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 6-8 of 8
... felt. My situation was what it was. I was at the end of 2003 without a second title, a ranking that was moving in the wrong direction, and enough regrets to last a lifetime. That year, as I flew home for Christmas, was the first time ...
... felt at home because our mother is British by birth, and so for the past two years, my parents had come over for the tournament. This time, however, my mom made the trip alone, with plans to visit relatives afterward. I lost in the ...
... felt, a bad idea. He was renegotiating my Nike contract, which was up for renewal, and also fielding interest from other possible sponsors. Besides contributing to my prominence in the tennis world, I had been signed with IMG's modeling ...
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 |