By L. Jon Wertheim
In the year 2000, 20-year-old Venus Williams won Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and a couple of Olympic gold medals, then signed a $40 million endorsement deal with Reebok that made her the richest female athlete in history. "If you ask me," she said, "I'm worth it."
Venus, with her kid sister Serena, brings an unflinching bravado to her leading role among the tour's 'Tude Brood, which is portrayed here as a pack of monstrously self-involved Power-Buff Girls who need no surnames—fans know them as simply Martina, Lindsay, Anna, Jennifer and Monica. Snarky remarks, dating, chest-butting, death threats and lascivious coaches are among the off-court intrigues available in this volume by SPORTS ILLUSTRATED senior writer L. Jon Wertheim, who spent 11 months traveling with last year's tour. For tennis fans, Wertheim serves up an engrossing read. (HarperCollins, $25)
Bottom Line: Disorder off the court
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