Mats Wilander
Encyclopedia
Mats Wilander is a former World No. 1 tennis player from Sweden. From 1982 through 1988, he won seven Grand Slam
singles titles (three at the French Open, three at the Australian Open
, and one at the US Open), and one Grand Slam men's doubles title (at Wimbledon
). He won three of the four Grand Slam singles events in 1988 and finished that year ranked World No. 1. Although he never won the singles title at Wimbledon, Wilander twice won the Australian Open when that tournament was still played on grass courts. This makes Wilander one of only five men (along with Jimmy Connors
, Andre Agassi
, Rafael Nadal
, and Roger Federer
) to have won Grand Slam singles titles on grass courts, hardcourts, and clay
courts. He and Rafael Nadal
are the only men in tennis history to have won at least two Grand Slam singles titles on each of the three surfaces. Wilander won his fourth career Grand Slam singles title at the age of 20, the youngest man in history to have achieved that feat. In addition he also won eight Championship Series
titles (1983–88) the precursors to the current Masters 1000
.
finals in the 1980s.
In 2002, Wilander was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
.
under-16 event in Miami.
, Sweden in 1980. In September 1981, he lost his only career match against Björn Borg
, losing in the first round of the tournament in Geneva
6–1, 6–1.
Wilander surprised the tennis world at the 1982 French Open
. As an unseeded player, he upset second seeded Ivan Lendl
in the fourth round, fifth seeded Vitas Gerulaitis
in the quarterfinals, fourth seeded José Luis Clerc
in the semifinals, and third seeded Guillermo Vilas
in the final 1–6, 7–6(6), 6–0, 6–4 in 4 hours and 42 minutes. He was the youngest-ever male Grand Slam singles champion at 17 years, 9 months (this record was later broken by Boris Becker
and Michael Chang
). In only his third entry in a Grand Slam tournament, Wilander also became the player who needed the fewest attempts to win one (this has since been equalled by Gustavo Kuerten
at the 1997 French Open
). Wilander then lost in the fourth round at both Wimbledon
(to Brian Teacher
) and the US Open (to Lendl). Wilander won three additional tournaments in 1982 and finished the year ranked World No. 7. During that year, Wilander was also the winner of the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
.
Wilander returned to the French Open
in 1983, where he lost to Yannick Noah
after defeating John McEnroe
in a quarterfinal. He lost in the third round at Wimbledon
to Roscoe Tanner
and in the quarterfinals of the US Open to Lendl. Wilander won his second Grand Slam title later that year at the Australian Open
, played on grass
at Kooyong Stadium
, where he defeated McEnroe in a semifinal and Lendl in the final. He won eight other tournaments in 1983, including two Grand Prix Championship Series
titles, and finished the year ranked World No. 4.
Wilander retained his Australian Open
title in 1984, beating Stefan Edberg
in the quarterfinals and Kevin Curren
in the final. He lost in the semifinals of the French Open
to Lendl, the second round at Wimbledon
to Pat Cash
, and the quarterfinals of the US Open to Cash. He won three tournaments in 1984 including his third Championships Series title and again finished the year ranked World No. 4.
In 1985, Wilander won the French Open
for the second time, beating Lendl in the final, and again reached the Australian Open
final, where he lost to Edberg. However, he lost in the first round at Wimbledon
to Slobodan Živojinović
and the semifinals of the US Open to McEnroe. He won three tournaments in 1985 and finished the year ranked World No. 3.
Wilander rose to the World No. 2 ranking, behind Lendl, on 28 April 1986. He then lost in the third round of the French Open
to Andrei Chesnokov
, the fourth round of Wimbledon
to Cash, and the fourth round of the US Open to Miloslav Mečíř
. His consistency at other tournaments, however, allowed him to again finish the year ranked World No. 3. Wilander partnered with countryman Joakim Nyström
to win the men's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1986. He also won his fourth Grand Prix Championship Series title.
The 1987 season saw Wilander unveil a more potent service and a new highly effective one-handed slice backhand, the later a somewhat remarkable development for a mid-career top-level tennis professional. Despite the improvements, however, Wilander was defeated by Lendl in the final of both the French Open
and the US Open in 1987. Cash again proved to be Wilander's nemesis at Wimbledon
, winning their quarterfinal match in straight sets. Wilander won five tournaments in 1987 including two Grand Prix Tennis Championship Series
tiles and six overall, he finished the year ranked World No. 3 for the third consecutive year.
1988 was the pinnacle of Wilander's career. In January, he won his third Australian Open
singles title, this time on Melbourne Park
's hardcourt
s, defeating Edberg in a five-set semifinal and home town favourite Cash in a five-set final. In doing so, he became the only player to win the Australian Open on both grass (twice) and hardcourt. Wilander faced another home crowd favourite, Henri Leconte
, in the final of the French Open
. Wilander won in straight sets, missing only two out of 73 first serves (97 %) the entire match. At Wimbledon
, Wilander reached the quarterfinals where he lost to Mečíř. At the US Open, he reached his third Grand Slam final of the year. In a repeat match-up of the previous year's final, he defeated Lendl in five sets (in close to 5 hours) and ended Lendl's three-year reign at the top of the world rankings. This was Wilander's seventh Grand Slam singles title and resulted in his receiving the World No. 1 ranking, having won three of the year's Grand Slam tournaments, two more Grand Prix Championship Series titles at (Key Biscayne and Cincinnati) making that eight in total, and one other title (Palermo). He held the top ranking for a total of 20 weeks until Lendl reclaimed it at the end of January 1989.
