Tennis Collectables

Compilation & Miscellaneous Biographies

This section is listed in alphabetic order of title. See also the sections  Biographies Of Tennis Players - Men and  Biographies Of Tennis Players - Women for biographies/portraits of individual players.

All books are British hardback editions without dustwrapper (D/W) unless otherwise stated. A description of the condition of each book is given using the following terms/abbreviations:
Mint - as new; VG - very good condition; Good - obviously used but complete with no major faults; Ex library - from a public or school library and may contain the occasional stamp or label but in many cases this is the only indication.

As stock is continually changing please email Tennis Collectables with a list of the item(s) you are interested in, and which country you are based in. We will then get back to you with details of postage costs. All prices include postage within the UK; overseas customers will be charged postage – it costs around $6 to send an average hardback book by Priority Airmail to the USA. We can accept payment by PayPal, Sterling cheques and Postal Orders, and International Money Orders in sterling.

AUSTRALIANS IN SPORT - EDITED BY JANE BARNABY. Cassell; 1974 1^st Australian Edition; 116 pages. Biographies of 10 top Australian sports men and women. Includes 11 page feature on Norman Brookes 'The Knight Of Tennis' and 9 page feature on Margaret Smith 'A Battle With Nerves'. Each illustrated with line drawings and full page colour picture. Aimed at the younger reader. Also includes Jack Brabham, Don Bradman, Hubert Opperman, Percy Cerutty, Stuart McKenzie, Betty Cuthbert, Dawn Fraser and Lionel Rose.
VG £10.00 (approx $17.00)

BORG, CONNORS, VILAS: LES CANNIBALES - FRANCIS HAEDENS & BERNARD PASCUITO. Calmann-Levy; 1978 1^st French Softcover Edition; 126 pages. French language book which looks at three tennis greats - Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors and Guillermo Vilas with lots of b&w photos of them.
VG (Ex library copy with only 2 small ink stamps and clear protective film over the cover) £20.00 (approx $34.00)

BORG VERSUS MCENROE: THE GREATEST RIVALRY THE GREATEST MATCH - MALCOLM FOLLEY. Headline; 2005 1st Edition; 214 pages. A look at the professional rivalry between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, which was encapsulated in their epic 1980 Wimbledon Final. 16 pages of b&w photos.
Mint in Mint D/W £17.50 (approx $29.75)
VG in VG D/W (Ex library; front endpaper removed; inkstamp on title page) £6.00 (approx $10.20)


COVERING THE COURT - AL LANEY. Simon & Schuster; 1968 1st US Edition; 285 pages. The memoirs of the American tennis journalist Al Laney covering his reminiscences of the players and matches he has seen from the 1914 Davis Cup Challenge round through to the inception of Open Tennis.
VG in edgeworn D/W £22.50 (approx $38.25)
VG in edgeworn D/W (Ex library copy with usual ink stamps and ticket holder) £12.50 (approx $21.25)

CROSS COURT - WIMBLEDON THE FUTURE AT RISK - BOB JENKINS. Arthur Barker; 1986 1st Edition; 160 pages. This biography of the controversial former top umpire contains his views on the tennis establishment and why Britain has not produced top ten men players in recent years.
VG in edgeworn D/W £8.50 (approx $14.45)

FAME - EUGENE SCOTT. Tennis Week; US Edition. A photo compilation of the tennis figures inducted into the Tennis International Hall Of Fame from its establishment in 1955. Has photo of each plus brief biography and their major career titles.
Pam Shriver on front of D/W; 144 pages; covers 1955-2002; Near Mint in Near Mint D/W £25.00 (approx $42.50)
Martina Navratilova on front of D/W; 128 pages; covers 1955-1999 plus details of the 2000 Inductees on D/W; Near Mint in Near Mint D/W £25.00 (approx $42.50)
John McEnroe on front of D/W; 128 pages; covers 1955-1999; Near Mint in Near Mint D/W £25.00 (approx $42.50)


FAMOUS TENNIS PLAYERS - TRENT FRAYNE. Dodd Mead; 1977 1st US Edition; 192 pages. Biographical portraits of 14 all time greats - Tilden, French Musketeers, Perry, Budge, Riggs, Kramer, Gonzales, Laver, Ashe, Nastase, Borg and Connors.
VG in VG D/W £12.50 (approx $21.25)


