“ATP Confidential” Reveals Secrets of the Stars

Coffee table book will feature popular ATPtennis.com player blogs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alison S. Kim
akim@atptennis.com

10/09/06 - Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S.A. – Building on the overwhelming popularity of the ATPtennis.com player blogs, the ATP will produce a coffee table book featuring posts made by the world's leading tennis players this season. “ATP Confidential: Behind the Scenes with the World's Greatest Tennis Players” will showcase the personalities of the game's biggest stars, including tennis’ 1-2 punch of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Pre-orders of “ATP Confidential,” priced at $24.99, are now available at www.ATPtennis.com and www.Tennis-Warehouse.com. The books will be available in early December for the holidays.
“ATP Confidential” provides an insider’s look at life on the professional tennis circuit from tour stops on five different continents. The 176-page book opens with Ivan Ljubicic ringing in 2006 at the players’ party in Chennai and concludes with this week’s blogs from popular Russian Marat Safin (posting from Moscow) and doubles superstar Jonas Bjorkman (posting from Stockholm, where he’s teaming with John McEnroe). The book also features a special blog tribute to Andre Agassi, written by tennis’ top journalists at the US Open.
Dmitry Tursunov’s tales from Estoril, which earned the Russian newfound stardom, is a centerpiece of “ATP Confidential.” Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim writes in the book foreword: “Tursunov’s six-piece opus was an instant cult hit, a boundlessly entertaining, LOL funny mix of wit and insight that pulled back the curtain on professional tennis.
“Not that Tursunov was the only member of the ATP workforce to show he’s mastered back slashes as well as backhands. From Rafael Nadal expounding on the virtues of PlayStation, to the Bryan Brothers offering their tips for stealing the Wimbledon towels, to Roger Federer’s toilet fascination (don’t ask), the blogs are full of inside dope from tennis’ ultimate insiders. But they underscore an essential humanity as well. Winning and losing, exhilaration and agony, camaraderie and solitude are discussed with real candor and thoughtfulness.”
Nine of the blogs were written by players who proceeded to capture a title during their online stint, including Federer this past week from Tokyo, Nadal from Roland Garros, Ljubicic, James Blake, Tommy Robredo and the No. 1 doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan.
“These blogs offer fans such great insight into the players’ lives that we would have been disappointed to have them all just disappear into cyberspace,” said David Higdon, ATP Senior VP, Communications. “ATP Confidential perfectly showcases the diversity and unique personalities of the game’s best players.”
”ATP Confidential” will be published by Skies America, which also publishes DEUCE, the official magazine of the ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.
Media Contact:
ATPtennis.com: Paul Macpherson, pmacpherson@atptennis.com, +1-904-285-8000

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