Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My LifeHarper Collins, 2007 M07 5 - 288 pages In 2004, James Blake's life was getting more perfect by the day. A rising tennis star, with each passing year his game seemed to improve. In 2002, he was named Sexiest Male Athlete by People, and along the way he continued to gain in the rankings and earn respect on the court. Each day seemed to offer a new milestone, a new achievement; he was leading a charmed life and loving every minute of the ride. But that life came to an abrupt halt in May 2004 when Blake broke his back in a freak accident on the court. A few months later, as Blake was recovering from his injury, he suffered another tremendous setback when his father–the man who had raised him and provided the inspiration for his tennis career–lost his battle with stomach cancer. Shortly after his father's death, Blake's situation was further complicated when he contracted Zoster, a rare virus that paralyzed half of his face and threatened to end his already jeopardized tennis career. Breaking Back tells the story of the tumultous year that followed these three devastating events, detailing how Blake persevered through hardship to become one of the best tennis players in the world. Here Blake explains how the wisdom and words that his father imparted to him over the years gave him the ability to succeed in the face of these seemingly insurmountable odds. Though these trials proved the most difficult of his life, ultimately this trifecta of tragedy became the culmination of all his father's lessons, showing Blake that even in death, his father was still teaching him how to be a man. In the spirit of Lance Armstrong's It's Not About the Bike and Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking comes this remarkable tale of strength and determination from one of tennis's biggest stars. A story of passion, willpower, and the unbreakable bonds between a father and a son, Breaking Back is one athlete's account of finding hope in the bleakest of times. |
From inside the book
... 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 ...
... 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 ...
... match's end , as prior to that every minute had been consumed by the standing - room - only press conference and the ... match as he was . What made that match even more frustrating was that I had won the first set , but after he won 18 ...
Contents
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 |
Fire It Up One Time Bam | 203 |
Getting Better | 241 |