Rating: 
Summary: An addictive guilty pleasure of a book
Review: When I got this book, I couldn't put it down. If you have any interest in women's tennis, you must read this book. There is more behind-the-scene information in it than you can get from any television broadcast. It's fascinating to hear about all the locker room activities. It's so much like high school with all of the cliques: the popular girls, the wannabees, the rookies, the pretty girl everyone hates. So interesting. Interesting profiles on all the major players. Yet this book goes beyond gossip and give the casual tennis fan an insight beyond game-set-match. Tour politics. Money. Tournaments. A great look at the year in Tennis. The anecdotal style makes for an easy read. The book went by so quickly, it could have been 100 pages longer and not gotten stale.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining Fluff
Review: While the early round matches of a women's tennis tournament typically don't offer much in the way of drama and entertainment, the ladies' off-court escapades very often do. Sports Illustrated tennis writer Jon Wertheim captures some of the sideshow element of the women's professional tour in this relatively brief account of the 2000 season. Hardcore fans of the WTA may find much of this a rehash, but I think that most readers will gain a little insight into what goes on behind the scenes. To his credit, Wortheim did not set out to produce a sensationalized 'expose.' There are some unseemly aspects of the sport revealed, true, but unlike some of the reviewers here I didn't feel that the book was "trashy." Most of the players receive fair and balanced treatment, with the possible exception of Anna Kournikova. (The author has almost nothing positive to say about her. Is that the result of bias, or is it just accurate reporting? You decide...) One enlightenment that many readers will glean from the pages of the book is that the Williams sisters are not even close to being the most 'cocky' or 'arrogant' players on the tour. (Martina Hingis beats them hands down in that department) Still, I felt that Wortheim tried to present some positive aspects of the player's personalities along with the warts. (Notable exception mentioned above) Wortheim may not be an 'expert' in terms of analyzing playing styles, technique, etc. (as those of us who've read his CNN/SI "Mailbag" over the years know); but he does have an insider's perspective on the personal and business side of the sport. He combines that perspective with an enjoyable writing style to produce an entertaining light read. (Although I have to concur with some of the other reviewers regarding the sloppy editing--Jon, next time use spellcheck!) ;-) It's a fluff piece, but it's well-written fluff.
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