FAMOUS WOMEN TENNIS PLAYERS - TRENT FRAYNE. Dodd Mead; 1979 1st US Edition; 223 pages. Biographical portraits of 12 all time greats - Lenglen, Wills, Jacobs, Marble, Connolly, Court, Gibson, Wade, Goolagong, King, Evert and Navratilova.
VG in VG D/W £12.50 (approx $21.25)


GALLERY OF CHAMPIONS - HELEN HULL JACOBS. Alvin Redman; 1951 1st UK Edition; 224 pages. 15 chapters on the greats of the women's game - Lenglen, Wills, Sperling, Marble, Round, Mallory, Betz, Mathieu, Aussem. Palfrey, Lizana, Brough, Osborne, Nuthall, Scriven.
Good in very worn/torn/repaired D/W (front flap of D/W missing) BOOK SIGNED ON FRONT ENDPAPER BY VETERAN BBC COMMENTATOR MAX ROBERTSON;  MAX ROBERTSON’S BOOKPLATE ON FRONT PASTEDOWN £20.00
       
VG in worn & internally repaired D/W £17.50 (approx $29.75)

GREAT WOMEN TENNIS PLAYERS - OWEN DAVIDSON & C M JONES. Pelham; 1971 1st Edition; 142 pages. Portraits of 14 great female players - Chambers, d'Alvarez, Lenglen, Jacobs, Wills, Round, Marble, Hart, Connolly, Bueno, Jones, Court.
VG in VG D/W £15.00 (approx $25.50)
VG in edgeworn D/W £12.50 (approx $21.25)

LAWN TENNIS: THE GREAT ONES - OWEN DAVIDSON WITH C M JONES. Pelham; 1970 1^st Edition; 160 pages. Portraits of the great men players of the game with chapters on Tilden, Borotra, Cochet, Lacoste, Vines, Perry, Budge, Kramer, Gonzales, Sedgman, Hoad, Emerson, Rosewall and Laver. B&W photographs.
VG in VG D/W £12.50 (approx $21.25)

LE TENNIS FEMININ FRANCAIS – VINCENT COGNET, ROMAIN LEFEBVRE & PHILIPPE MARIA. Editions de Stade; 1999 1^st French Softcover Edition; 160 pages. French language book with portraits of France’s top female players – Mary Pierce, Sandrine Testud, Nathalie Tauziat, Amelie Mauresmo, Julie Halard plus the ‘legendary’ players including Suzanne Lenglen, Simone Mathieu, Francoise Durr. Also looks at the world’s current top players and the Grand Slam events of 1999. Many colour photos.
VG (light creasing to covers) £25.00 (approx $42.50)

LEVELS OF THE GAME - JOHN MCPHEE. Macdonald; 1970 1^st UK Edition; 150 pages. An analysis of the games of Arthur Ashe and Clark Graebner as demonstrated in their US Open semi-final match of 1968. Much biographical detail of both players.
VG in edgeworn D/W (small area of surface damage to D/W) £12.50 (approx $21.25)


LOVE THIRTY - REX BELLAMY. Simon & Schuster; 1990 1st Edition; 210 pages. Short biographies and assessments of 30 top champions from the last 3 decades - Gonzales, Rosewall, Emerson, Santana, Laver, Jones, Court, Ashe, King, Newcombe, Wade, Kodes, Nastase, Panatta, Goolagong, Vilas, Connors, Evert, Borg, Navratilova, McEnroe, Lendl, Mandlikova, Mecir, Wilander, Edberg, Becker, Graf, Sanchez, Chang.
Good in Good D/W (ex library copy with usual ink stamps and remains of labels) £7.50 (approx $12.75)
1992 Softcover Edition; VG £10.00 (approx $17.00)


QUEENS OF THE COURT - GEORGE SULLIVAN. Dodd Mead; 1974 1^st US Edition; 111 pages. Profiles of the Tennis Queens - Court, King, Evert, Goolagong, Casals and Wade in a book aimed at the younger reader. Gives tournament results, playing styles, personal qualities and court attitudes of each of the players. Many photographs.
VG in edgeworn D/W  £20.00 (approx $34.00)
VG in VG D/W (Ex library with small inkstamps and surface damage to end papers where labels removed) £12.50 (approx $21.25)

