By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
What would the tennis landscape look like if Novak Djokovic decided to quit tennis after winning only one major singles title?
That could have been the case if Djokovic, now the all-time leader in men’s singles major championships with 24, had followed through with thoughts of quitting the sport after losing a heartbreaking quarterfinal match against Jurgen Melzer of Austria in 2010. The following is the excerpt from my book “On This Day In Tennis History” (for sale and download and available as an audio book here: https://a.co/d/0I6uKgb) that describes the scenario
June 2, 2010 – Jurgen Melzer of Austria comes back from two sets down to upset No. 3-ranked Novak Djokovic 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the French Open. Says Melzer, “I told myself, ‘It’s my first quarter-finals in my life in a Grand Slam, just don’t go away. Just don’t make it easy for him. Fight as much as you can’” The loss is so devastating to Djokovic that he nearly considers quitting the sport, as he would reveal 10 years later to Sky Sport Italia saying, “In 2010 I lost to Melzer in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. I cried after being knocked out. It was a bad moment, I wanted to quit tennis because all I saw was black. It was a transformation, because after that defeat I freed myself. I had won in Australia in 2008, I was number three in the world, but I wasn’t happy. I knew I could do more, but I lost the most important matches against (Roger) Federer and (Rafa) Nadal. From that moment I took the pressure off myself, I started playing more aggressively. That was the turning point.”
Some background information on my “On This Day In Tennis History” book can be found below…
Written by Randy Walker, the sports marketing and media specialist, tennis historian and former U.S. Tennis Association press officer, ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY ($19.95, 528 pages), is a fun and fact-filled compilation that offers anniversaries, summaries, and anecdotes of events from the world of tennis for every day in the calendar year. Presented in a day-by-day format, the entries into this mini-encyclopedia include major tournament victory dates, summaries of the greatest matches ever played, trivia, and statistics as well as little-known and quirky happenings. Easy-to-use and packed with fascinating details, the book is the perfect companion for tennis and general sports fans alike and is an excellent gift idea for the holiday season. On This Day In Tennis History is available for purchase via on-line book retailers and in bookstores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Said Hall of Famer Jim Courier of the book, “On This Day In Tennis History is a fun read that chronicles some of the most important—and unusual—moments in the annals of tennis. Randy Walker is an excellent narrator of tennis history and has done an incredible job of researching and compiling this entertaining volume.” Said tennis historian Joel Drucker, author of Jimmy Connors Saved My Life, “An addictive feast that you can enjoy every possible way—dipping in for various morsels, devouring it day-by-day, or selectively finding essential ingredients. As a tennis writer, I will always keep this book at the head of my table.” Said Bill Mountford, former Director of Tennis of the USTA National Tennis Center, “On This Day In Tennis History is an easy and unique way to absorb the greatest—and most quirky—moments in tennis history. It’s best read a page a day!”
Walker is a writer, tennis historian and freelance publicist and sports marketer. A 12-year veteran of the U.S. Tennis Association’s Marketing and Communications Division, he served as the press officer for the U.S. Davis Cup team from 1997 to 2005 and for the U.S. Olympic tennis teams in 1996, 2000 and 2004. He also served as the long-time editor of the U.S. Open Record Book during his tenure at the USTA from 1993 to 2005.
New Chapter Press is also the publisher of the newly updated second edition of “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli, “Acing Depression” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “The Lennon Prophecy” by Joe Niezgoda, “Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Susan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin, among others. Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press is an independent publisher of books and part of the Independent Publishers Group. More information can be found at www.NewChapterMedia.com.