His 1988 title at Cincinnati
was his fourth there, making him one of only three players since 1899 to win four titles in Cincinnati. The other two are fellow International Hall of Famers Bobby Riggs
(who won in 1936, 1937, 1938, and 1940) and George Lott
(who won in 1924, 1925, 1927, and 1932).
to Ramesh Krishnan
, the quarterfinals of the French Open
to Andrei Chesnokov
, the quarterfinals of Wimbledon
to John McEnroe
(7–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4), and the second round of the US Open to Pete Sampras
(5–7, 6–3, 1–6, 6–1, 6–4). He did not win a tournament during 1989 and he finished the year ranked World No. 12.
Wilander briefly moved back into the top 10 rankings on 12 February 1990, but by the end of the year, his ranking had slumped to World No. 41. He defeated Boris Becker
in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open
, only to lose to Stefan Edberg
in straight sets in the semifinals. He skipped the French Open
and Wimbledon
and lost in the first round of the US Open to Brad Gilbert
.
Wilander played only the first half of 1991. He lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open
and the second round of the French Open
. He finished the year ranked World No. 159.
Wilander was absent from the tour in 1992. He played seven tournaments in 1993, losing in the first round of five of them. At the US Open, he lost in the third round to Cédric Pioline
. He finished the year ranked World No. 330.
Except for Wimbledon
, Wilander played a full schedule in 1994. He lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open
to Malivai Washington
, the first round of the French Open
to Andre Agassi
(6–2, 7–5, 6–1), and the first round of the US Open to Guy Forget
. His only victory over a top ten player was in the second round of the tournament in Indianapolis against Todd Martin
. He finished the year ranked World No. 129.
Wilander's results improved slightly in 1995 as he finished the year ranked World No. 46. After losing in the first round of the Australian Open
to Jacco Eltingh
, he lost in the second round of the French Open
to eighth ranked Wayne Ferreira
6–7(5), 7–6(1), 6–3, 6–7(4), 8–6. He then lost in the third round of Wimbledon
to Eltingh and the second round of the US Open to Martin. In other tournaments, he had wins against tenth ranked Marc Rosset
, eight ranked Ferreira, and sixth ranked Yevgeny Kafelnikov
. He also won his final tour match against Edberg, in the second round of the Canadian Open
in Montreal
.
In 1996, Wilander played only one Grand Slam tournament, losing in the second round of the French Open
to Martin. He retired from the tour after losing his final match to Martin Damm
in Beijing in October.
During most of his career, Wilander used the Rossignol F-200 Carbon tennis racquet, an early fiberglass model.
's highly-successful Davis Cup
team throughout the 1980s.
He reached his first final with Sweden in 1983, which they lost 3–2 to Australia
(despite Wilander winning both his singles rubbers in the final). In 1984, Sweden (with Wilander) won the cup, beating the United States 4–1 in the final. Sweden retained the cup in 1985, with a 3–2 final victory over West Germany
. Wilander helped Sweden reach the final again in 1986 but declined to play in the final because he was getting married (Sweden lost 3–2 to Australia). Wilander played in his fourth final in 1987, where Sweden beat India
5–0. Two more finals followed in 1988 and 1989, but Sweden lost both to West Germany. Wilander last played in Davis Cup in the 1995 semifinals, where he lost to Andre Agassi 7–6(5), 6–2, 6–2 and Pete Sampras 2–6, 7–6(4), 6–3.
Wilander compiled a 36–16 record in singles and a 7–2 record in doubles in the Davis Cup for Sweden. However, Wilander's most memorable Davis Cup match came in defeat. In a July 1982 quarterfinal tie against the United States on carpet in St. Louis, Missouri
, Wilander was defeated in the deciding fifth rubber by John McEnroe 9–7, 6–2, 15–17, 3–6, 8–6. At 6 hours and 32 minutes, it remains the longest match in Davis Cup history.
, United States (part of the Sun Valley
ski resort) with his wife Sonya (née Mulholland), a South African-born model. He competes from time to time on the senior tour. Since retiring as a player, he has served as captain of the Swedish Davis Cup team
and as coach of the Russian player Marat Safin
. He also occasionally spends time commentating tennis matches on Eurosport
. He is a supporter of Leeds United A.F.C.
Wilander has four children named Emma, Karl, Erik, and Oscar. His son Erik suffers from a comparatively mild form of epidermolysis bullosa
, which benefits from Idaho's cool and dry air, and Wilander and his wife have worked to raise funds for research into cures for the disease.
Wilander created a minor controversy during the 2006 French Open
when he criticized several top players, including Roger Federer
and Kim Clijsters
, as lacking the competitive edge to beat their toughest rivals. After Federer's 1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6 loss to Nadal in the final, Wilander said that "Federer, today, unfortunately came out with no balls... you don't find too many champions in any sport in the world without heart or balls. He might have them, but against Nadal they shrink to a very small size and it's not once, it's every time."
In the aftermath of these comments, fans coined the neologism "Wilanders" as a humorous synonym for "balls", denoting a competitive spirit and tenacity to win.
Wilander later apologized to Federer on-air on Eurosport during an interview with the Swiss.
He began coaching Tatiana Golovin
in July 2007. After working with Golovin in the later part of 2007, Wilander began coaching Paul-Henri Mathieu
. Despite his wealth, for several weeks each year he and a business partner (Cameron Lickle) travel around the United States in a Winnebago
, offering lessons at tennis clubs and private homes to those who call 787-GET-GAME.
