stories of the struggles and accomplishments of current legends and tomorrow’s rising stars\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Matt Futterman is one of the clearest modern-day journalistic voices in tennis.... A great read for all sports fans.”—Billie Jean King\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNadal and Djokovic . . . Serena, Coco, and Sabalenka . . . Sinner, Alcaraz, and Shelton. . . . The story of modern tennis burns bright with fame, fortune, and glamour—with stakes the likes of\u003cbr\u003ewhich the game has never seen before. Players must excel under excruciating pressure while the public spotlight blazes on those who win and shuns those who lose. With the likes of Rafa, Roger, Novak, and Serena walking off the court and into retirement, a new crop of aspiring tennis hopefuls faces a shifting landscape as they begin their quest for the secret codes that will allow them to thrive at the top of a brutal game. Offering unique access to the top stars, \u003ci\u003eThe Cruelest Game\u003c\/i\u003e is a riveting account of the price of the fame and glory.\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Cruelest Game\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Matt Futterman is one of the clearest modern-day journalistic voices in tennis, and in \u003ci\u003eThe Cruelest Game\u003c\/i\u003e he lifts the curtain on the physical and mental challenges faced by professional athletes today. It’s a great read for all sports fans.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Billie Jean King, Sports Icon and Equality Champion\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e “This book is quite simply a complete knockout. No one 'gets' tennis and writes about tennis better than Matthew Futterman. All today’s players are here, intimately here—their battles, heartbreaks, triumphs, the sheer work and near madness that goes into wanting to be the best. Yes, pro tennis is the cruelest game, but, in Matt Futterman’s hands, utterly riveting.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eDelia Ephron\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Though, inevitably, it will be filed under 'sports,' Matt Futterman’s \u003ci\u003eThe Cruelest Game\u003c\/i\u003e is a masterfully-executed work of psychology writing. Born of keen eye and ear, Futterman's reportage exposes professional tennis for what it is: a bottomlessly diverse, rich cast of exquisite athletes, navigating the torture of hitting a ball with both power and accuracy… fighting opponents and also their own worst instincts… yielding success but also failure, fear, and doubt. Fans of all intensity levels will read this and emerge with a greater understanding and appreciation for the world’s most mentally demanding sport.” \u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eJon Wertheim, \u003ci\u003eSports Illustrated\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e“The Cruelest Game\u003c\/i\u003e is a vivid snapshot of a uniquely fascinating moment in tennis history, but perhaps more importantly, it is a timeless rendering of a sport that reveals and erodes an athlete’s soul. Matt Futterman approaches tennis with unmatched curiosity, compassion and humanity. There is no one better qualified or equipped to depict tennis’ heady concoction of brutality and beauty. This book will change how you watch the game, and force you to reckon with the true price of excellence.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eCatherine Whitaker, co-host of \"The Tennis Podcast\" (\u003ci\u003eTime\u003c\/i\u003e Magazine Top 100 Podcasts of All Time)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It may be the cruelest game, but Matt Futterman uses his insider’s insight of this damn sport to lift the struggles, obstacles, work and doubt into a realm of understanding, empathy, and grace. This is an intimate and fascinating look inside the game and the athletes who give their lives to turn the cruelty into victory.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eMary Carillo, NBC tennis sportscaster and former professional player \u003c\/b\u003eMATTHEW FUTTERMAN is an award-winning veteran sports journalist and the author of two previous books, \u003ci\u003eRunning to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003ePlayers: How Sports Became a Business.\u003c\/i\u003e He has worked for \u003ci\u003eThe Athletic\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Star-Ledger\u003c\/i\u003e of New Jersey, and \u003ci\u003eThe Philadelphia Inquirer\u003c\/i\u003e.","brand":"Doubleday","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233649897701,"sku":"NP9780385550727","price":32.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780385550727.jpg?v=1767738883","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-cruelest-game-isbn-9780385550727","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}