:Mats Wilander

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 Bowl under-16 event in Miami.

Wilander made his debut on the professional tour at the clay court tournament in Båstad, Sweden in 1980. In September 1981, he lost his only career match against Björn Borg, losing in the first round of the Geneva Open in straight sets.

Wilander surprised the tennis world at the 1982 French Open. As an unseeded player, he upset second seed Ivan Lendl in the fourth round,{{cite news|date=1 June 1982|title=McNamara wins five-set marathon|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126899684|accessdate=28 September 2024}} fifth seed Vitas Gerulaitis in the quarterfinals,{{cite news|date=3 June 1982|title=Connors reaches Open's last four|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126899929|accessdate=28 September 2024}} fourth seed José Luis Clerc in the semifinals,{{cite news|date=6 June 1982|title=Navratilova in top form for decider|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126900674|accessdate=28 September 2024}} and third seed Guillermo Vilas in a four-set final that lasted 4 hours and 47 minutes (the longest French singles final played up until that point){{cite news|date=7 June 1982|title=Wilander, 17, wins French title|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/07/sports/wilander-17-wins-french-title.html|accessdate=28 September 2024}} and was notable for its long rallies, the longest point taking 90 strokes.{{cite news|date=8 June 1982|title=Unseeded Wilander wins Open|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126901043|accessdate=28 September 2024}} At the end of the semifinal against Clerc he requested replay of the match ball as he did not want to win the game due to a questionable referee decision. This was seen as an extraordinary display of fair play and garnered him the Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Trophy. He was the youngest ever male Grand Slam singles champion at 17 years, 9 months, a record since 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, a record since equaled 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 no. 7. During that year, Wilander was awarded the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal.

Wilander returned to the French Open in 1983, where he lost to Yannick Noah in the final,{{cite news|date=7 June 1983|title=Noah swamps Swede to bring title home|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131847878|accessdate=28 September 2024}} after defeating John McEnroe in a quarterfinal.{{cite news|date=3 June 1983|title=McEnroe departs|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131847299|accessdate=28 September 2024}} He lost in the third round at Wimbledon to Roscoe Tanner{{cite news|date=27 June 1983|title=Cash into last 16 strongly|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131851651|accessdate=28 September 2024}} and in the quarterfinals of the US Open to Lendl.{{cite news|date=10 September 1983|title=Arias surprises Noah, faces Lendl in semis|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116405829|accessdate=28 September 2024}} 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{{cite news|date=10 December 1983|title=Wilander storms into final against Lendl|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116400394|accessdate=28 September 2024}} and Lendl in the final.{{cite news|date=12 December 1983|title=Grass success surprises even Wilander|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116400852|accessdate=28 September 2024}} He won eight other tournaments in 1983, including two Grand Prix Championship Series titles, and finished the year ranked no. 4.

Wilander retained his Australian Open title in 1984, beating Stefan Edberg in the quarterfinals and Kevin Curren in the final.{{cite news|date=10 December 1984|title=Wilander outlasts Curren for second successive Open|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122533527|accessdate=28 September 2024}} He lost in the semifinals of the French Open to Lendl,{{cite news|date=10 June 1984|title=Final stakes high|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127001694|accessdate=28 September 2024}} the second round at Wimbledon to Pat Cash,{{cite news|date=30 June 1984|title=Sweet revenge for Cash|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127006155|accessdate=28 September 2024}} and the quarterfinals of the US Open to Cash.{{cite news|date=7 September 1984|title=Cash, Turnbull through to semis|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136914761|accessdate=28 September 2024}} He won three tournaments in 1984 including his third Championships Series title and again finished the year ranked no. 4.

In 1985, Wilander won the French Open for the second time, beating Lendl in the final,{{cite news|date=11 June 1985|title=Consistent Wilander topples Lendl|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122515247|accessdate=28 September 2024}} 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.{{cite news|date=9 September 1985|title=Mandlikova deposes the champion|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/128254212|accessdate=28 September 2024}} He won three tournaments in 1985 and finished the year ranked no. 3.

