Miloslav Mecir vs Mats Wilander!

[Pebbles10]

What was the big differences between Wilander and Mecir....

Wilander won 7 slams and Mecir 0 but still Wilander had a lot of problem with Mecir.

http://youtu.be/z2bzlj4ypvw

http://youtu.be/wGlvPu-PE24

[Mustard]

When Wilander struggled against Mecir, Mecir would win easily. Wilander had to get on top of Mecir early on, or at least not fall behind Mecir.

[snapple]

Their match at the 87 US Open was truly epic. It seemed like each point was on Mecir's racket as you never knew where his next shot was going. Alas, Mats just outlasted him with sheer will, smarts and relentless retrieving like he did so many others in his illustrious career.

[hoodjem]

Originally Posted by snapple

Mats just outlasted him with sheer will, smarts and relentless retrieving like he did so many others in his illustrious career.

This sounds like an excellent description of the USO final 1988, also.

When it was over, I could hardly believe that Wilander had done it.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by hoodjem

This sounds like an excellent description of the USO final 1988, also.

When it was over, I could hardly believe that Wilander had done it.

That 88 USO final was so memorable. I've been watching the 88 AO vs Cash too. Wilander's passing shots were incredible.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by Pebbles10

What was the big differences between Wilander and Mecir....

Wilander won 7 slams and Mecir 0 but still Wilander had a lot of problem with Mecir.

http://youtu.be/z2bzlj4ypvw

http://youtu.be/wGlvPu-PE24

Those are fun clips. So much variety.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by slowfox

That 88 USO final was so memorable. I've been watching the 88 AO vs Cash too. Wilander's passing shots were incredible.

True and that AO is one of the finest. THE FINAL AND 2 SEMIS were all epic

[robow7]

watching that first clip, I had forgotten how often Mats went to that one handed slice off of the backhand and how good Mecir's backhand down the line was. Thanks for posting.

[Dedans Penthouse]

Originally Posted by snapple

Their match at the 87 US Open was truly epic. It seemed like each point was on Mecir's racket as you never knew where his next shot was going. Alas, Mats just outlasted him with sheer will, smarts and relentless retrieving like he did so many others in his illustrious career.

Originally Posted by slowfox

That 88 USO final was so memorable. I've been watching the 88 AO vs Cash too. Wilander's passing shots were incredible.

Great AO Mats-Cash references snap & slow. At the AO Cash the home favorite was was holding serve with ease while Mats had to battle to hold his in that last 8-6 set. Mats was like a stuboorn little dog with a towel in his mouth who just wouldn't let go even though he was getting swung around back and forth by Cash's pressuring S&V and chip-and-charge tennis. Finnally he broke Cash and that was the match.

As for Mecir, what a mover! Unfortunately his 2nd serve could totally collapse at times. What beautiful movers these two were. Mecir, like Edberg was a guy who could cover the court like nobody's business .... and make it look so effortless.

[mattennis]

1988 AO final is another one of my favourite matches ever.

Cash volleys were just so perfect, and Wilander, as always (at least in his prime) would never surrender.

Beautiful tennis.

[Mustard]

Cash had been something of a nemesis of Wilander's for years, beating Wilander 3 times at Wimbledon and in a US Open quarter final, but Wilander won that 1988 Australian Open final.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Cash had been something of a nemesis of Wilander's for years, beating Wilander 3 times at Wimbledon and in a US Open quarter final, but Wilander won that 1988 Australian Open final.

Interesting. Didn't know they had a mini rivalry going. Cool.

[Xavier G]

Mecir, lovely groundstrokes, looked laid back, good court coverage. Just couldn't win a GS at the end. Ivan was his bugbear usually.
Oh yes, Cash caused Mats a lot of problems on grass. Grass was Pat's preferred surface. 1983,84 Pat was a young upcoming player. They were both young back then, Mats was only 19, 20 himself. Pat won Davis Cup in 83, semis at Wimby and the US Open in 84. Only Mac stopped him at Wimbledon and Lendl had to go 5 in the Flushing Meadow semi to deny Cash a place in the final. Pat got injured or something then, came back with a bang after a couple of years though.
Mats and Pat played in the AO final 88 (on the synthetic surface now, not grass) and Mats won in five. Cash had got the better of Lendl in the semis. Cash lost the 87 AO final to Edberg after having beaten Ivan. Pat strung together a few big wins over Ivan those years. Never won his home Grand Slam tournament though, which I thought was a shame.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by Xavier G

