{"product_id":"9780241998076","title":"PRE-ORDER NOW The Racket : On Tour with Tennis?s Golden Generation ? and the other 99% by Conor Niland","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003e PRE-ORDER NOW - Published: 03\/03\/2026 \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhen\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eConor Niland\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003ewas 16, he got the chance to hit with Serena Williams at Nick Bollettieri's famed tennis academy. Conor, the Irish junior number one, was feeling a bit homesick. Serena, also 16, already owned her own house beside the academy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Conor Niland knows what it's like when Roger Federer walks into the dressing room (\u003ci\u003e'Ciao, bonjour, hello!'\u003c\/i\u003e), and he has had the exquisitely terrible experience of facing Novak Djokovic in the world's biggest tennis stadium - while suffering from food poisoning. But he never reached the very top. \u003ci\u003eThe Racket\u003c\/i\u003e is the story of pro tennis's 99%: the players who roam the globe in hope of climbing the rankings and squeaking into the Grand Slam tournaments. It brings us into a world where a few dozen super-rich players - travelling with coaches and physios - share a stage with lonely touring pros whose earnings barely cover their expenses.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Painting a vivid picture of the social dynamics on tour, the economics of the game, and the shadows cast by gambling and doping, \u003ci\u003eThe Racket \u003c\/i\u003eis a witty and revealing underdog's memoir and a unique look inside a fascinating hidden world.   \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56367918973301,"sku":"9780241998076","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780241998076_9870ab06-d042-406a-a037-7824e28cddde.jpg?v=1763548247","url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/9780241998076","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}