Charlie Pasarell: Serving First: Dreams Realized and Lessons Learned from Family, Friends a Life in Tennis

Charlie Pasarell's journey began on the sunlit courts of Puerto Rico and carried him all the way to tennis's grandest stages, like Wimbledon's Centre Court. Along the way, he played record-setting matches, led history-making protests, and became part of the game's most defining stories. In Serving First, the International Tennis Hall of Famer shares a powerful, deeply human collection of stories about the people and experiences that shaped him-- family, including his tennis-champion parents, Dora and Charlie; lifelong friends like Arthur Ashe; and legends like Pancho Gonzalez, who mentored Pasarell and later faced him in a five-hour Wimbledon epic that still echoes in tennis history. Ranked as America's number one tennis player in 1967, NCAA champion, two-time National Indoor Champion, and a five-time U.S. Davis Cup team member, he played with grit and vision and competed on the tour for over 16 years. Off the court, he helped revolutionize the game-- co-founding the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), launching the National Junior Tennis League for under-resourced youth, and building a tournament in Indian Wells into one of tennis's biggest events. But this memoir is about far more than stats or titles. It's a story of character, purpose, and moments that leave a mark-- like traveling to Vietnam during the war while serving in the U.S. Army alongside Lieutenant Arthur Ashe; spending time with Robert F. Kennedy during the senator's final year; and helping organize a bold player withdrawal from Wimbledon to protect a fellow player's rights-- an action that forever shifted the sport's power dynamics. Woven throughout are the quiet, lasting lessons from Pasarell's father-- words of wisdom that shaped his character and continue to guide him. While his friendship with Ashe is one of the book's most moving threads, this is ultimately a broader reflection on a life anchored in love-- for his wife, children, parents, friends, and the many who stood beside him through triumphs, trials, and everything in between. Warm, funny, and moving, Serving First is a memoir about dreams realized, values lived, and relationships that endure. Pasarell invites readers on a journey defined not just by achievement, but by the people and moments that gave it meaning. It's a celebration of sport-- but more than that, it's an epic tale from a man who has lived an epic life.