"Roger Federer is the most beautiful and balletic player I've ever seen. In this entertaining and deeply researched book, Christopher Clarey, the top tennis writer of today, tells the story of how Federer became one of our sport's greatest champions and how much harder it was than he made it look."—Billie Jean King, former World No. 1 professional tennis player
“Style married with substance. Heft married with levity. Polished, detail-oriented, executed with grace. Roger Federer gets the biography he deserves.”—L. Jon Wertheim, Sports Illustrated executive editor and bestselling author of THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON SPORTS
"Roger Federer plays tennis like Michelangelo painted: every stroke is perfection, the end result a masterpiece. Christopher Clarey captured just that."—Martina Navratilova, former World No. 1 professional tennis player
"Christopher Clarey is a rare combination: the consummate insider with an objective lens. With THE MASTER, he delivers a deep and enlightening view of Roger’s life and career that sports fans will be parsing for decades.”—Jim Courier, former world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam singles champion
"An iconic master in his own field, Christopher Clarey is the perfect writer to wrap up the gift that is Roger Federer's career. You're not going to get a better look into his life, personality, and character. Christopher got close but not too close to Roger to compromise his perspective on this great champion. He shows sides and layers of Roger through conversations and stories that we have never been privy to before. I have deep respect for Christopher's fair and thoughtful journalism."—Chris Evert, American former world No. 1 tennis player and winner of 18 Grand Slam singles championships
"Christopher Clarey follows Roger Federer from insecure teen to mature champion who takes his family with him on the road and loves visiting new places. It takes a master to know a master. Among the many highlights of this valuable biography: informed glimpses of other great stars in Federer’s long career."—George Vecsey, New York Times sports columnist and bestselling author of MARTINA and LORETTA LYNN: COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER
"Perhaps no athletic figure of the past half century has so thoroughly captured the imagination of the worldwide public quite like Roger Federer. In this compelling book, the cerebral Christopher Clarey takes us behind the scenes to examine Federer across the board and up close as a man of deep sensitivity, a champion of singular creativity and a transcendent sports figure."—Steve Flink, leading tennis historian and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, author of THE GREATEST TENNIS MATCH OF ALL TIME
“With the same elegance and excellence that defined Roger Federer’s great career, Christopher Clarey has chronicled the making of a legend. THE MASTER is a truly enjoyable deep dive into the qualities that set Federer apart from the rest.”—Mike Tirico, host of NBC Sports
"Christopher Clarey, the longtime tennis correspondent for the New York Times and International Herald Tribune, has crafted a treat not just for Roger Federer fans, but for tennis aficionados who revel in behind-the-scenes details of life on the tour, strategy on the court and the evolution of a tennis star. From his various conversations with and about Federer over more than 20 years covering him, Clarey zeroes in on the formative places, people and matches in Federer’s journey to the top. Through his coaches, his friends, his rivals, his idols, and Federer himself, THE MASTER travels the world creating time capsules for a golden era of tennis."—Naila-Jean Meyers, former New York Times tennis editor
"Magnificent. THE MASTER is awash in absorbing stories, history and assimilation, and the kind of insider insights that only Chris Clarey could provide. His words are as elegant and graceful as his subject."—Mary Carillo, Olympic correspondent and tennis analyst, NBC Sports
"THE MASTER is a book we’ve been waiting for, for years. Clarey on Federer. A perfect match. The writer who for decades has documented Federer’s artistry with lyricism and insightfulness owed us this definitive portrait. But it is far from an anthology of Clarey’s greatest Federer hits. It instead delights with new revelations and fresh thoughts, from a writer uniquely qualified to deliver them. THE MASTER demonstrates clearly the mastery of both subject and author."—Jeremy Schaap, host of E:60 and Outside the Lines
“A deeply reported and researched portrait of one of the greatest tennis players ever...A fine work of sports journalism, well worthy of its estimable subject.”—Kirkus
“Few writers could capture the evolution of Roger Federer’s ascent to the top of his sport from his start at age eight with more clarity and vision than New York Times tennis correspondent Clarey...A must-read for devoted tennis fans and everyone interested in athletes and the sports world.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“New York Times tennis correspondent Christopher Clarey makes the most of more than 20 years of journalistic access to Federer across six continents—experiences that include waiting for him in a chauffeured car outside a packed stadium match near Buenos Aires, tagging along on an early-morning private flight out of the California desert, brunching with the star before panoramic views of Lake Zurich."—The Washington Post