Wilander escaped death in December 1988 when, despite having made a reservation on Pan-Am flight 103, which was destroyed by a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, he did not take a seat on the flight.
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
singles titles (three at the French Open, three at the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
, and one at the US Open), and one Grand Slam men's doubles title (at Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
). He won three of the four Grand Slam singles events in 1988 and finished that year ranked World No. 1. Although he never won the singles title at Wimbledon, Wilander twice won the Australian Open when that tournament was still played on grass courts. This makes Wilander one of only five men (along with Jimmy Connors
Jimmy Connors
James Scott "Jimmy" Connors is an American former world no. 1 tennis player....
, Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
, Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. , he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals...
, and Roger Federer
Roger Federer
Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and 285 weeks overall. As of 28 November 2011, he is ranked World No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals . Federer has won a men's record 16 Grand Slam singles titles...
) to have won Grand Slam singles titles on grass courts, hardcourts, and clay
Clay court
A clay court is one of the four different types of tennis court. Clay courts are made of crushed shale, stone or brick. The red clay is slower than the green, or Har-Tru "American" clay. The French Open uses clay courts, making it unique among the Grand Slam tournaments.Clay courts are more common...
courts. He and Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. , he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals...
are the only men in tennis history to have won at least two Grand Slam singles titles on each of the three surfaces. Wilander won his fourth career Grand Slam singles title at the age of 20, the youngest man in history to have achieved that feat. In addition he also won eight Championship Series
Grand Prix Tennis Championship Series 1970-1989
The Championship Series of nine tennis tournaments, formed part of the Grand Prix and World Championship Tennis tours, and were held annually throughout the year in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia...
titles (1983–88) the precursors to the current Masters 1000
ATP World Tour Masters 1000
The ATP World Tour Masters 1000 is a series of nine tennis tournaments that are part of the Association of Tennis Professionals tour, held annually throughout the year in Europe, North America and Asia...
.
Career
Wilander won 33 singles titles and seven doubles titles during his career. He was also a driving force behind Sweden's run of seven consecutive Davis CupDavis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
finals in the 1980s.
In 2002, Wilander was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
.
Juniors
Born in Växjö, Sweden, Wilander first came to the tennis world's attention when he won the French Open junior title, the European under-16 and under-18 championships, and the Orange BowlOrange Bowl (tennis)
The Orange Bowl is an annual college football bowl game. Orange Bowl may also refer to:* Miami Orange Bowl, a demolished stadium formerly in Miami, Florida* One of two tennis tournaments, one for juniors and the other for youth...
under-16 event in Miami.
1980–1988
Wilander made his debut on the professional tour at the clay court tournament in BåstadBåstad
Båstad is a locality and the seat of Båstad Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 4,793 inhabitants in 2005.-Geography:The town of Båstad is located in a sheltered bay with the Hallandian ridge stretching behind it...
, Sweden in 1980. In September 1981, he lost his only career match against Björn Borg
Björn Borg
Björn Rune Borg is a former world no. 1 tennis player from Sweden. Between 1974 and 1981 he won 11 Grand Slam singles titles. He won five consecutive Wimbledon singles titles and six French Open singles titles...
, losing in the first round of the tournament in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
6–1, 6–1.
Wilander surprised the tennis world at the 1982 French Open
1982 French Open
The 1982 French Open was a tennis tournament played on Clay courts in Paris, France. It was held from May 24 to June 6, 1982.-Men's singles: Mats Wilander def. Guillermo Vilas, 1–6, 7–6, 6–0, 6–4.*It was Wilander's 1st career title.-Women's singles:...
. As an unseeded player, he upset second seeded Ivan Lendl
Ivan Lendl
Ivan Lendl is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player. Originally from Czechoslovakia, Lendl became a United States citizen. He was one of the game's most dominant players in the 1980s and remained a top competitor into the early 1990s. He is considered to be one of the greatest tennis...
in the fourth round, fifth seeded Vitas Gerulaitis
Vitas Gerulaitis
Vytautas Kevin Gerulaitis was a Lithuanian–American professional tennis player. He is known for winning the men's singles title at one of the two Australian Open tournaments held in 1977. Gerulaitis won the tournament held in December, while Roscoe Tanner won the earlier January tournament...
in the quarterfinals, fourth seeded José Luis Clerc
José Luis Clerc
José Luis Clerc is a former Argentine professional tennis player, and one of the most important Argentine players in history....
in the semifinals, and third seeded Guillermo Vilas
Guillermo Vilas
Guillermo Apolinario Vilas is a retired and former World No. 2 professional tennis player from Argentina. He was the second Latin-American to win a Grand Slam tournament.-Career:...
in the final 1–6, 7–6(6), 6–0, 6–4 in 4 hours and 42 minutes. He was the youngest-ever male Grand Slam singles champion at 17 years, 9 months (this record was later broken by Boris Becker
Boris Becker
Boris Franz Becker is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Germany. He is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and the youngest-ever winner of the men's singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17...
and Michael Chang
Michael Chang
Michael Te-Pei Chang is a former American professional tennis player. He is best remembered for becoming the youngest-ever male player to win a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open in 1989 at the age of 17....
). In only his third entry in a Grand Slam tournament, Wilander also became the player who needed the fewest attempts to win one (this has since been equalled by Gustavo Kuerten
Gustavo Kuerten
Gustavo Kuerten is a retired former World No. 1 tennis player from Brazil. He won the French Open three times between 1997 and 2001, and was the Tennis Masters Cup champion in 2000...
at the 1997 French Open
1997 French Open
List of the 1997 French Open champions:-Men's Singles: Gustavo Kuerten def. Sergi Bruguera, 6–3, 6–4, 6–2*It was Kuerten's 1st overall title.-Women's Singles: Iva Majoli def. Martina Hingis, 6–4, 6–2...
