Rubber Match
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Rubber Match Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Marcus Paul Cootsona (Author), Greg Tremblay (Narrator), Pro Tennis Press (Publisher)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
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Fifty-nine-year-old Atherton tennis teaching pro and family man Wally Wilson won the 2011 US Open behind 250 mph serves and a timely disqualification, and was promptly banned from professional tennis. Two years later, Wally is picked to play Davis Cup, framed for stealing a Dutch masterwork, and hunted by obsessive-compulsive Mounties. There goes his nap.

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  1. Listening Length
    10 hours and 2 minutes
  2. Author
    Marcus Paul Cootsona
  3. Narrator
    Greg Tremblay
  4. Audible release date
    October 28, 2016
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Pro Tennis Press
  7. ASIN
    B01M8NDDC0
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 10 hours and 2 minutes
Author Marcus Paul Cootsona
Narrator Greg Tremblay
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date October 28, 2016
Publisher Pro Tennis Press
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B01M8NDDC0

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

John H. Manhold
5.0 out of 5 stars Amusingly unconventional story of tennis and assorted other activities
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2016
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Rubber Match, an unusual tennis story in e-book by Marcus Paul Cootsona.
Plot: the reader is introduced to Wally Woodrow Wilson a 59-year-old tennis professional with his most attractive wife Danielle who are visiting colleges with their high school senior son Deuce who is quite adept at various form of magic and would prefer to try his hand in Las Vegas. They are accompanied by their red merle Australian Shepard, Rod Laver, the dog. They also have a daughter Addie who is in college and has a best friend, Ashley Margincall. Ashley is the daughter of an immensely rich parent who gives her huge amounts of money which apparently she employs in a highly successful entrepreneurial manner. From this point the story takes off to provide a tale of a stolen Dutch masterpiece painting, search for which involves Wally, his family and a host of other amusingly unconventional characters in a rambling story most prominently involving a remake of the format of the Davis Cup Tennis Tournament.
Discussion: The author is a highly regarded tennis professional and “lapsed playwright” with two other books and routine contributions to Tennis Magazine to his credit. His story here is an amusingly presented parody of tennis - and more specifically of the Davis Cup Format. Here he references the changing mentality of modern society. Tennis was begun in another era when life moved at a more leisurely pace. Today the average attention span of any millennial, the fastest growing group of consumers, has been found to be EIGHT SECONDS. Thus sports are increasingly being criticized for time consumed. Golf is ridiculous; 3 hours of football includes actual playing time of 11 minutes; baseball, 18 minutes; tennis time wise, probably is the best at 31 minutes of activity in 3 hours. An interesting example the author provides is the fact that Nadal takes as much as 45 seconds between shots compared with a match in 1969 between John Newcome (deceased Australia) and Rod Laver where time between shots routinely was clocked at 6 seconds. With respect to the flow of the story, it does so nicely except for some slightly annoying proofing errors more prominent in the later pages. Of particular interest and fascination to this reader was the author’s inclusion in this zany story of a deeper conviction: “96 % of the universe is dark matter. Nobody has seen it. Nobody may ever know how it works. That’s you.” You are controlled by destiny. “So, you can’t sit back and ask destiny to do its worst. Because it will. And nothing will happen. At least nothing good. You have to participate. With faith. And with goodwill. And without expectation. The way to be in control is to make a decision. Even if it seems risky.” A most thoughtful suggestion.
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mint tea
4.0 out of 5 stars So much banter and action!
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2016
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I know virtually nothing about tennis, but this book was still quite fun to read. Most of this is due to the fact that much of the book has nothing to do with tennis, and the other part is that the book is so kooky and quirky that you just want to see what the characters will say next. There is witty banter that is quick, so you may have to reread areas sometimes to see what is going on. The other thing that is noteworthy is the action; there is a surprising amount of it, considering how the book starts. There are many sports references, magic references, and even current pop culture references that you may related to, which will also keep you entertained. If you are looking for a novel that is likely unique in every way to other novels you’ve read, this one is something to look into.
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Mia C.
3.0 out of 5 stars Good for the common reader, a master piece for sport lovers.
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2016
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“Rubber Match” is a book written by Marcus Cootsona, tennis teaching professional and American writer. This book is about tennis, of course. Its plot centers on Wally Wilson, Fifty-nine year-old Atherton tennis teaching pro and family man.
I have little, almost non, tennis knowledge and for this reason while reading I did a little research which was good for knowing a bit more. I believe tennis fans will love this novel. I like it because it tells a sort of conspiracy in the tennis world and that was interesting. It is not just plain sport.
Well written and with a clear plot, Rubber Match is a novel aimed at adults and why not teens in this sport’s world.
I would recommend reading it.
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Chelsey McQuitty
5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for tennis fanatics!
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2016
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If you’re looking for a light read that will lift your spirits, then this is the novel for you. Although the story is technically about tennis, is goes so much further which keeps the storyline fun and exciting. There’s a lot of references in this book that are fun to catch and there is plenty of wit to keep you on your toes. The best thing is, the book isn’t heavy on the tennis aspect, but gets a little bit weird as the story progresses. This is certainly refreshing to read though, especially as the writing brings in so much laugh-out-loud humor. You’ll fall in love with the characters, the author’s writing style and the way this book seems to fly by on a boring weekend afternoon.
Without a doubt, it’s something unique that you will be raving to your friends about the moment you finish the last line. I’d recommend this to anyone who needs to take their mind off of reality for a while, whether they like tennis or not.
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alinefromabook
4.0 out of 5 stars He is happily married to a gorgeous woman
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2016
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Tennis lovers stand up and cheer! This story takes the reader into the world of Wally, the tennis pro. Wally is fifty-nine years old and had an inadvertent victory two years previously. He is happily married to a gorgeous woman, and they have two grown children. The story begins while they are on a road trip with their son to tour college campuses. And then the minivan dies on the side of the freeway. What follows is the craziest sequence of events you can ever imagine, which will take them from their home in California to the plains of Nebraska. Along the way, Wally is picked to play in the Davis Cup, a painting is stolen (or maybe forged), and a young millionairess solves all of Wally’s problems.

