Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My LifeHarper Collins, 2009 M03 17 - 288 pages James Blake's life was getting better every day. A rising tennis star and People magazine's Sexiest Male Athlete of 2002, he was leading a charmed life and loving every minute of it. But all that ended in May 2004, when Blake fractured his neck in an on-court freak accident. As he recovered, his father—who had been the inspiration for his tennis career—lost his battle with stomach cancer. Shortly after his father's death, Blake was dealt a third blow when he contracted zoster, a rare virus that paralyzed half of his face and threatened to end his already jeopardized career. In Breaking Back, Blake provides a remarkable account of how he came back from this terrible heartbreak and self-doubt to become one of the top tennis players in the world. A story of strength, passion, courage, and the unbreakable bonds between a father and son, Breaking Back is a celebration of one extraordinary athlete's indomitable spirit and his inspiring ability to find hope in the bleakest of times. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 9
... , it was sinking like a stone. It had been a difficult year, one in which I'd lost a number of matches I felt I could, and should, have won, often due more to my mental unraveling than to what actually transpired on the 13 THE STATEMENT.
... match, in which I found myself standing on a Saturday night across the net from one of my mentors, Andre Agassi, who was well into his legendary comeback and ranked number six in the world. The atmosphere was crackling; before he ...
... match is a blur, the way your best performances often are, but all the way through it felt good. I cracked forehands (my dominant go-to shot) left and right, while racing all over the court. I was patient when I needed to be and strong ...
... match point came and went, I felt the letdown of the loss acutely, recognizing that this turn would offer a serious blow to my fledging confidence. Rafter was one of the most popular, likable guys on the tour, and after the match, as we ...
... match for most people was not my performance but an outburst from Lleyton when he accused a linesman of making calls ... match because of the controversy; I remembered it for what my coach, Brian Barker—the unassuming, gentle soul who's ...
Contents
1 | |
7 | |
It Could Be Worse | 35 |
Requiem for a Superman | 63 |
Five Minutes of Hitting | 115 |
Plan B | 147 |
If You Can Win One Set | 175 |
You Can Win Two 175 7 Fire It Up One Time Bam 203 8 Getting Better 241 Epilogue 257 Glossary | 265 |