Tennis Book Review
April 2018

I Hate My Doubles Partner!! The 24 Most Annoying Partners to Get Stuck with on the Tennis Court Yuriko Knoblich with Kelly Schwartz & Janet Kolbu Illustrated by Maria Rosetti Reviewed by Rich Neher On Amazon (Paperback)

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Who wrote this book? Yuriko Knoblich "Yuriko is that little Asian lady who knows her tennis. Born in Japan, she came to the U.S. as a child, and found tennis at age 19. Yuriko has a lot of history on the courts. She started out as a singles player, competing on the national level, obtaining her highest doubles ranking (#2) in 2002 & 2008. As a lefty and (almost) 5 ft. tall she developed a style of playing that's both smart and beautiful. She has been teaching tennis for over 40 years, specializing in doubles strategy. Her students love her passion for the game, and are eager to learn from her... even when she yells and screams at them!" . Kelly Schwartz Kelly Schwartz is a proofreader and copyeditor for the RAND Corporation and the Milken Institute. She has edited books for Jack Silvers, M.D. (Biopsies of the Bible) and William Sears, M.D. (The Astaxanthin Effect). Formerly, she was editor of the Brentwood Bla Bla, a local magazine circa late-1980s. She lives in Santa Monica, California.? Janet Kolbu A bookkeeper by trade, and a tennis player on her way back from double hip replacement, Janet has known Yuriko for about ten years, has worked with her on the court, and has partnered with her in matches. Janet is currently a USTA Local League Coordinator in the Los Angeles area, has captained several teams, and has written stories about those matches over the years.. Maria Rosetti As an animator for Walt Disney Feature Animation, Maria Rosetti developed a whimsical style capturing movement and emotion. Her illustrations can be seen in greeting cards, CD jackets and children's book illustrations, such as the award-winning series, "Beethoven's Wig." The moment she met Yuriko she knew she had found a unique character that would inspire a tennis book! She presently spends her time painting and illustrating in Pacific Palisades, California and in Whitefish, Montana with her husband Gennaro and Wally, her very naughty Havanese pup. What's on the back cover? Are you a Ball Hog? No? How about a Whiner? Maybe an Airhead. You've probably played with a few of these 24 personalities on the tennis court, and maybe you caan see a little of yourself in one or two. Yuriko gives tips on how to play with them after expressing her hatred for them! How does the author describe her book? What kind of doubles partner are you? Chances are, you are annoying in some way. In Yuriko's book, you can learn how to deal with some of the most annyoing doubles partners, and how you can become one of the best partners on the court.   What do others say about the book? I Hate My Doubles Partner is so funny you'll be gasping for air. It's amazing how many of the annoying doubles partners you'll recognize--perhaps even yourself. Even though this is a comical book, there are so many tidbits of strategy woven throughout it, I don't know anyone who plays doubles who shouldn't read this! Christine Steele This is a cute little book with lovely illustrations and so much truth about the tennis characters. The personalities are described with great humor and portray the different kinds of players really well. The illustrations are amazing and make you smile. I am a singles player who plays doubles here and there and I can definitely recognize myself in many of the characters. Reading about my "issues" makes me laugh. The book is a quick read, but you will return to it just to entertain yourself after a frustrating tennis match. It is a great gift for your fellow players as well. Suzanna McGee She hits the right note in this delightful book. Who has not been stiffed with a Trojan Horse partner? You know the type; they open the city gates to the enemy. A partner who, for example: plays like a hostile zombie WITH you, but AGAINST you competes like a demon - the very picture of a warrior! When they are on my side of the net, they lunge into my path and pull me off my shot. But then, they freeze solid in times when they should move. With partners like them, who needs opponents? Jim Ballance This book was both inspirational and funny. Tennis players will identify with all the social issues doubles players encounter. I highly recommend this book for tennis players, and the illustrations were terrific! Patricia Scruggs What did I get out of reading this book? When I saw the title of this book last month I had to laugh. Why? Because the previous month I reviewed a book for TENNIS CLUB BUSINESS titled I Love My Doubles Partners. Obviously, two different ways to look at the game of doubles tennis from a certain tennis playing author's perspective. One thing both have in common, though. Both books include great instructional elements. I Hate My Doubles Partner!! is attractive for me because I read an author who obviously has no problems making fun of herself in the process of making fun of others. At (almost) 5 ft. I can only imagine her stony road to tennis excellence vis-a-vis players and partners that are up to a foot taller or more. In my life as a doubles player, I have seen quite a few "little Asian ladies" that you easily underestimate. When you're beginning to realize your mistake it is often too late. You lose. I love the illustrations in this book. Maria Rosetti was able to capture the essence of the situation and mood quite beautifully and her portrayals of Yuriko are hilarious. Here is one example of Yuriko's style in a situation I found myself in with a similar partner last week. THE KNOCKOUT PUNCHER "I hate my doubles partner because she overhits every ball. Who needs a knockout punch for every shot? Where's the variety? Where's the brains behind the brawn? The harder she drives the ball, the harder it comes back. If she'd only throw in a slice or two to take them out of their comfort zone, we could stay in the point. Now, it's 15-40. We really need this point. But I'm wincing at the net because I know what's coming. When the ball floats back over the net, I can hear her charging forward with thunderous stomps. She's going to show them how hard she can hit that ball. And she does, right into the fence. She needs to rein in and be aware of the score. If she continues to go for the kill on every point, I'll remind her that Over-Hitters Anonymous is saving a seat for her. Tip: Ask her to try some off-speed shots." Quite funny. And I can relate. I used to be a regular at "Under-Hitter Anonymous." :-) I can recommend I Hate My Doubles Partner!! as a terrific read, not only for USTA League players...