Mats Wilander, interviewed in l'Équipe by Vincent Cognet, on Connors, McEnroe, Becker and more.

The toughest player you ever faced?

-- Boris Becker in the Davis Cup final in 1985 in Munich on carpet. He was super quick that day. He kicked my ass (6-3, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3). And I can tell you it hurt. The truth is, I was afraid of him.

The nastiest?

-- Jimmy Connors. In 1982, I was barely seventeen. At Roland, on the eve of the tournament, I found out that I was listed to hit with him. I was stunned: 'Why would he want to hit with me?' There was an airline strike and I'd just finished a fifteen-hour car ride to get there from Rome. After hitting, we play a practice set. At the changeover, he goes by me and hisses, "dirty c***sucker". Obviously I lost the set.

The funniest?

-- John McEnroe. I'm playing him on the senior tour in Naples. I don't hit the ball, I just push it back. After four games, Mac looks at me in the corner and says, "OK, we're back in the juniors. then?" I couldn't believe my ears. I doubled over laughing. I didn't win another game.

The biggest celebration you remember?

-- In 1988 when I won RG, after the dinner, I went to a Platinum record party for Sting. I knew him and we got on well. At the end, I go and see him. "How would you like to swap your trophy for mine?" "OK, no problem! I'll be the first Brit with a Roland Garros cup!" So we swap. A few weeks later, he invited me to a party at his house. Annie Lennox was there and so on ... And then I find out two things: he has three hundred platinum records, and my Roland trophy was in his kitchen being used as a fruit bowl! That pissed me off. I asked for it back, and he accepted. And I kept his platinum record! I still have it in my recording studio.

The moment you felt at the top of your game?

-- During the US Open final in 1988 against Lendl (6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4).and especially during the third set. I felt like I was the best player in the world. Everything was working perfectly: the tactics were spot on, I was getting everything back, my backhand slice was perfect, I was feeling the trajectories at the net etc. I've never played better tennis in that sort of special circumstance.

The funniest moment?

-- In 1993 I'm playing Mikael Pernfors at the US Open. You need to know we were very good friends. The match starts very late. I think we still hold the record for the latest match in New York. We finished at 2:26 AM or something like that. At the end of the fourth set, he takes a toilet break. He serves with new balls at the start of the fifth. He looks at me and says: 'New balls." He pauses and adds: 'And new legs!" All in Swedish. I couldn't believe it!

The story you've never dared tell?

-- Everyone remembers the match ball I gave to José-Luis Clerc here at RG in 1982. But what people aren't aware of is that I never did it again. I never cheated. NEVER. But, after that day, I always left it up to the umpire to decide. The story with Clerc is a one-off in my career.

The player you hated playing?

-- Miloslav Mecir. Nothing I did bothered him. He anticipated all my trajectories, He read my game like an open book. Discouraging. But there's worse: when he warmed up before our matches, he only hit for fifteen minutes really slowly with his wife and without socks! The jerk! (laughs) Once I asked Henri (Leconte) what he did to beat Mecir. He answered: 'Well ... it's easy. I hit the ball where he isn't!" Too easy for me!

The most important shot of your career?

-- There are two: the backhand I hit against Vilas on match point in 1982 at Roland. The only one I really hit! And the serve-and-volley I hit against Lendl at the USO in 1988. Lendl missed the return, but it was the intention that counts. To me, it said a lot.

The moment that changed your career?

-- The cancer, then the death of my father. I don't like to say it, but it's the truth. I played and won for him my whole life. After his death, I lost all interest and motivation for tennis. I trained hard but, on the court, I'd lost the fire to win.

Reply · Report Post