Tuesday 17 April 2018

'MONTE CARLO' ( 28 YEARS ON )

I was 21 years of age when I walked through the gates of the Monte Carlo Country Club in 1991, the one place I wanted to visit more than any other, ever since I was a kid who was inspired by a long haired Swedish tennis champion by the name of Bjorn Borg.
It was rather ironic that the year I travelled to Europe was the same year Borg decided to dust off the old wooden rackets and have another crack at the game that he dominated, particularly on the clay courts from 1974 through to '81.
Myself, Brett Patten and Peter Gerrans , my touring buddies from WA watched Borg's comeback match in Monte Carlo from a Bordeaux Tennis facility in Southern France with the anticipation of a fairytale comeback result, however it was not meant to be.
At age 35 Borg still looked as fit as he did when he retired from the sport at age 26, in fact he looked just the same, including the long flowing locks which at one stage had him listed amongst the most marketable sporting personalities in the World.
Borg reminded me of Agassi, both larger than life figures with their Rock Star hair styles however Borg's game owned far more substance than Agassi's at the same age as the Swede took the French Open Mens Singles title in 1974 at age 18 and another five French titles by 1981.
Retiring at age 26 with six Roland Garros titles and five Wimbledon crowns is totally outrageous when you really think about it.
So back to Monte Carlo.
My hero Borg won the event three times, in 1977, '79 and '80 though it was how he won the titles that was most astounding. Back then the event was a best of five sets physical challenge on the slowest surface in the World to play tennis on.
Borg excelled in the longer format of the sport as he was the fittest and most consistent tennis player on the planet in that era.
The three titles Borg won in Monte Carlo in the late 70's were for the loss of just 17 games, while he amassed a total of 55 games ( 9 sets, with just one stretching to 7-5 ). 
Kent Carlsson, another Swede who loved the dirt courts in Europe once lost just 10 games in five matches in an Italian Grand Prix Tennis event in 1987. Tough to beat someone who owns a mindset that refuses to miss and refuses to lose.
Some tennis players get beaten, others lose to themselves through errors. These two you would always have to beat. 
I would loved to have watched Borg and Carlsson at their best play a best of five sets match against each other, may have taken a while.
Monte Carlo in 1991 was a postcard, a place of impeccable scenery and it was everything I had imagined it to be. I entered the main office at the Country Club and received a free Draw sheet and a book on the event. ( About the only free things I found in Monte Carlo ).
I read in black and white that my hero had been beaten in Round 1, just as Brett, Pete and myself had witnessed back in Bordeaux a week earlier. Deep down I was hoping for something else, perhaps a dream that I was back in 1980 watching my hero towel up Vilas 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 in the final as he did back then.
We all have dreams.
This year in Monte Carlo I would imagine that Rafa will go close to winning it again, for the 11th time despite his injured past.
Just like Borg and Carlsson, will take a patient player to beat him........

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