Mecir, lovely groundstrokes, looked laid back, good court coverage. Just couldn't win a GS at the end. Ivan was his bugbear usually.
Oh yes, Cash caused Mats a lot of problems on grass. Grass was Pat's preferred surface. 1983,84 Pat was a young upcoming player. They were both young back then, Mats was only 19, 20 himself. Pat won Davis Cup in 83, semis at Wimby and the US Open in 84. Only Mac stopped him at Wimbledon and Lendl had to go 5 in the Flushing Meadow semi to deny Cash a place in the final. Pat got injured or something then, came back with a bang after a couple of years though.
Mats and Pat played in the AO final 88 (on the synthetic surface now, not grass) and Mats won in five. Cash had got the better of Lendl in the semis. Cash lost the 87 AO final to Edberg after having beaten Ivan. Pat strung together a few big wins over Ivan those years. Never won his home Grand Slam tournament though, which I thought was a shame.

A very close friend of mine lost to Cash at the RG junior semis
Cash played so damn well at the 1987 Wimbledon
Maybe only Becker could have beaten him but Boris lost in the first round
He had an amazing body, as well as great volleys
In 86 he reached the last 8 beating Wilander in last 16.Pat had been at the surgeon desk just...3 weeks before, due to apendicities
I recall the great Fred Perry close at BBC Wimbledon special that I listened every evening during the event
" 3 weeks ago he was at the operation table.Now he is at the Wimbledon quarterfinals"
Glorius Days

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by kiki

Maybe only Becker could have beaten him but Boris lost in the first round

Second round. Becker beat Novacek before losing to Doohan. Santana in 1967 and Hewitt in 2003 are the only defending Wimbledon champions to lose in the first round.

[Xavier G]

Originally Posted by kiki

A very close friend of mine lost to Cash at the RG junior semis
Cash played so damn well at the 1987 Wimbledon
Maybe only Becker could have beaten him but Boris lost in the first round
He had an amazing body, as well as great volleys
In 86 he reached the last 8 beating Wilander in last 16.Pat had been at the surgeon desk just...3 weeks before, due to apendicities
I recall the great Fred Perry close at BBC Wimbledon special that I listened every evening during the event
" 3 weeks ago he was at the operation table.Now he is at the Wimbledon quarterfinals"
Glorius Days

You're right about Cash and his illness before Wimbledon 1986, kiki, yeah. Pat won another Davis Cup the same year.

Pat beat Wilander, Jimbo and Lendl in successive rounds to win Wimbledon 87, he was in great form. The form of his life.
I remember that was a massive shock Becker losing to Peter Doohan in the second round that year. I remember coming home from work, switching on the tv and seeing Doohan leading. Couldn't believe it! Still thought Boris would win, but Pete was good that day. I had expected Boris to win Wimby again for three in a row. Glad Cash won in the end.

[Mike Bulgakov]

I have not seen much footage of Mecir, but I think he was very good at taking the ball early and moving his opponent around. I had good seats for an early round Wilander match against a very young Fabrice Santoro at Roland Garros in the early 1990s. Wilander tried to push him back with his high, looping topspin, but Santoro toyed with him by taking the ball early.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by Mike Bulgakov

I have not seen much footage of Mecir, but I think he was very good at taking the ball early and moving his opponent around. I had good seats for an early round Wilander match against a very young Fabrice Santoro at Roland Garros in the early 1990s. Wilander tried to push him back with his high, looping topspin, but Santoro toyed with him by taking the ball early.

Santoro annoyed Wilander so much during their 1991 French Open match that Wilander didn't return to tennis for nearly 2 years after that. Santoro had a knack of annoying a lot of players with his game, most famously Safin, who once said "Being told that I was to play against Santoro was like being told that I was to die". Only Kafelnikov and Berasategui seemed to thrive against Santoro.

[Xavier G]

Mecir changed up the play well too, from what I recall. Talented player indeed.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by Xavier G

Mecir changed up the play well too, from what I recall. Talented player indeed.

He would sneak to the net unexpectedly and put away the ball. Opponents didn't see him coming at all. (at least that what it looked like to me as a spectator)