Changeover - by Giri Nathan (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The story of the end of one epic era in the sport, and the birth of another, as told by "the best tennis writer in America" (Brian Phillips, The Ringer). For more than two decades, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer dominated men's tennis so thoroughly that it became difficult to imagine how the game would keep its shine once they retired. Then came 2024-the first year since 2002 that none of them won a Grand Slam tournament-and a technicolor future was revealed. The major titles were divided between a pair of prodigies in their early twenties: the effervescent showman Carlos Alcaraz, whose infinite variety of shots won him the French Open and Wimbledon; and the relentlessly cool Jannik Sinner, whose power and precision secured him the Australian Open and US Open even amid a doping controversy. Though other young contenders jostled for the spotlight, and Djokovic tried to hold his ground, the transcendentally gifted Alcaraz and Sinner just kept installing their new regime. Punctuated with humor, brimming with insight, and rooted in a true fan's love of the game, this work of elevated sports journalism is a captivating primer to the rivalry poised to define the next decade of the sport"--

Book Synopsis

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

* ONE OF THE NEW YORKER'S BEST BOOKS OF 2025 (SO FAR) * BLOOMBERG'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF SUMMER 2025 * TOWN & COUNTRY'S BEST BOOKS OF AUGUST * INSIDE HOOK'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF AUGUST *

The story of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and their epic new rivalry, as told by "the best tennis writer in America" (Brian Phillips, The Ringer).

For more than two decades, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer dominated men's tennis so thoroughly that it became difficult to imagine how the game would keep its shine once they retired.

Then came 2024--the first year since 2002 that none of them won a Grand Slam tournament--and a technicolor future was revealed. The major titles were divided between a pair of prodigies in their early twenties: the effervescent showman Carlos Alcaraz, whose infinite variety of shots won him the French Open and Wimbledon; and the relentlessly cool Jannik Sinner, whose power and precision secured him the Australian Open and US Open even amid a doping controversy. Though other young contenders jostled for the spotlight, and Djokovic tried to hold his ground, the transcendentally gifted Alcaraz and Sinner just kept installing their new regime.

Punctuated with humor, brimming with insight, and rooted in a true fan's love of the game, this work of elevated sports journalism is a captivating primer to the rivalry poised to define the next decade of the sport.

Review Quotes

"Littered with witty humor, delicate phrasing and just overall beautiful prose."
--SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

"A scintillating account... Nathan compellingly chronicles how Alcaraz and Sinner began to flourish as the previous era of tennis's 'Big Three' (Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal) receded... 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."
--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)

"Constellations of brilliance tend to be fleeting. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were succeeded by mere mortals. Giri Nathan's Changeover is about the tennis world's latest phenoms and about a rare case when an era of brilliance does repeat. His book is insightful, witty and well-timed . . . Even for tennis addicts, Changeover is full of unremarked-upon verities."
--THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

"Nathan is at his best when distilling players down to their characteristic moments, choices, flourishes . . . [he] excels as a kind of insider-outsider who's tracking not just the matches but how the narratives around them take shape . . . [his] book covers 2024, but it provides excellent context for what's happened this season."
--THE NEW YORKER

"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. His book shows how two young men came to dominate tennis and our imaginations."
--THE WASHINGTON POST

"Tennis players, fans of the sport, and anyone who enjoyed Netflix's Break Point will love this lovingly written, humorous, and well-researched exploration of the end of an era in tennis... Nathan's prose has the same energy as the players profiled in this debut, making this book a quick read that still offers well-researched information about the players and a valuable primer for readers about the future of men's tennis."
--LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)

"Given how ubiquitous Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have become, it's easy to forget the speed with which these players have come to dominate men's tennis ... Nathan, a co-founder of the sports site Defector, captures the phenomenon astutely. His propulsive book is the first to chronicle the two athletes in such depth."
--BLOOMBERG, "The 10 Best Books of Summer 2025"

"Mesmerized by the Wimbledon and French Open men's finals this year between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner? Us, too. Giri Nathan had the foresight to write about this new rivalry dominating the sport--and it's a fascinating tale of two very different young men and how they are colliding at this moment in time."
--TOWN & COUNTRY, "Best Books of August 2025"

"If you enjoy insightful explorations of the sport of tennis, you're probably already familiar with the work of Giri Nathan . . . If you're looking for a memorable portrait of a sport during a transformative time, look no further."
--INSIDE HOOK, "10 Best Books of August 2025"

"Award-winning tennis journalist Nathan's fresh writing style captures the passion for this sport as he contrasts each player's background, temperament, and playing style."
--BOOKLIST

"It's brilliant, I loved it. I really did. It's beautifully written but incredibly accessible."
--CATHERINE WHITAKER on THE TENNIS PODCAST

"Changeover is a breezy, delightful read . . . if you're looking for a time capsule of how two generational talents simultaneously rose to prominence, written in a stylish way, this is for you . . . The finished product is an obvious labor of love from one of tennis' youngest and best scribes."
--UBITENNIS

"Giri Nathan is the best tennis writer in America. When too many of us are busy looking back at the era that's ending, he's written a book that looks forward, with optimism and insight, to the era that lies ahead. Changeover is an absolute joy."
--BRIAN PHILLIPS, New York Times bestselling author of Impossible Owls and senior staff writer at The Ringer

"What strikes and delights me about Changeover is the tenderness with which Giri Nathan speaks on the page. The book is warm, inviting, curious, and abundantly caring."
--HANIF ABDURRAQIB, New York Times bestselling author of There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension

"A tour de force--as dazzling as any Sinner-Alcaraz match. Stylish, smart, funny, and humane. I'll return to Changeover again and again."
--LOUISA THOMAS, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football and staff writer at The New Yorker

"Giri Nathan is our best young tennis writer: Avid, shrewd, droll, culturally attuned, searching. Changeover is Nathan in full flight."
--GERALD MARZORATI, author of Seeing Serena and Late to the Ball

"Deftly weaving between awestruck wonderment and playful irreverence, Nathan breathes fresh life into tennis prose--just as Sinner and Alcaraz have done on court, and with just as many jaw-dropping highlights."
--BEN ROTHENBERG, author of Naomi Osaka

"A riveting exploration of the most electrifying new rivalry in tennis. Nathan brings to the page a rare gift--some writerly blend of Alcaraz's creativity and Sinner's precision. Changeover is a triumph."
--BEN TAUB, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The New Yorker

About the Author

Giri Nathan is a staff writer and cofounder at Defector Media. His writing has appeared in New York magazine, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The New York Times, National Geographic, The New Yorker, and The Believer. He is the senior correspondent at tennis outlet The Second Serve. In 2022, he received the Tom Perrotta Prize for Tennis Journalism. His work was selected for the 2025 editions of The Year's Best Sports Writing and The Best American Food and Travel Writing. Follow him on X @GiriNathan for his latest stories.