). Wilander then lost in the fourth round at both Wimbledon
1982 Wimbledon Championships
The 1982 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
(to Brian Teacher
Brian Teacher
Brian David Teacher is a 6' 3" right handed American former professional male tennis player. He reached a career-high ranking World No. 7 in 1981....
) and the US Open (to Lendl). Wilander won three additional tournaments in 1982 and finished the year ranked World No. 7. During that year, Wilander was also the winner of the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal
The Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal is an annual award "for the most significant Swedish sports achievement of the year". It has been awarded by a jury led by the Swedish morning paper Svenska Dagbladet since 1925. According to its statutes the Medal may be awarded in November or December to either...
.
Wilander returned to the French Open
1983 French Open
List of the 1983 French Open champions:-Men's singles: Yannick Noah def. Mats Wilander, 6–2, 7–5, 7–6*It was Noah's 3rd title of the year, and his 14th overall. It was his 1st career Grand Slam title.-Women's singles: Chris Evert def...
in 1983, where he lost to Yannick Noah
Yannick Noah
Yannick Noah is a former professional tennis player from France. He is best remembered for being the last French man to win the French Open in 1983, and as a highly-successful captain of France's Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams...
after defeating John McEnroe
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
in a quarterfinal. He lost in the third round at Wimbledon
1983 Wimbledon Championships
The 1983 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
to Roscoe Tanner
Roscoe Tanner
Roscoe Tanner is an American former professional tennis player, who turned pro in 1972 and reached a career high world singles ranking of World No...
and in the quarterfinals of the US Open to Lendl. Wilander won his second Grand Slam title later that year at the Australian Open
1983 Australian Open
The 1983 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 72nd edition of the Australian Open and was held from 29 November through 11 December 1983.-Men's Singles:...
, played on grass
Grass court
A grass court is one of the four different types of tennis court. Grass courts are made of rye grass in different compositions depending on the tournament...
at Kooyong Stadium
Kooyong Stadium
Kooyong Stadium, at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, is a tennis venue, located in Melbourne, Australia. The stadium was built in 1927 and has a capacity of 8,500....
, where he defeated McEnroe in a semifinal and Lendl in the final. He won eight other tournaments in 1983, including two Grand Prix Championship Series
Grand Prix Tennis Championship Series 1970-1989
The Championship Series of nine tennis tournaments, formed part of the Grand Prix and World Championship Tennis tours, and were held annually throughout the year in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia...
titles, and finished the year ranked World No. 4.
Wilander retained his Australian Open
1984 Australian Open
The 1984 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 73rd edition of the Australian Open and was held from November 26 through December 9, 1984.-Men's Singles:...
title in 1984, beating Stefan Edberg
Stefan Edberg
Stefan Bengt Edberg is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Sweden. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles. He also won one season ending championship title the Masters Grand Prix...
in the quarterfinals and Kevin Curren
Kevin Curren
----Kevin Melvyn Curren is a former professional tennis player. He played in two Grand Slam singles finals and won four Grand Slam doubles titles.-Career:...
in the final. He lost in the semifinals of the French Open
1984 French Open
The 1984 French Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts in Paris, France the event was part of the 1984 Volvo Grand Prix and 1984 Virginia Slims World Championship Series. The tournament was held from May 26 to June 10, 1984....
to Lendl, the second round at Wimbledon
1984 Wimbledon Championships
The 1984 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
to Pat Cash
Pat Cash
Patrick Hart "Pat" Cash is a retired Australian professional tennis player who won the men's singles title at Wimbledon in 1987.-Early career:...
, and the quarterfinals of the US Open to Cash. He won three tournaments in 1984 including his third Championships Series title and again finished the year ranked World No. 4.
In 1985, Wilander won the French Open
1985 French Open
The 1985 French Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts in Paris, France the event was part of the 1985 Nabisco Grand Prix and 1985 Virginia Slims World Championship Series. The tournament was held from May 27 through June 9, 1985....
for the second time, beating Lendl in the final, and again reached the Australian Open
1985 Australian Open
The 1985 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the Kooyong Stadium in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 74th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 28 November through 8 December 1985.-Men's Singles:...
final, where he lost to Edberg. However, he lost in the first round at Wimbledon
1985 Wimbledon Championships
The 1985 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
to Slobodan Živojinović
Slobodan Živojinovic
Slobodan Živojinović is a retired Serbian tennis player who competed for SFR Yugoslavia. Together with Nenad Zimonjić he is the only tennis player from Serbia that held the highest doubles ranking. Živojinović is president of Serbia Tennis Federaton....
and the semifinals of the US Open to McEnroe. He won three tournaments in 1985 and finished the year ranked World No. 3.
Wilander rose to the World No. 2 ranking, behind Lendl, on 28 April 1986. He then lost in the third round of the French Open
1986 French Open
The 1986 French Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts in Paris, France the event was part of the 1986 Nabisco Grand Prix and 1986 Virginia Slims World Championship Series. The tournament was held from May 26 through to June 8, 1986....
to Andrei Chesnokov
Andrei Chesnokov
Andrei Eduardovich Chesnokov is a former professional tennis player from Russia.Chesnokov's highest singles ranking was World No. 9 in 1991. The biggest tournament victories of his career came at the Monte Carlo Open in 1990, and at the Canadian Open in 1991 .Chesnokov's best performance at a...
