Rios vs. Pavel 1999 Monte Carlo

[montrealforum]

I remember this was a fantastic match with many spectacular shots and drama back in 99 which is the year after Rios was #1 and trying to find his way back. He still had the magic but was not quite at full powers and this match illustrated the wonder of Rios and also the folly. Someone wrote this piece specifically about this Rios-Pavel match, pretty interesting. Rios really was a marvelous player, a special talent with world class innate abilities but he just did not always feel like playing his highest level of tennis or could not, simple as that.

http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/match-study-rios-vs-pavel-monte-carlo-1999/

 

[mctennis]

Rios= head case. Most waste of talent in a player I've ever seen.
Personality and people skills-ZERO.

 

[montrealforum]

Rios could play some ball though, especially when he really wanted to. One of the greatest performances of the 90s decade was Rios slaughtering Agassi in the Miami final. He just was an enigma type personality with some flaws upstairs but oh what a talent to behold.

 

[obsessedtennisfandisorder]

rios..should have achieved more at slams

OK I'll give my thoughts on rios the player...

btw..the rios-zabaleta hamburg final from 99 was a wonderful match too.

I just felt marcelo was "lazy" in the sense he didn't "see" that somuch practice and drill and patient and tactics and diligent thought process was
needed with talent to win matches. talent alonejust doesn'tmwin
Inever really forgave marcelo for losing to hrbaty at that french opn.

 

[johnathan smith]

Great Thread.

I watched this match (live, on TV) the day after I graduated high school.
Rios was (still is) my favorite player.

Dude could vary the pace on his shots dramatically while using the same swing speed......

He would be in a baseline rally using a moderate swing speed and then (with the same swing speed) hit the ball 100Mph's up the line (craZY),

I've got a few old Rios matches that I like to pull out from time to time and enjoy (good stuff)

 

[obsessedtennisfandisorder]

lost to hrbaty after beating bera and costa ,before..bizarre:twisted:1999rg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pktmfuJfVVo

 

[35ft6]

I wonder if Nick still thinks he's the most talented player to ever come through his academy? It's been over a decade since he stated that.