Mats Wilander
  • French Open preview: Clay not for Djokovic

    With the French Open starting this weekend, Eurosport analyst Mats Wilander looks ahead to the action.

    The seven-times Grand Slam winner considers how clay is the least favourite surface of world number one Novak Djokovic, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the final of the Rome Masters on Monday.

    He is positive about the chances for French players in both the men's and women's draws.

    And he considers how the weather affects the surface - which makes it the most difficult tournament to win in world tennis.

    On Novak Djokovic

    On the French players

    On the behaviour of the clay

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  • 2011 ATP Tour season review

    After a year dominated by Novak Djokovic, Eurosport
    analyst Mats Wilander rounds up the 2011 season.

    Djokovic in actionDjokovic in action

    The Serb shot to the top of the tennis tree after a
    sensational 12 months during which he won three Grand Slams, five ATP World Tour
    Masters 1000 titles and a total of 10 tournaments.

    On the way, he went on an incredible 43-match winning streak
    and ended with an overall record of 70 wins and just six defeats.

    It might just have been the best season ever seen by a
    single player and Djokovic fully deserved his world number one status by the
    end of it.

    The one remaining Grand Slam went to the

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  • 2011 WTA season review

    Mats WilanderAfter a season which saw four different winners of the four Grand Slams, Eurosport analyst Mats Wilander rounds up the 2011 season.

    The year began with victory for Kim Clijsters in the Australian Open, but just as the Belgian looked to be the main force in the women's game, injury cut short her season.

    Li Na, beaten by Clijsters in Melbourne, then won her first Grand Slam at Roland Garros, but poor form then afflicted her as well.

    Petra Kvitova pointed to a bright future with a stunning victory at Wimbledon, before Australia's Sam Stosur surprised the returning Serena Williams in the US Open.

    Read More »
  • Wilander talks to Djokovic

    Mats Wilander talks to Novak Djokovic after his shortened first round match with Conor Niland and finds the world number one in confident mood.

    World number one Djokovic advanced through to the second round of the US Open when his opponent, Ireland's Conor Niland, retired sick while trailing 6-0 5-1

    Niland, the first Irishman ever to make the main draw at Flushing Meadows, was forced to withdraw after just 44 minutes after suffering from food poisoning.

     Watch the interview below.

     

     

     

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  • How to play smart

    Seven-times Grand Slam winner and Eurosport expert analyst Mats Wilander takes to the road to give his tennis tips.

    The Swede shows how to pick the right shot when an opponent fires a ball straight at you on the baseline.

    "If you're like me - old, weak and slow, but smart - and the ball comes straight at you, you have to think two shots ahead," he explains.

    "When I was younger and stronger I would choose to run around the ball and hit a forehand, leaving my forehand corner open, but I was in control of the point.

    "Now, if the ball comes at me, I'm going to choose to hit a two-handed backhand,

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  • Sharapova can dominate tennis

    Every night at the end of play at Roland Garros, Eurosport's resident expert and seven-times Grand Slam winner Mats Wilander will take an in-depth look at the big issues of the day.

    In the latest edition he talks about how Maria Sharapova could go on and dominate the women's game.

    He also discusses how Li Na has come completely under the radar to surprise him; while sticking with the women, Barbara Schett meets up with Martina Hingis and asks her how married life is treating her.

    Mats also reveals why he thinks Rafael Nadal had it so easy against Robin Soderling and we also have some fun

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  • One on one with Pete Sampras: Nadal will bounce back

    Seven-times
    Grand Slam champion turned Eurosport pundit Mats Wilander speaks to 14-times
    major champion Pete Sampras.

    Sampras
    believes Rafael Nadal will still be a major threat for the US Open despite
    losing the world number one ranking to Novak Djokovic.

    The American
    believes the French Open champion will bounce back from the disappointment of
    losing six straight finals to Djokovic and will still be the man to beat in New York.

    Sampras is
    also convinced that Roger Federer is still as hungry for titles as ever, insisting
    the Swiss player loves both the lifestyle and the travel that being a

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  • Stosur can inspire Nadal

    Mats Wilander was impressed with the manner of Sam Stosur's victory in the US Open final at Flushing Meadows on Sunday.

    The Australian was a massive underdog against Serena Williams, a three-times champion in New York, but won in straight sets. Mats says the American believed her own hype and did not even seem to try.

    And he reckons the result will give hope to Rafael Nadal as he looks to overcome favourite Novak Djokovic in the men's singles final on Monday.

    Read More »
  • Rain getting players down

    Mats Wilander gives us his insight into the latest rain
    delays at the US Open, which he says have produced a sombre atmosphere in the
    locker rooms at Flushing Meadows.

    Persistent rain caused the postponement of all men's matches
    on Wednesday after somewhat of a player revolt, led by Rafael Nadal, Andy
    Murray and Andy Roddick.

    The players considered the conditions too dangerous and here,
    Mats looks at the reasons why - and the effect the situation has had on those
    involved.

    Read More »
  • One on one with Rafa Nadal

    In the latest edition of Game, Set and Mats, former world number one Mats Wilander has a frank, one-to-one chat with defending US Open champion Rafael Nadal.

    Having won at Flushing Meadows last season, Nadal completed a career Grand Slam, won his third consecutive Grand Slam title, and had the tennis world at his feet.

    Though he defended his French Open crown this year, Nadal has had to cope with injuries and the inexorable rise of Serbia's Novak Djokovic in 2011.

    He concedes that Djokovic has done something sensational to win the number one ranking - "I didn't lose it," Nadal insists, "he

    Read More »

Pagination

(36 Stories)

About Mats Wilander

Swedish tennis legend Mats Wilander is one of the greatest players ever to pick up a racquet. The seven-times Grand Slam champion rose to the very top of the game in the late 1980s, and has now become one of tennis"s pithiest commentators. Edgy, opinionated and never less than brutally honest, Wilander exclusively offers Eurosport the benefit of his frankly brilliant chat.

Latest tennis blog post

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  • Blue clay cannot return

    Blue clay cannot return

    There's no doubt that the blue clay at the Madrid Masters was a mistake. Watching the Rome Masters today, you can see the difference clearly — the ball is more difficult … More »

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