, the fourth round of Wimbledon
1986 Wimbledon Championships
The 1986 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
to Cash, and the fourth round of the US Open to Miloslav Mečíř
Miloslav Mecír
Miloslav Mečíř is a former professional tennis player from Slovakia. He won the men's singles gold medal at the 1988 Olympic Games where he represented Czechoslovakia and played in two Grand Slam singles finals...
. His consistency at other tournaments, however, allowed him to again finish the year ranked World No. 3. Wilander partnered with countryman Joakim Nyström
Joakim Nyström
Joakim "Jocke" Nyström is a former top ten ranked tennis player from Sweden who won thirteen singles titles during his professional career. The right-hander reached his highest singles ranking on the ATP Tour on 31 March 1986, when he was ranked World No. 7 and was also ranked as high as World No...
to win the men's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1986. He also won his fourth Grand Prix Championship Series title.
The 1987 season saw Wilander unveil a more potent service and a new highly effective one-handed slice backhand, the later a somewhat remarkable development for a mid-career top-level tennis professional. Despite the improvements, however, Wilander was defeated by Lendl in the final of both the French Open
1987 French Open
The 1987 French Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts in Paris, France the event was part of the 1987 Nabisco Grand Prix and 1987 Virginia Slims World Championship Series. The tournament was held from May 25 through to June 7, 1987....
and the US Open in 1987. Cash again proved to be Wilander's nemesis at Wimbledon
1987 Wimbledon Championships
The 1987 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
, winning their quarterfinal match in straight sets. Wilander won five tournaments in 1987 including two Grand Prix Tennis Championship Series
Grand Prix Tennis Championship Series 1970-1989
The Championship Series of nine tennis tournaments, formed part of the Grand Prix and World Championship Tennis tours, and were held annually throughout the year in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia...
tiles and six overall, he finished the year ranked World No. 3 for the third consecutive year.
1988 was the pinnacle of Wilander's career. In January, he won his third Australian Open
1988 Australian Open
The 1988 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at Flinders Park in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 76th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 11 through 24 January 1988.-Men's Singles:...
singles title, this time on Melbourne Park
Melbourne Park
Melbourne Park is a sports venue in the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Since 1988, Melbourne Park has been home of the Australian Open in tennis, which is played annually in January...
's hardcourt
Hardcourt
Hardcourt or hard court describes a form of surface or floor on which a sport is played. It may refer to an indoor court made from a wood, or more specifically hardwood such as maple, as in basketball or indoor soccer. Alternatively, it may refer to outdoor materials such as asphalt, shale, or clay...
s, defeating Edberg in a five-set semifinal and home town favourite Cash in a five-set final. In doing so, he became the only player to win the Australian Open on both grass (twice) and hardcourt. Wilander faced another home crowd favourite, Henri Leconte
Henri Leconte
Henri Leconte is a former French professional tennis player. He reached the men's singles final at the French Open in 1988, won the French Open men's doubles title in 1984, and helped France win the Davis Cup in 1991.-Biography and career:...
, in the final of the French Open
1988 French Open
List of the 1988 French Open champions:-Men's singles: Mats Wilander def. Henri Leconte, 7–5, 6–2, 6–1*It was Wilander's 6th career Grand Slam title, and his 3rd French Open title.-Women's singles: Steffi Graf def...
. Wilander won in straight sets, missing only two out of 73 first serves (97 %) the entire match. At Wimbledon
1988 Wimbledon Championships
The 1988 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
, Wilander reached the quarterfinals where he lost to Mečíř. At the US Open, he reached his third Grand Slam final of the year. In a repeat match-up of the previous year's final, he defeated Lendl in five sets (in close to 5 hours) and ended Lendl's three-year reign at the top of the world rankings. This was Wilander's seventh Grand Slam singles title and resulted in his receiving the World No. 1 ranking, having won three of the year's Grand Slam tournaments, two more Grand Prix Championship Series titles at (Key Biscayne and Cincinnati) making that eight in total, and one other title (Palermo). He held the top ranking for a total of 20 weeks until Lendl reclaimed it at the end of January 1989.
His 1988 title at Cincinnati
Cincinnati Masters
The Cincinnati Open is an annual outdoor hardcourts tennis event held in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, USA. The event started on September 18, 1899 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the United States played in its original city., Between...
was his fourth there, making him one of only three players since 1899 to win four titles in Cincinnati. The other two are fellow International Hall of Famers Bobby Riggs
Bobby Riggs
Robert Larimore "Bobby" Riggs was a 1930s–40s tennis player who was the World No. 1 or the co-World No. 1 player for three years, first as an amateur in 1941, then as a professional in 1946 and 1947...
(who won in 1936, 1937, 1938, and 1940) and George Lott
George Lott
George Martin Lott was an American tennis player and tennis coach who was born in Springfield, Illinois, United States. Lott is mostly remembered as being one of the greatest doubles players of all time. He won the U.S. title five times with three different partners: John Hennessey in 1928; John...
(who won in 1924, 1925, 1927, and 1932).
1989–1996
Wilander's motivation, results, and ranking suffered in 1989. He lost in the second round of the Australian Open1989 Australian Open
The 1989 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at Flinders Park in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 77th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 16 through 29 January 1989.-Men's Singles:...
to Ramesh Krishnan
Ramesh Krishnan
Ramesh Krishnan is a tennis coach and former professional tennis player from India. As a junior player in the late-1970s, he won the boy's singles titles at both Wimbledon and the French Open. He went on to reach three Grand Slam quarter-finals in the 1980s, and was part of the Indian team which...
