Court of Thorns and Roses

From the Publisher:

The remarkable life of Jimmy Connors, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, is chronicled in this candid and unflinching autobiography. Connors rose from humble beginnings to become a world-renowned athlete, playing a game of tennis that was legendary for its intensity and flamboyance.

In The Outsider, Connors tells the complete, unvarnished story of his life and career, won 8 Grand Slam singles titles, 2 Davis Cups, and 109 career singles titles. Connors' play was marred by on-court disputes and personal feuds, but he was one of the great ambassadors of his sport, known for his playstyle and tenacity.

Connors offers an honest, thoughtful, and beautifully written account of his life on and off the court, from his working-class upbringing in East St. Louis to his runaway success and painful losses later in life. Uncompromising and forthright, Connors holds nothing back as he takes the reader on a journey through his incredible tennis career and personal life, including his often turbulent relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners.

Throughout The Outsider, Connors reveals the secret sustained anger that fueled his play, the refusal to conform that led to his clashes with the tennis establishment, and he chronicles his long and sometimes erratic battle with depression. Connors' run at the top of the game is the stuff of legend: Cable TV audiences sat glued to their sets as the young Connors won Wimbledon in 1974 and the U.S. Open in 1974, 1976, 1978, and 1983, playing with a style and determination that was all his own.

But it is Connors' life away from tennis, with all of its emotional highs and lows, that will appeal to readers. Connors' refugee mother, his 2 marriages, his 3 children, and his long-running rivalry with John McEnroe are all chronicled with the same unabashed honesty. Connors reveals the intimate details of his life, including his alleged romantic entanglement with Chris Evert, and he chronicles his struggles with depression and addiction.

Never before has an active tennis player told his story with such blunt and uncompromising honesty. The Outsider is a grand slam - a no-holds-barred memoir that is as revealing as it is entertaining. It's the perfect book for anyone who loves the game of tennis or anyone who wants to know what makes a champion tick.

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