“Deeply reported and crisply written…it’s a treat for those who love the sport and the men and women who play it at its demanding best.”—Wall Street Journal
08/01/2021
Although many articles have been written about tennis champ Roger Federer (b. 1981), this new biography could easily become the definitive book-length treatment. Sports journalist Clarey (the New York Times tennis correspondent) takes readers inside Federer's world and provides a fascinating, complete portrait of the athlete that clearly demonstrates how and why he has become a tennis superstar. Readers will get a front-row seat, with play-by-play calls, to some of Federer's most historic matches, both exhilarating and agonizing. Clarey also offers a glimpse inside Federer's mind, showing how his relationships (with family, friends, etc.) have cemented his being called, by many, the most complete tennis player in modern history. Clarey has won awards for his reporting and his even-handed coverage of sports, earning him the trust of many modern sports figures; his well-researched work is based on a number of candid interviews with current and former tennis stars who have competed against Federer throughout his extensive career, among other primary sources. VERDICT This comprehensive portrait will thrill tennis fans and will also draw in and capture readers unfamiliar with Federer or professional tennis. An essential addition to sports and biography collections.—Steve Dixon, State Univ. of New York, Delhi
2021-06-01
A deeply reported and researched portrait of one of the greatest tennis players ever.
Clarey, a veteran tennis writer for the New York Times and International Herald Tribune, has interviewed Roger Federer many times in the past three decades. One of his subject’s most striking qualities is “that he will ask about you first and not in a perfunctory manner: inquiring about your own journey to this particular place, your own perceptions of the tournament, the country, the people.” That fundamental empathy and courtesy, Clarey later adds, makes Federer a born politician in the best sense—a fine attribute given that he is now deeply engaged in philanthropic work in South Africa. But Federer will be remembered foremost as a tennis player, and Clarey paints an incisive portrait of the abilities that made him a star: intentionality, focus, and attention. “Federer is widely perceived as a natural,” writes the author,” and yet he is a meticulous planner who has learned to embrace routine and self-discipline, plotting out his schedule well in advance and in considerable detail.” This is all the more remarkable because Federer is essentially his own manager, though he was well trained over the years by coaches who helped him become more analytical. The biographical rundown is by-the-numbers but cliché-free. Of more interest is Clarey’s framing of Federer’s career in the context of his competition. “When Federer emerged,” he writes, “the best players of the previous generation—Agassi and Sampras—were aging or in decline.” No such luck for Federer, for hot on his heels came Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, a triumvirate vying for the title of best tennis player of all time. “Federer versus Nadal has been the contemporary rivalry that attracted the most attention inside and outside tennis,” writes Clarey, “but Djokovic versus Nadal has been the most contested with Djokovic versus Federer close behind.” By his lights, it’s the last that’s the most meaningful.
A fine work of sports journalism, well worthy of its estimable subject.
Roger Federer’s elegant tennis appears effortless; Christopher Clarey digs deeper to expose the work, grit, training, and supporting cast at the heart of Federer’s beautiful game. Clarey has interviewed Federer many times, along with many of his rivals, coaches, and family members. Narrator Kiff VandenHeuval does a fine job of keeping the listener engaged in the rallies through five-set matches, gut- wrenching losses (let’s be honest, if you’re listening, you’re a fan, and you always wanted Federer to win), and a drama-free personal life. Federer, who is famously calm, once struggled with his temper as he cursed and smashed rackets. While VandenHeuval’s energy and enthusiasm are impeccable, his shaky accents that don’t match real people and occasional mispronunciations of some peripheral characters’ names take some getting used to. A.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Roger Federer’s elegant tennis appears effortless; Christopher Clarey digs deeper to expose the work, grit, training, and supporting cast at the heart of Federer’s beautiful game. Clarey has interviewed Federer many times, along with many of his rivals, coaches, and family members. Narrator Kiff VandenHeuval does a fine job of keeping the listener engaged in the rallies through five-set matches, gut- wrenching losses (let’s be honest, if you’re listening, you’re a fan, and you always wanted Federer to win), and a drama-free personal life. Federer, who is famously calm, once struggled with his temper as he cursed and smashed rackets. While VandenHeuval’s energy and enthusiasm are impeccable, his shaky accents that don’t match real people and occasional mispronunciations of some peripheral characters’ names take some getting used to. A.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