THE RIVALS: CHRIS EVERT VERSUS MARTINA NAVRATILOVA – JOHNETTE HOWARD. Yellow Jersey Press; 2005 1^st Edition; 296 pages. An examination of the careers of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova and their close friendship despite the fierce competition in the 80 matches they played. 16 pages of b&w photos. A fascinating look at the womens tennis tour in the 1970s and 1980s.
VG in lightly edgeworn D/W £17.50 (approx $29.75)
VG in edgeworn D/W £12.50 (approx $21.25)


STOP TALKING AND GIVE THE SCORE - MAX ROBERTSON. Kingswood; 1987 1st Edition; 164 pages. The biography of the man probably best known for his high-speed Wimbledon commentaries on BBC Radio.
VG in VG D/W £12.50 (approx $21.25)

SUPERSTARS OF MEN'S TENNIS - PAULA EDELSON. Chelsea House; 19981st US Edition; 63 pages. Biographical material on Tilden, The Musketeers, Perry, Budge, Kramer, Riggs, Gonzales, Rosewall, Laver, Newcombe, Ashe, Connors, Borg, McEnroe, Becker, Agassi and Sampras. With B&W photos this book is aimed at children.
Mint £20.00 (approx $34.00)

SUPERSTARS OF WOMEN’S TENNIS – ELLEN MILES. Aladdin; 2000 1^st US Softcover Edition; 32  pages. Biographies of Martina Hingis, Serena & Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles and Anna Kournikova. Looks back at Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova’s rivalry, and Steffi Graf. With large colour photos this book is aimed at children.
Mint £12.50 (approx $21.25)

SUPERSTARS OF WOMEN'S TENNIS - MARTIN SCHWABACHER. Chelsea House; 1997 1st US Edition; 64 pages. Biographies of Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles. With B&W photos this book is aimed at children.
Mint £20.00 (approx $34.00)


TENNIS PERSONALITIES - HARRY HOPMAN. Colorgravure; 1952 Australian Softcover Edition; 32 pages. This is Harry Hopman's illustrated survey of the world's leading players past and present. Includes a section on Australia's defence of the Davis Cup in 1952.
VG £17.50 (approx $25.50)


WIMBLEDON TENNIS STARS - TONY LYNCH. Hippo Books; 1988 1st Softcover Edition; 48 pages. Facts, figures and photographs of the top players in a large format book. Includes Becker, Cash, Connors, Edberg, Evert, Graf, Lendl, McEnroe, Navratilova and Sabatini. Scarce.
VG £10.00 (approx $17.00)


WINNING MEN OF TENNIS - NATHAN AASENG. Lerner Publications; 1981 1st US Edition; 80 pages. Biographies of Tilden, Gonzales, Laver, Ashe, Connors, Borg, Vilas, McEnroe. Aimed at the younger reader. Many black and white photographs.
VG (ex library with front endpaper removed plus usual inkstamps) £7.50 (approx $12.75)

WINNING WOMEN OF TENNIS - NATHAN AASENG. Lerner Publications; 1981 1st US Edition (second printing); 80 pages. Biographies of Wills, Gibson, Court, King, Evert, Cawley, Navratilova and Austin.
VG (ex library with ink stamps and corner of fep clipped) £12.50 (approx $21.25)

WOMEN IN SPORTS: TENNIS - MARION MEADE. Harvey House; 1975 1st US Edition; 78 pages. Biographies of Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals, Chris Evert, Evonne Cawley and Margaret Court and their contribution to professional tennis. Aimed at the younger reader.
VG £25.00 (approx $42.50)

WOMEN OF SPORTS THE BEST OF THE BEST IN TENNIS - RACHEL RUTLEDGE. Millbrook; 1998 1st US Edition; 64 pages. The author profiles the top female players - Davenport, Graf, Hingis, Kournikova, Pierce, Sanchez, Seles and the Williams sisters. Aimed at the younger reader a short chapter is devoted to each player containing biography, career highlights and colour photos. Martina Hingis on cover.
Mint £12.50 (approx $21.25)


WOMEN WHO WIN - FRANCENE SABIN. Random House; 1975 1st US Edition; 171 pages. Biographies of 14 American sportswomen including Billie Jean King.
VG in VG D/W (Ex library copy with usual ink stamp and ticket holder) £12.50 (approx $21.25)