, the quarterfinals of the French Open
1989 French Open
List of the 1989 French Open Champions. For the first time in French Open history the Singles championships were won by two teenagers – Michael Chang and Arantxa Sánchez . Chang still holds the record for youngest ever male Grand Slam singles title winner. He gained many admirers for his audacious...
to Andrei Chesnokov
Andrei Chesnokov
Andrei Eduardovich Chesnokov is a former professional tennis player from Russia.Chesnokov's highest singles ranking was World No. 9 in 1991. The biggest tournament victories of his career came at the Monte Carlo Open in 1990, and at the Canadian Open in 1991 .Chesnokov's best performance at a...
, the quarterfinals of Wimbledon
1989 Wimbledon Championships
The 1989 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
to John McEnroe
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
(7–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4), and the second round of the US Open to Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras
Pete Sampras is a retired American tennis player and former world no. 1. During his 15-year tour career, he won 14 Grand Slam singles titles and became recognized as one of the greatest tennis players of all time....
(5–7, 6–3, 1–6, 6–1, 6–4). He did not win a tournament during 1989 and he finished the year ranked World No. 12.
Wilander briefly moved back into the top 10 rankings on 12 February 1990, but by the end of the year, his ranking had slumped to World No. 41. He defeated Boris Becker
Boris Becker
Boris Franz Becker is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Germany. He is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and the youngest-ever winner of the men's singles title at Wimbledon at the age of 17...
in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open
1990 Australian Open
The 1990 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at Flinders Park in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 78th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 15 through 28 January 1990.-Men's Singles:...
, only to lose to Stefan Edberg
Stefan Edberg
Stefan Bengt Edberg is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Sweden. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles. He also won one season ending championship title the Masters Grand Prix...
in straight sets in the semifinals. He skipped the French Open
1990 French Open
List of the 1990 French Open Champions.-Men's singles: Andrés Gómez def. Andre Agassi, 6–3, 2–6, 6–4, 6–4*It was Gómez's 3rd title of the year, and his 20th overall. It was his 1st career Grand Slam title....
and Wimbledon
1990 Wimbledon Championships
The 1990 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
and lost in the first round of the US Open to Brad Gilbert
Brad Gilbert
Brad Gilbert , is an American tennis coach, a television tennis commentator, an author and former professional tennis player. He was born in Oakland, California and graduated from Piedmont High School ....
.
Wilander played only the first half of 1991. He lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open
1991 Australian Open
The 1991 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at Flinders Park in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 79th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 14 through 27 January 1991.-Men's Singles:...
and the second round of the French Open
1991 French Open
List of the 1991 French Open champions:-Men's singles: Jim Courier def. Andre Agassi, 3–6, 6–4, 2–6, 6–1, 6–4*It was Courier's 3rd title of the year, and his 4th overall. It was his 1st career Grand Slam title.-Women's singles:...
. He finished the year ranked World No. 159.
Wilander was absent from the tour in 1992. He played seven tournaments in 1993, losing in the first round of five of them. At the US Open, he lost in the third round to Cédric Pioline
Cédric Pioline
Cédric Pioline is a retired French professional tennis player who played on the professional tour from 1989 to 2002. He reached the men's singles final at the 1993 US Open and at Wimbledon in 1997...
. He finished the year ranked World No. 330.
Except for Wimbledon
1994 Wimbledon Championships
The 1994 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
, Wilander played a full schedule in 1994. He lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open
1994 Australian Open
The 1994 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at Flinders Park in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia...
to Malivai Washington
MaliVai Washington
MaliVai "Mal" Washington is a former professional tennis player from the United States. He is best remembered for reaching the men's singles final at Wimbledon in 1996.-Family:...
, the first round of the French Open
1994 French Open
List of the 1994 French Open champions:-Men's Singles: Sergi Bruguera def. Alberto Berasategui, 6–3, 7–5, 2–6, 6–1...
to Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi
Andre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
(6–2, 7–5, 6–1), and the first round of the US Open to Guy Forget
Guy Forget
Guy Forget is a former French professional tennis player. During his career, he helped France win the Davis Cup in both 1991 and 1996. Since retiring as a player, he has served as France's Davis Cup team captain.-Career:...
. His only victory over a top ten player was in the second round of the tournament in Indianapolis against Todd Martin
Todd Martin
----Todd Christopher Martin is a former professional tennis player from the United States.-Playing career:...
. He finished the year ranked World No. 129.
Wilander's results improved slightly in 1995 as he finished the year ranked World No. 46. After losing in the first round of the Australian Open
1995 Australian Open
The 1995 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at Flinders Park in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 83rd edition of the Australian Open and was held from 16 through 29 January 1995.-Men's Singles:...
to Jacco Eltingh
Jacco Eltingh
Jacco Folkert Eltingh is a former professional male tennis player and former World No. 1 doubles player from the Netherlands.He is best remembered for his success in doubles with fellow countryman Paul Haarhuis...
, he lost in the second round of the French Open
1995 French Open
List of the 1995 French Open champions:-Men's Singles: Thomas Muster def. Michael Chang, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4*It was Muster's 6th title of the year, and his 29th overall. It was his 1st career Grand Slam title.-Women's Singles:...
to eighth ranked Wayne Ferreira
Wayne Ferreira
Wayne Richard Ferreira is a former tennis player from South Africa. He attended Parktown Boys' High School....
