Changeover is the inverse of a glossy documentary, and it is ultimately more rewarding than one ... With his critic’s eye and powers of description, Nathan delivers loads of insight without the benefit of access ... In diagramming their play, Nathan conjures his own vivid imagery ...
Even prose this clarifying can’t quite convey the feeling of watching Alcaraz and Sinner glide and pummel their way around the court.
Nathan is at his best when distilling players down to their characteristic moments, choices, flourishes ... Large swaths of Changeover recount the action of specific matches that many fans have probably already watched—these aren’t the book’s draw ... Nathan excels as a kind of insider-outsider who’s tracking not just the matches but how the narratives around them take shape ... He is resourceful and endlessly curious about what lies behind the media-trained superstar.
Nathan’s fresh writing style captures the passion for this sport as he contrasts each player’s background, temperament, and playing style ... Ardent tennis devotees will appreciate his insight into each phenom and play-by-play analysis of key matches.
Scintillating ... Nathan compellingly chronicles how Alcaraz and Sinner began to flourish ... Throughout, Nathan provides exceptional commentary on how the pair operates as foils in both style of play and temperament. This gripping chronicle of a new frontier in the game aces it.
