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  • The Master

  • The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer
  • Written by: Christopher Clarey
  • Narrated by: Kiff VandenHeuvel
  • Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (10 ratings)

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The Master

Written by: Christopher Clarey
Narrated by: Kiff VandenHeuvel
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Publisher's Summary

A major biography of the greatest men's tennis player of the modern era.

There have been other biographies of Roger Federer, but never one with this kind of access to the man himself, his support team, and the most prominent figures in the game, including such rivals as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Roddick. In The Master, New York Times correspondent Christopher Clarey sits down with Federer and those closest to him to tell the story of the greatest player in men's tennis.

Roger Federer has often made it look astonishingly easy through the decades: carving backhands, gliding to forehands, leaping for overheads, and, in his most gravity-defying act, remaining high on a pedestal in a world of sports rightfully flooded with cynicism. But his path from temperamental bleach-blond teenager with dubious style sense to one of the greatest, most self-possessed, and elegant of competitors has been a long-running act of will, not destiny. He not only had a great gift. He had grit.

Christopher Clarey, one of the top international sportswriters working today, has covered Federer since the beginning of his professional career. He was in Paris on the Suzanne Lenglen Court for Federer's first Grand Slam match and has interviewed him exclusively more than any other journalist since his rise to prominence. Here, Clarey focuses on the pivotal people, places, and moments in Federer's long and rich career: reporting from South Africa, South America, the Middle East, four Grand Slam tournaments, and Federer's native Switzerland. It has been a journey like no other player's, rife with victories and a few crushing defeats, one that has redefined enduring excellence and made Federer a sentimental favorite worldwide.

The Master tells the story of Federer's life and career on both an intimate and grand scale, in a way no one else could possibly do.

©2021 Christopher Clarey (P)2021 Twelve

What the critics say

"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 number one professional tennis player)

“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)

“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)

What listeners say about The Master

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Great biography

I enjoyed this book and learnt a lot about Federer and his opponents. And the author does not hesitate to say where Feds did things incorrectly or lost tough matches so no rose coloured glasses. The narrator’s attempt at accents was not great. He sounded more like Arnold Schwarzenegger than Roger and I could not understand his French at all but I got used to it and in the end enjoyed the book. Well written.

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Distracting narration.

I had to rate the story as 1 star because I just couldn't get past the horrible fake accents by the narrator. It was distracting and I just cant bring myself to finish this book.

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