6–7(5), 7–6(1), 6–3, 6–7(4), 8–6. He then lost in the third round of Wimbledon
1995 Wimbledon Championships
The 1995 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on :grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
to Eltingh and the second round of the US Open to Martin. In other tournaments, he had wins against tenth ranked Marc Rosset
Marc Rosset
Marc Rosset is a former professional tennis player from Switzerland who is best remembered for winning the men's singles Gold Medal at the 1992 Olympic Games....
, eight ranked Ferreira, and sixth ranked Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Kafelnikov is a former World No. 1 tennis player from Russia. He won two Grand Slam singles titles , four Grand Slam doubles titles, and the men's singles gold medal at the Sydney Olympic Games. He also helped Russia win the Davis Cup in 2002...
. He also won his final tour match against Edberg, in the second round of the Canadian Open
Canada Masters
The Canada Masters , currently sponsored as the Rogers Cup, is an annual tennis tournament held in Canada. The men's competition is a Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour. The women's competition is a Premier 5 tournament on the Women's Tennis Association tour...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
In 1996, Wilander played only one Grand Slam tournament, losing in the second round of the French Open
1996 French Open
List of the 1996 French Open champions:- Men's singles : Yevgeny Kafelnikov def. Michael Stich, 7–6, 7–5, 7–6*It was Kafelnikov's 3rd title of the year, and his 10th overall. It was his 1st career Grand Slam title.- Women's singles :...
to Martin. He retired from the tour after losing his final match to Martin Damm
Martin Damm
Martin Damm was a professional tennis player from Czechia. He is 6'2" 195 lb and is best known as a doubles player . ,his highest singles ranking 42 as of August 1997...
in Beijing in October.
During most of his career, Wilander used the Rossignol F-200 Carbon tennis racquet, an early fiberglass model.
Davis Cup
Wilander was an integral member of SwedenSweden Davis Cup team
The Sweden Davis Cup team represents Sweden in Davis Cup tennis competition and is governed by the Svenska Tennisförbundet.Sweden is the 5th most successful nation, winning the title 7 times...
's highly-successful Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
team throughout the 1980s.
He reached his first final with Sweden in 1983, which they lost 3–2 to Australia
Australia Davis Cup team
The Australian Davis Cup team is the second most successful team ever to compete in the Davis Cup, winning the coveted title on 23 separate occasions, second behind the United States with 32....
(despite Wilander winning both his singles rubbers in the final). In 1984, Sweden (with Wilander) won the cup, beating the United States 4–1 in the final. Sweden retained the cup in 1985, with a 3–2 final victory over West Germany
Germany Davis Cup team
The Germany Davis Cup team represents Germany in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Deutscher Tennis Bund. As East Germany never participated in the Davis Cup and the Deutscher Tennisbund remained the same organization throughout the century the West German Davis Cup team is...
. Wilander helped Sweden reach the final again in 1986 but declined to play in the final because he was getting married (Sweden lost 3–2 to Australia). Wilander played in his fourth final in 1987, where Sweden beat India
India Davis Cup team
The India Davis Cup team represents India in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the All India Tennis Association.India finished as runners-up 3 times . In 1974, the final was scratched and South Africa were awarded the Davis Cup after India refused to particapate in the final due to...
5–0. Two more finals followed in 1988 and 1989, but Sweden lost both to West Germany. Wilander last played in Davis Cup in the 1995 semifinals, where he lost to Andre Agassi 7–6(5), 6–2, 6–2 and Pete Sampras 2–6, 7–6(4), 6–3.
Wilander compiled a 36–16 record in singles and a 7–2 record in doubles in the Davis Cup for Sweden. However, Wilander's most memorable Davis Cup match came in defeat. In a July 1982 quarterfinal tie against the United States on carpet in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Wilander was defeated in the deciding fifth rubber by John McEnroe 9–7, 6–2, 15–17, 3–6, 8–6. At 6 hours and 32 minutes, it remains the longest match in Davis Cup history.
Records
- These records were attained in Open EraOpen eraOpen era or Open Era may refer to:* Open Era , the period since 1968 where professionals can compete in Grand Slams* Glasnost era, the increased openness in the Soviet Union from the mid-1980s...
of tennis.Grand Slam Years Record accomplished Player tied Australian Open 1983–85 3 consecutive finals Ivan Lendl Ivan LendlIvan Lendl is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player. Originally from Czechoslovakia, Lendl became a United States citizen. He was one of the game's most dominant players in the 1980s and remained a top competitor into the early 1990s. He is considered to be one of the greatest tennis...Australian Open 1983–84 2 consecutive wins Ken Rosewall Ken RosewallKenneth Robert Rosewall AM MBE is a former world top-ranking amateur and professional tennis player from Australia. He won 23 Majors including eight Grand Slam singles titles and before the Open Era a record fifteen Pro Slam titles . Rosewall won 9 slams in doubles with a career double grand slam...
, Guillermo VilasGuillermo VilasGuillermo Apolinario Vilas is a retired and former World No. 2 professional tennis player from Argentina. He was the second Latin-American to win a Grand Slam tournament.-Career:...
Johan KriekJohan KriekJohan Kriek is a South African American professional male tennis player and founder of the Global Water Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to delivering clean water to the world's neediest communities. Kriek has won two Australian Opens and has reached the semi-finals at the French...
, Ivan Lendl Stefan EdbergStefan EdbergStefan Bengt Edberg is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from Sweden. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles. He also won one season ending championship title the Masters Grand Prix...