Wilander rose to the no. 2 ranking, behind Lendl, on 28 April 1986. He then lost in the third round of the French Open to Andrei Chesnokov,{{cite news|date=6 June 1986|title=Leconte France's final hope|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/118122858|accessdate=28 September 2024}} the fourth round of Wimbledon to Cash, and the fourth round of the US Open to Miloslav Mečíř.{{cite news|date=4 September 1986|title=Fleet-of-foot Czech catches Wilander at the net|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131836686|accessdate=28 September 2024}} His consistency at other tournaments, however, allowed him to again finish the year ranked 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 latter a somewhat remarkable development for a mid-career top-level tennis professional.{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1068385/2/index.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026112200/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1068385/2/index.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=26 October 2012 |publisher=CNN | title=Video | date=15 May 1989}} Despite the improvements, however, Wilander was defeated by Lendl in the finals 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 titles and six overall, finishing the year ranked third in the world 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 hardcourts, 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 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 in the entire match.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/06/sports/tennis-wilander-spoils-the-party-in-paris.html?scp=2&sq=wilander%20leconte%20french%20open&st=cse|title=TENNIS - Wilander Spoils The Party In Paris - NYTimes.com|date=6 June 1988|work=The New York Times}} 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 4 hours 54 minutes (the longest US Open singles final to that point){{cite news|date=13 September 1988|title=Wilander wrests title off Lendl|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102070431|accessdate=28 September 2024}} 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 number one ranking, having won three of the year's Grand Slam tournaments, two more Grand Prix Championship Series titles at Key Biscayne and Cincinnati, and one other title in 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, at the time making him one of only three players since 1899 to win four titles in Cincinnati, along with Bobby Riggs and George Lott. Roger Federer has since joined the list.

Wilander's motivation, results, and ranking suffered in 1989. He lost in the second round of the Australian Open to Ramesh Krishnan, the quarterfinals of the French Open to Andrei Chesnokov, the quarterfinals of Wimbledon to John McEnroe, and the second round of the US Open to Pete Sampras. 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,{{cite news|date=25 January 1990|title=Wilander shows old no 1 form|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120874498|accessdate=28 September 2024}} only to lose to Stefan Edberg in straight sets in the semifinals.{{cite news|date=27 January 1990|title=Teaming with Cash gives 'advantage'|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/120874826|accessdate=28 September 2024}} He skipped the French Open and Wimbledon and lost in the first round of the US Open to Brad Gilbert. He won the final singles title of his career at Itaparica.{{cite news|date=11 November 1990|title=Results|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/newspage/175346428/|accessdate=28 September 2024}}

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 in straight sets, 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. He then lost in the third round of Wimbledon to Eltingh and the second round of the US Open to Martin. At Canadian Open in Montreal, Wilander won his final tour match against Edberg,{{cite news|date=31 July 1995|title=Sampras survives to meet Agassi|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/128290677|accessdate=28 September 2024}} then beat eighth ranked Ferreira and sixth ranked Yevgeny Kafelnikov{{cite news|date=30 July 1995|title=Wilander shows some of that old mastery|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/128290541|accessdate=28 September 2024}} before losing to Agassi in the semis. At New Haven, Wilander beat 10th ranked Marc Rosset{{cite news|date=20 August 1995|title=Ivanisevic moves closer to showdown against Sampras|newspaper=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130558886|accessdate=28 September 2024}} before losing to Agassi in the semis.

In 1996, Wilander reached the final of the Pinehurst ATP tournament in May, losing to Fernando Meligeni (it was Wilander's first ATP tournament final since 1990).{{cite news|date=13 May 1996|title=Clay|newspaper=The News & Observer|url=https://newsobserver.newspapers.com/newspage/656903614/|accessdate=28 September 2024}} He 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.

