The intention
Ivan Lendl, the American former top tennis player of Czech descent, won no less than eight Grand Slam tournaments. In total he won 94 tournaments. But he never won at Wimbledon…
During 11 year (1983-1994) he made frantic efforts to use inspired ambition or 'zazrany' in its Czech, to win the Wimbledon final.
The approach
His nickname was "Ivan the Terrible". According to many, his game was dry, distant and imperturbable. And that also applied to his appearance. He showed little emotion on and off the tennis court.
Lendl used a lot of power and topspin from the baseline. With this tennis style he has rapidly climbed to the top from the early 80s 10 on the world ranking.
With his power game he was a forerunner of the so-called power tennis.
The result
Ivan Lendl was in the final of no less than 19 Grand Slam tournaments! This was a record in men's tennis. In February 1983 he reached 1st place in the world ranking. In ’85, ‘86’ 87 and '89 he finished as number 1. The American Czech stood 270 weeks in 1st place, a record.
But he never won Wimbledon…
1986: WIMBLEDON FINAL. Opponent: Boris Becker
The then 18-year-old Boris Boom Boom Becker won relatively easily in three sets (6-4, 6-3, 7-5).
1987: WIMBLEDON FINAL. Opponent: Pat Cash.
Ook Cash won in 3 sets of Lendl (7-6, 6-2, 7-5).
1988: HALVE FINALE WIMBLEDON. Opponent: Boris Becker.
Lendl was eliminated in 4 sets.
1989: HALVE FINALE WIMBLEDON. Opponent: Boris Becker.
Again Lendl faced Becker in the semi-finals. Becker finally won again in a 5-setter. The German also won the final that year.
1990: HALVE FINALE WIMBLEDON. Opponent: Stefan Edberg.
Edberg won in 3 sets (6-1, 7-6, 6-3).
In the early 1990s, it began to decline. In 1993 he disappeared from the top for the first time in a decade 10 of the ATP. Plagued by unrelenting back pain, he set out in December 1994 a point behind his tennis career.
The lessons
In the end, Lendl accepted that he couldn't reach the top podium on the fast grass. One of his quotes is: “I’m certainly not sorry that there were some things I missed. You may think you’re missing something at that time but later when you look at it, you didn’t miss anything.”
Lendl, father of four girls, retired to his spacious villa in the US state of Connecticut. The man, that such a 20 had made a million dollars, went to enjoy life.
Further:
By the way, the Lendl family still seems to be successful on the grass; Lendl has developed into a creditable golfer and his 4 daughters are even more talented on the green.
Author: Editorial IvBM
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