Review by Daniel Kraus (Booklist, Oct. 1, 2011 (Vol. 108, No. 3):
Anyone who has spent time watching this medal-gobbling machine humbly notch record after record will be surprised to learn that, as recently as 2001, he was smashing his racket during on-court tantrums. Federer’s mastering of his temper is the interesting fact that this entry in the Today’s Sports Greats series organizes itself around, which gives it a good young-adult angle. Federer, often accepted as being the greatest tennis player of all time, began lessons at age eight and left school to focus on tennis at age 16. But he struggled in the pro tournaments just like anyone else before finding his footing. Today the master of finesse is as cool as they come, even when battling against archrival Rafael Nadal. Shots of Federer throughout his career illustrate his physical maturation, though there are a few wilder photos, too, like the friendly match he played against Andre Agassi atop a towering skyscraper in Dubai. Sidebars help explain rankings, terminology, and so on, and the basic back matter suffices. Grades 4-6 ( )