"The Singles Game" is a new fiction novel by Lauren Weisberger, the author of "The Devil Wears Prada." In her latest book, the best-selling author turns her attention from the magazine industry to the complicated sport of tennis.
The storyline follows Charlie Silver, a mid-20s woman ranked in the 20s, who suffers crippling injuries on Centre Court due to not having Nike shoes that are white enough (and subsequently having to wear a random pair). Right away, the idea of Nike failing to produce shoes to Wimbledon code is impossible to believe.
Silver dumps her longtime coach, Marcy—very akin to WTA tour habits these days)—and hires Todd Feltner, a "living legend" who is famous both for pushing relatively obscure players to No. 1 and verbally abusing them.
The main change isn’t in her tennis, but in her image. Silver goes from being a “good girl” to a “warrior princess,” wearing all black all year—even in Melbourne—with a princess tiara affixed to her hair. The thought of a 25-year-old keeping a tiara on her head while on court is impossible to believe.
Charlie's rise in the rankings brings new endorsements, celebrity-like treatment and a chance at a one-night fling with the most famous actor on the planet. All this time, Charlie has been in an unstable "relationship" with Marco (the hottest and best ATP player), who coach Feltner thinks will boost her new image.
Much of the plot also revolves around Charlie's rivalry with world No. 1 Natalya, who not only wins all the Grand Slams that Charlie lacks, but has a far higher sex appeal. There’s plenty of family drama thrown in, but what tennis player doesn't have some family baggage?
The sexism is out of control, but at least it's somewhat directed toward both genders. The obsession with Charlie’s looks and sex life bring to mind Maria Sharapova, especially when she was dating Grigor Dimitrov.
"The Singles Game" glamorizes the life of a pro, but there are plenty of nods to their struggles (injuries, losses, travel, the daily grind and the lack of a social life).
Ah, but wait. Charlie attends a raging party in a hotel room the night before Roland Garros. (The odds of top players drinking and smoking together before a Grand Slam are zero). Of course, she’s caught smoking on camera, and repairs her image by going on a charity yacht trip with Bono—yes, U2's Bono—just before Wimbledon. Her entire life then gets tied up in a pretty bow at the US Open.
Overall, Weisberger does a good job describing the on-court game (most of the time), and she clearly did her research, including a trip to Wimbledon. The book is a fun and quick read, and the strongest message seems to be that tennis can't be exciting enough for the masses without padding from sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. At the end of the day, it's hard to condemn giving the people what they want.
Check it out for yourself on Amazon.