I found this story charming and full of little delights. Wally and his family will completely draw you in and make you feel right at home. The plot has lots of twists to keep you guessing and reading. My only challenge with the story is that it is so tennis terminology heavy and I am completely ignorant about tennis. That being said, I still enjoyed the story. The author has a distinct sense of humor and uses it liberally throughout. If you love tennis this is an obvious choice but it’s also worth considering if you’re looking for something a little different to read.
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Top reviews from other countries

Marta Cheng
5.0 out of 5 stars Game...Set...Match!
Reviewed in Canada on November 9, 2016
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Rubber Match is an imaginative work of fiction by talented author Marcus Cootsona that will have readers chuckling in delight over the author’s uncoventional characters that populate his story with such unabashed glee.

Fifty-nine-year-old tennis teaching pro, Wally Wilson, along with his gorgeous wife, Danielle, and their seventeen-year-old son, Deuce, are heading down Interstate 5 to San Diego, en route to check out all that the University of San Diego has to offer their reluctant son. Unfortunately, young Deuce’s aspirations heavily favor a Vegas magic act over academia, thanks to his uncanny ability to “speak, move and flat palm a waffle iron”. Halfway to their destination, their tired 2003 Honda Odyssey minivan seizes before dying altogether, leaving them stranded along the interstate. As Wally is on hold with the auto club, he receives a phone call from his younger brother, Willy, who convinces the former Grand Slam tennis champion (by transitivity and disqualification) to head on over to the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa to participate in the Crotch Support Super Cup charity event. With the two hundred grand prize money the needed enticement to replace their currently dead mode of transport, Wally excitedly agrees. Once there, however, he’s shocked to learn that it’s not a tennis match he’ll be participating in but a golf tournament – something he’s barely proficient at. Even more shocking is the fact that little bro, Willy, who barely has to nickels to rub together at the best of times, is suddenly flush and not shy about showing it off. Add to this their daughter’s very rich best friend, and a stolen Dutch masterpiece and you’ve got yourself one huckuva good story. Cootsona’s prose is light and engaging and always witty. His cast of unconventional characters add just the right amount of spice to an already interesting story line that will have readers quickly flipping the pages just to find out how it all comes together at the end!
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