, Jim CourierJim CourierJames Spencer "Jim" Courier, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won four Grand Slam singles titles, two at the French Open and two at the Australian Open...
Andre AgassiAndre AgassiAndre Kirk Agassi is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1. Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Agassi has been called the best service returner in the history of the game...
, Roger FedererRoger FedererRoger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and 285 weeks overall. As of 28 November 2011, he is ranked World No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals . Federer has won a men's record 16 Grand Slam singles titles...French Open 1982 Won title at first attempt Rafael Nadal Grand Slam Tournaments Grand Slam (tennis)The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
1988 match win/loss record single year in Majors 96.2% (25/1) Stands alone Grand Slam Tournaments 1982-88 7 titles won before becoming No 1 player Stands alone Grand Slam Tournaments 1982-88 Won at least 2 titles on 3 different surfaces (clay, grass, and hard) Rafael Nadal Rafael NadalRafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. , he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals...Davis Cup Davis CupThe Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...1982 longest match played 6hrs and 32 minutes (9-7, 6-2, 15-17, 3-6, 8-6) John McEnroe John McEnroeJohn Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
Career statistics
Win-loss percentage in majors (96.2% for 25-1 in 1988) record was tied by Novak Djokovic in 2011.Private life
Wilander, who won $8 million as a pro and more in endorsements, now spends much of his time living on an 81-acre estate in Hailey, IdahoHailey, Idaho
Hailey is a city in and the county seat of Blaine County, in the Wood River Valley of the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 6,200 at the 2000 census. Hailey is the site of Friedman Memorial Airport , the airport for the resort area of Sun Valley/Ketchum, north. The town...
, United States (part of the Sun Valley
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...
ski resort) with his wife Sonya (née Mulholland), a South African-born model. He competes from time to time on the senior tour. Since retiring as a player, he has served as captain of the Swedish Davis Cup team
Sweden Davis Cup team
The Sweden Davis Cup team represents Sweden in Davis Cup tennis competition and is governed by the Svenska Tennisförbundet.Sweden is the 5th most successful nation, winning the title 7 times...
and as coach of the Russian player Marat Safin
Marat Safin
Marat Mikhailovich Safin is a retired Russian tennis player of Tatar descent. Safin won two grand slams and reached the world number 1 ranking during his career. He was also famous for his emotional outbursts and sometimes fiery temper on court. Safin also holds the record for most broken...
. He also occasionally spends time commentating tennis matches on Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
. He is a supporter of Leeds United A.F.C.
Wilander has four children named Emma, Karl, Erik, and Oscar. His son Erik suffers from a comparatively mild form of epidermolysis bullosa
Epidermolysis bullosa
Epidermolysis bullosa is an inherited connective tissue disease causing blisters in the skin and mucosal membranes, with an incidence of 1/50,000. Its severity ranges from mild to lethal. It is caused by a mutation in the keratin or collagen gene....
, which benefits from Idaho's cool and dry air, and Wilander and his wife have worked to raise funds for research into cures for the disease.
Wilander created a minor controversy during the 2006 French Open
2006 French Open
The 2006 French Open was held in Paris, France from May 28 to June 11, 2006. Both defending champions, Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin-Hardenne, retained their titles. It is one of the four tennis Grand Slams. This edition made history as it became the first Grand Slam tournament to start on a...
when he criticized several top players, including Roger Federer
Roger Federer
Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and 285 weeks overall. As of 28 November 2011, he is ranked World No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals . Federer has won a men's record 16 Grand Slam singles titles...
and Kim Clijsters
Kim Clijsters
Kim Antonie Lode Clijsters is a Belgian professional tennis player. As of 7 November 2011, Clijsters is ranked No. 13 in singles. Clijsters is a former World No. 1 in both singles and doubles....
, as lacking the competitive edge to beat their toughest rivals. After Federer's 1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6 loss to Nadal in the final, Wilander said that "Federer, today, unfortunately came out with no balls... you don't find too many champions in any sport in the world without heart or balls. He might have them, but against Nadal they shrink to a very small size and it's not once, it's every time."
In the aftermath of these comments, fans coined the neologism "Wilanders" as a humorous synonym for "balls", denoting a competitive spirit and tenacity to win.
Wilander later apologized to Federer on-air on Eurosport during an interview with the Swiss.
He began coaching Tatiana Golovin
Tatiana Golovin
Tatiana Golovin is an inactive French professional tennis player. She is best known for her explosive forehand, which was said to be one of the best at the time. She notably won the 2004 French Open mixed doubles event with Richard Gasquet, and reached the singles quarterfinal at the 2006 U.S....
in July 2007. After working with Golovin in the later part of 2007, Wilander began coaching Paul-Henri Mathieu
Paul-Henri Mathieu
Paul-Henri Mathieu is a French tennis player.-Tennis career:Mathieu was born in Strasbourg, France. He first began playing tennis at age 3, with his older brother Pierre-Yves. Between 1997 and 2000 he trained at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida...
. Despite his wealth, for several weeks each year he and a business partner (Cameron Lickle) travel around the United States in a Winnebago
Winnebago
Winnebago can refer to:* The former name of the Ho-Chunk tribe of Native Americans with reservations in Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin*A popular brand of recreational vehicles, manufactured by Winnebago Industries, of Forest City, Iowa...
, offering lessons at tennis clubs and private homes to those who call 787-GET-GAME.
Wilander escaped death in December 1988 when, despite having made a reservation on Pan-Am flight 103, which was destroyed by a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, he did not take a seat on the flight.