After the departure of tennis Björn Borg, he was replaced by another Swede - Mats Wilander, who did not let lower the bar for the popularity of this sport in his home country. The Mats star flashed in 1982, when a little-known athlete became a leader in the open championship of France held in Paris.
Career Overview
Prior to the 1989 prize draw, Mats Wilander won three times in the French capital, four times in other Grand Slam competitions.
For the first time in France, he became a champion before reaching the age of eighteen. By right, the young Swedish tennis player was regarded as a worthy heir to B. Borg. The young man perfectly felt the back line, which complicated the possibility of victory of the opponent many times, and his monotonous game exhausted the opponents. Mats soon became a player of the highest category. He won in 1988 on three different court configurations - French soil, Australian grass and US plastic pitches.
In the domestic media, the Swedish surname first appeared in 1986, when the tennis player was defeated in the third round by Andrei Chesnokov. The Russian athlete in his favorite style Mats knocked out the main contender, the winner of last year, and at that time - the second racket in the world.
Features of the match technique
A little later, our tennis fans saw the legendary Swedish pro racket on television broadcasts from Wimbledon competitions and the French championship. Many enthusiastic reviews about the conduct of the game Mats sounded in Paris (June 1988). The player behaved not only quickly, strongly, professionally, but was reliable in all blows, confident in himself. Almost no one had any doubts that he should win the main prize, which in the end he got.
Mats Wilander is known for high tech games. He is able to put the balls very carefully, just a few millimeters from the line, and competently parry the pitch with high accuracy. In addition, the Swedish athlete feels great at the net, carries out cool attacking actions, and his “candle” with a left-handed strike in many respects resembles the style of the legendary Manuel Santana, whom fans with experience will certainly remember.
Personal life
Mats Wilander, whose personal life has long been hidden from prying eyes, was known as a closed and uncommunicative person. Only after the second half of the eighties did the public learn some interesting facts about the inner world of a tennis player.
The athlete loves to play the guitar, is a fan of the popular musician Bob Dylan. In his free time he comes to his homeland and loves to pick up a hockey stick. Despite the fact that the assets of the Swedish tennis player are more than five million dollars, he leads a rather modest and ascetic lifestyle. As Mats himself said in an interview, his life took on a new meaning after marriage.
Mats Wilander, whose wife rarely went to competitions with him, believes that this is correct. The name of the wife of the tennis player Sonia Mulholland, she is a former fashion model. Not very sociable in wide circles, the couple occasionally goes to social events and events, and if they appear there, then not to be examined. So declared himself Wilander. They are not supporters of the rabid "pace of life, but most importantly, the couple appreciate and love each other.
Victories and defeats
Men playing tennis, or rather, those who have achieved certain successes in this field, argue that one of the most prestigious achievements is the victory in the Grand Slam. In 1988, Mats enchantingly won the first pair of tournaments of this draw. However, a meeting with Miloslav Mieczirj destroyed the Swede’s dreams of taking the “Grand Slam”.
Despite the fact that Wilander twice conquered the champion Olympus on Australian grass courts, the Wimbledon court did not succumb to him. According to the tennis player himself, the fields in Melbourne are much "slower" than in England. In addition, the Swede noted that this is the most difficult competition for those athletes who play in his style.
Having lost the Mechirju, Mats set himself the task: to occupy the first step in the world ranking table and learn how to better feel the game on grass. In addition, he had great prospects in the open championship of the United States, where he could not beat Lendla in the final part. Wilander later noted that the "Grand Slam" was not considered as the main goal, although the thoughts of victory naturally did not leave the player.
Excerpts from the interview
Immediately after meeting with Mecirge Mats was upset, although he did not feel much pressure after this match. At the fourth stage of the Grand Slam in Flushing Meadow, the Swede won the victory without any difficulties.
As Mats Wilander said in an interview, it is sometimes difficult to find motivation for the game. In many respects, this aspect depends on who is opposing you, the weather and personal mood. The older you get, the more difficult it is to choose a motive - this is how the tennis player in Adelaide reasoned, as if anticipating new troubles in a professional way. The first number always has to defend its position, but at the start of a career it is much easier to set the desired goal.
The Australian championship did not work out for him. Some spiteful people hurried to write off the Swede as outsiders. However, world-famous tennis athlete John McEnroe noted that, despite temporary difficulties, Wilander will still show himself and confidently enter the list of leaders.
Completion of a professional career
On 7.06.89, Mats could again be seen on domestic television screens. Again, the duel took place with A. Chesnokov. It was a confrontation for reaching the semifinals of the French championship. Like three years before this match, on the same central court, under the supervision of hundreds of video cameras, Andrei defeated Wilander in three games in a row. This was a real sensation of the championship, and many tennis fans and Mats fans all over the world were tormented by the question whether the star of the legendary Swede had finally died out. At that time, the athlete was 24 years old, and officially he ended his sports career in 1996.
Dry statistics
The famous tennis player from Sweden Mats Wilander, who was at one time the first racket of the world, professionally playing since 1981, won thirty-three singles tournaments and seven doubles competitions.
Outstanding achievements in the confrontations of the Grand Slam:
- Australian Championship (thrice) in single player.
- The title of best player in the French Open (three times) in a single player game.
- Participant in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in singles (1987, 1988, 1989). Champion 86 in doubles (together with Nyustrem).
- Winner of the United States Open (1988) (singles).
- He won the Davis Cup three times as a member of the Swedish national team (1984/85/87).
- The holder of the title of the first racket of the world from 12.09.88, held this title for almost five months.
The end of his professional career was in 1996. After the official departure from tennis in 1997, the athlete was disqualified for ninety days for convicting in the use of cocaine. Recently, he is a tennis expert on the English version of the Eurosport television channel.
TV activity
Mats Wilander and Barbara Shett conduct an analytical program on the channel "Eurosport". Assistant Swedish athlete at one time was one of the top ten tennis players. Some journalists attribute the co-hosts to a romantic relationship, but this is not officially confirmed.
Regarding the program, this is an overview and analysis of matches and tournaments of the Grand Slam. Mats always clearly understands the technical aspects and expertly conducts an analysis of the psychological plan. The transfer is successful because it is problematic to show a match completely, since it can last for many hours, be postponed due to weather changes, and so on.
Conclusion
Tennis male professionals clearly argue that the Swedish athlete Mats Wilander is one of the strongest tennis players in the world. He achieved a lot in the professional field, was the first racket of the world and became a real pride of his country. With all this, he is distinguished by modesty, the absence of "star disease" and a rather closed way of life. After completing his career, Mats did not leave tennis for good, now he analyzes the games of other athletes on television.