Transcendence: Diary of a Tennis Addict

by Alizé Cornet

In this autobiographical journal, an intimate diary with a lively and uninhibited style, Alizé opens up without any filter and allows us to discover, through this real work of introspection, what goes on in the head of a high-level sportswoman. From her greatest victories to her deepest failures, from her constant questioning to her personal evolution via meditation, the reader will discover a young woman who is endearing, passionate, with a neurotic rigor and a strong character. An atypical journey behind the scenes of professional tennis through her anecdotes and insights on this extraordinary lifestyle. An uncompromising, touching and inspiring confession.

Genres: Biography

186 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[katezsz · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd grand slam book of the year - read for roland garros 🇫🇷

[TJ West · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun! Cool knowing that after this was written she did finally make a QF in Australia!

[JK · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Although some people tend to forget it, we are only human beings with our fragilities, slumps, personal problems, insomnia, bereavements... The Public knows nothing about it most of the time, seeing only the tip of the iceberg, and generally they don't dig any further than the masks we have to wear on the court to pretend. In tennis, there are no teammates to potentially rely on, no way to make ourselves small, no escape. All eyes are on you, you have to go all out, do your best, and then accept the criticism from people who know absolutely nothing about your life.

I've always considered this public exposure as part of the job, and I usually have very nice interactions when someone recognizes me on the street and expresses admiration for my career. When little tennis players come up to me with stars in their eyes and tell me how excited they are to meet me, it's worth all the gold in the world."

This is the first tennis biography I've read. Funnily enough, when I first got back into watching the WTA, I initially didn't like Alizé Cornet. I think I must have caught her during one of the moments of frustration she talks about in this book. She seemed full of anger and several times lost her composure on the court. For whatever reason it turned me off. Luckily, I ignored this initial impression, continued to follow her games, and was converted into a fan within a couple of weeks. Watching her fight whilst clearly injured against Elina Svitolina in the Chicago Open Final was amazing to see. That refusal to give up and desire to give her best to the end is an ongoing theme in the book and the memory of that game will stick with me for a long time.

Reading her book, you get a really honest look into the behind the scenes stresses and emotions that players have to deal with. It certainly made me revisit my initial feelings and become more empathetic to not just Alizé, but all players striving to do their best on the tour. It helps that Alizé Cornet is a compelling person. This book is part diary, part memoir, mostly taking place during the 2019 season. It's a quick read but I got a strong impression of her character, drive to succeed, and her personality is really clear on the page. It's also not a cold book, and there are plenty of emotional anecdotes that flesh out the personal side of the sport.

I strongly recommend this book to any follower of women's tennis, or anyone looking for insight into what professional athletes go through behind the scenes.

[Svetlana Petrova · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a tennis addict, and I love reading autobiographies of tennis players. Unfortunately, I struggled and really pushed myself to finish this one. Compared with Open by Andre Agassi and Unstoppable by Sharapova, this one lacks certain something. It was interesting to read about her childhood, but somehow the rest of the book was just .... blah. She is so feisty on the court, but it was not reflected in this book, in my opinion. After finishing it, I want to reread Open and Unstoppable. A disappointment for me.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly captivating and personal account of Alize Cornet’s life on tour, and her journey onto the tour. Deeply insightful, and dispelled a lot of things I’d wrongly had in my mind about her. Always been a fan of her on court, and it was great to read more about her life on court. Thoroughly recommend to any WTA or tennis fan.

[Temituoyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a very good read and I especially love how she is open in engaging her audience. I love thé 6th chapter particularly because it speaks of gratitude living and how fortunate she is to have a childlike eyes to view life.

[Kalvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it