Sports Then and Now

Mats Wilander was in the "zone" in 1988 as he won three Grand Slam titles.

“In the flow, in a groove, on a roll, in the zone—whatever you call it, it’s all defining one thing. It’s that special feeling of thinking you can do no wrong and everything goes your way. You are so involved in what you are doing that nothing else seems to matter because you are so connected to your task.

When former Boston Celtic star Bill Russell characterizes being in the zone, he says it is a moment when everything goes so perfectly that you slip into a gear that you didn’t even know was there…”

— Karelene Sugarman, M.A.

In tennis, being in the “zone” can last for a game, a set, or a match—sometimes it can last for a whole tournament. Few players, however, can claim to being in the “zone” for an entire year.

Certainly, John McEnroe could plant a flag on 1984, when he lost only three matches the entire year, and Roger Federer could lay claim to 2005, when he lost a mere four times.

Mats Wilander came close when he discovered that 1988 was the stuff of “zone” magic. He won three out of the four majors and seized the No. 1 ranking from Ivan Lendl at the conclusion of the 1988 U.S. Open.

But his true “zone” match occurred during the 1988 French Open final as Wilander faced Frenchman Henri Leconte before a crowd definitely favoring one of their own. For Leconte, of course, Paris was home town territory.

Truth be told, it was Wilander’s fifth French Open final. He had won his first at the age of 17 in 1982, defeating Guillermo Vilas in the final and his second in 1985 when he overcame Ivan Lendl.

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Bjorn Borg was the face of tennis in the late 1970s.

For Bjorn Borg, the summer of 1980 was a time of highs and lows, of thrilling victory followed by stunning defeat.

His holding pattern persisted, as Borg, who won three consecutive doubles at the French Open and Wimbledon, lost his bid again for a chance at a calendar-year Grand Slam at the conclusion of 1980’s season in the sun.

During that sultry summer, two men met on fateful Sundays in July and in September to tighten the screw on Borg’s legacy. After 10 U.S. Opens, Borg sensed that his time to win this elusive Grand Slam was slipping away. He looked across the net at the up-and-coming John McEnroe and felt his tennis future fading.

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Bjorn Borg was the face of professional tennis in the 1970s.

“My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories.”
– Bjorn Borg

Former world No. 1 and Swedish teen sensation Bjorn Borg brought fame, fortune, and much-needed publicity to tennis in the mid-70s, when he began to play. His long blond hair, smoldering good looks, and rock-star status elevated tennis in the hearts of teenaged girls, if not the media corps.

There was a rhythm, a dance in his cat-like movements along the baseline as he swayed back and forth, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, tensed, ready to pounce as his opponent hit the ball over the net—like a cat playing with a mouse.

Borg understood the necessity of being in shape, of being as strong at the end of matches as you were at the beginning. This athleticism allowed him to dictate matches and gave him five Wimbledon Championships and six French Open Titles, often won back-to-back. Borg was the author of the modern game built on talent, but bolstered by strength and endurance.

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Evonne Goolagong

In recognition of the improbable U.S. Open run by Kim Clijsters, we honor as this week’s Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Week a former women’s tennis great who accomplished a similar feat 29 years ago.

In 1980, Evonne Goolagong upset Tracy Austin and Chris Evert to claim the Wimbledon title and become the first woman in 66 years to claim the Wimbledon title after having a baby.

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Kim Clijsters won the U.S. Open just 18 months after having a baby and one month after returning from retirement.

The U.S. Open is over and the new women’s power rankings reflect the impact of that tournament, as some players are eliminated from the power rankings and others emerge…

1. Kim Clijsters

US Open [Winner] Toronto [R3], Cincinnati [Quarterfinals]. Total Points: 2087

Kim Clijsters made her way back to the top of the women’s game by capitalizing on her natural strengths and enhancing them with hard work and dedication.  Her years on tour have already given her steely resolve.  She knows exactly what she wants out of tennis and she is determined to make the most of the time she has left to play the game.

What made her great initially will keep her great today.  We suspect Clijsters will become a fixture at the top of the women’s game.

The unfortunate ending to her semifinal contest with Serena Williams did nothing to lessen her victory over teenager Caroline Wozniacki during the U.S. Open Final in 2009.

Last Power Ranking: Not Ranked.  ATP Ranking: 19

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Kim Clijsters has made a surprising run to the U.S. Open Finals.

Start spreading the news.  For the second year in a row the script for the finals at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New York has to be re-written.  Oh, for the money to put a roof over our heads…it would seem reasonable insurance against pesky and obstinate mother nature.

Think of all the confusion and lost revenue caused by this year’s two-day rain delay.  It must drive the tournament organizers to abstraction.

Regardless – Sunday in New York promises to present some eye-popping, riveting men’s semifinal contests with number one Roger Federer vs. number four Novak Djokovic in one and Rafael, soon to be number 2 again, Nadal vs. number 5 Juan Martin del Potro in the other.

Add to that the final between surprising finalist Kim Clijsters and number nine seed Caroline Wozniacki and you have a smorgasbord of potential tennis classics ready for the big stage.
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