The Fox :  Harry Hopman and the Greatest Dynasty in Tennis History

By Michael Sexton

The Fox: Harry Hopman and the Greatest Dynasty in Tennis History is the story of how one man drove a tiny nation to dominate a global sport. The Grand Slams, Wimbledon crowns and Davis Cups his players won made Australia famous. They called him simply Mr Hopman but the New York Times called him a ‘one-man dynasty’.

He was revered for his success but reviled for his methods. He had no formal education as a coach or trainer but relentlessly pursued sporting excellence. Hopman’s approach was revolutionary to a genteel sport, introducing the grit of gymnasiums and endurance exercises that bordered on sadistic.

This book examines the many shades of Harry Hopman: the outsider who willed himself to play for his country and battled the sport’s establishment; the schemer who saw America dominate the sport and devised a way to beat them; the unquestioned leader; and eventually the ageing coach who embraced the ‘me generation’.