Historic video: Guillermo Vilas training at Roland Garros 1977.
- Thread starter Vegito
- Start date
Did they train in Jardin de Luxembourg or in Boulogne?
jean pierre
Professional
in the "stade français"
joe sch
Legend
Agree, amazing strokes especially considering how challenging the Head Vilas racket. IMO, only Borg with his Donnay Pro compares and they are two historic strokers with those challenging woods.
Love the use of Rod Stewart audio.
BTW, Tiriac was still hitting great but using a larger Prince which was revolutionary for the time.
As i know Stade Francais is a Paris rugby club. May be you mean Stade de France?
PrinceMoron
Legend
gut wax
Hall of Fame
Same here. Turned me off from Tennis.
racquetreligion
Hall of Fame
Vilas was very well known to Argentinians to train from 3-5 hours before a match and that takes its toll on the body, just watching him 10 years ago at AOO legends doubles he cant even move properly while some of my peers of the same age can run circles around some of the young ones.
I think having Tiriac as a pushy arrogant egotistical monotone coach would make anyone hate tennis or lose faith in ones abilities.
I think having Tiriac as a pushy arrogant egotistical monotone coach would make anyone hate tennis or lose faith in ones abilities.
PrinceMoron
Legend
May his testicles turn to spaghetti.
kiki
Banned
you never appreciated talent, did you?
racquetreligion
Hall of Fame
they are already mash potatos at his age and 100+kg weight
PrinceMoron
Legend
Or cheating.
tennis_balla
Hall of Fame
I hit with Vilas for 3 days back in 2004, dude could move no problem back then, very fit. Great guy, got to know him pretty well. Very knowledgeable.
PrinceMoron
Legend
You can die happy. We on the other hand just hate you... Well, are just a little jealous. No, actually make that hate.
tennis_balla
Hall of Fame
Its not that big of a deal, they're just regular people. I met Emerson, Newcombe, Woodforde and a few others, and played an exhibition against Nastase.
I had Emerson sitting on the floor of the van I was driving, his choice. Funny story, great guy.
PrinceMoron
Legend
I took a train that broke down in the snow, and we spent the whole night there.
Pete Fleming, Hank Pfister, V Amaya and F Buehning had the misfortune to be in the same carriage and had to put up with me the entire time. Fleming's fiancée, Jenny, was there too. Shame that ended in divorce, she was smart, funny and lovely.
Last edited:
Vegito
Hall of Fame
The video has 4516 views!
joe sch
Legend
Thats a good point ... the greats of this era were just "regular" people who socialized and traveled like all the fans. Todays greats have entourages, private travels, and security that help them avoid the fans. They dont travel together or socialize together like the old barnstorming days or early tour travels. Too much money for entertainers today compared to working class.
tennis_balla
Hall of Fame
It's a different era. Not as innocent anymore. More money, more fans, bigger security issues, and the Seles stabbing incident really changed a lot in tennis.