During the 1995 French Open he and Karel Nováček tested positive for cocaine. They appealed the initial three-month suspension by the International Tennis Federation, claiming flawed test procedures but withdrew their appeals in May 1997 and on 15 May 1997 received a three-month suspension from the ATP Tour for failing a drugs test. Additionally Wilander had to return his prize money since May 1995, amounting to $289,005, and forfeit ranking points.{{cite web|title=Wilander and Novacek Are Banned|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/15/sports/wilander-and-novacek-are-banned.html?_r=1|work=The New York Times|date=15 May 1997}}{{cite web|title=Doping doc doesn't buy Wilander's story|url=https://apnews.com/aeab35dec3b639acec31f35bae1e96cb|publisher=Associated Press|date=17 May 1997}}

Wilander was an integral member of Sweden'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 and Pete Sampras.

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 second longest singles match in Davis Cup history.

{{main|Mats Wilander career statistics}}

{{Performance key|short=yes|active=no}}

• These records were attained in Open Era of tennis.
• Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.

Wilander 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. Wilander also serves as a commentator for tennis matches on Eurosport.

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 shrank to a very small size and it's not once, it's every time."{{cite news | url=https://www.theage.com.au/news/tennis/federer-not-greatest-yet-wilander/2006/06/15/1149964673956.html | title=Federer not greatest yet: Wilander | last=Pearce | first=Linda | date=16 June 2006 | location=Melbourne | work=The Age}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://tennisworld.typepad.com/tennisworld/2006/10/acronyms_and_ni.html|title=Peter Bodo's TennisWorld - Acronyms and Nicknames FAQ|website=Tennisworld.tyepad.com}}

Wilander began coaching Tatiana Golovin in July 2007. After working with Golovin in the later part of 2007,{{cite news|date=1 January 2008|title=Hungry Golovin determined to fulfil her talent|newspaper=Times of Malta|url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/hungry-golovin-determined-to-fulfil-her-talent.190448|accessdate=28 September 2024}} Wilander began coaching Paul-Henri Mathieu.{{cite news|date=5 December 2007|title=Wilander to coach Frenchman Mathieu|newspaper=Times of Malta|url=https://timesofmalta.com/article/wilander-to-coach-frenchman-mathieu.187042|accessdate=28 September 2024}}

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, Idaho, United States (part of the Sun Valley ski resort) with his wife Sonya (née Mulholland), a South African-born model, whom he started dating in 1985 and married in 1987.

Wilander has four children, Emma, Karl, Erik, and Oskar. His son Erik suffers from a comparatively mild form of epidermolysis bullosa, which benefits from Idaho's cool and dry air,{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704005404576176790265673986?mod=WSJ_article_related#printMode | title=From Wimbledon to Winnebago | access-date=3 March 2011 | author=Perrotta, tom | date=3 March 2011 |work=The Wall Street Journal }} and Wilander and his wife have worked to raise funds for research into cures for the disease.

His brother, {{ill|Anders Wilander|sv}}, was Mayor of Tranås Municipality 2006–2020.Swedish populations 1970, CD-ROM, Version 1.04, Sweden's Genealogy Association (2002).{{Cite web |url=https://www.smt.se/article/oersattlig-ledare/ |title=Oersättlig ledare? - Smålands-Tidningen |access-date=20 October 2018 |archive-date=20 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020140622/https://www.smt.se/article/oersattlig-ledare/ |url-status=dead }}

In 2012, Wilander won the International Club's Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award.{{cite web|date=5 July 2012|title=Wilander awarded Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award at Wimbledon|website=wimbledon.com|url=https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2012-07-05/20120705_201207041341419690858.html|accessdate=28 September 2024}}

• Lendl–Wilander rivalry
• List of Grand Slam men's singles champions
• World number 1 ranked male tennis players

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Mats Wilander}}

• {{Official|https://www.wilanderonwheels.com/}}
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• {{ITF}}
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Category:1964 births

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