I went through a similar stage in career as Novak Djokovic did - Wilander
In an interview to Programme TV, Mats Wilander and Henri Leconte recalled their 1988 French Open final. The Swede prevailed in straight sets, 7-5 6-2 6-1. "Five years before, I had already faced a Frenchman, Yannick Noah, for the title in Paris. I was afraid I could lose again! I knee what good player Henri could be and I expected a close match. The first set was decisive", said Wilander.
Leconte added: "This is usually the kind of match that we would not like to remember a lot, but it's Impossible to forget, and so we keep speaking of it. It's a bad memory because the match was totally missed. I had started very well but then I did not end on a good note. After that, there was the satisfaction for reaching a Grand Slam final at home, which is something."
Explaining why France has not been having a Grand Slam winner since Yannick Noah at the 1983 French Open, Wilander added: "It's not necessarily surprising: the pressure on a Frenchman's shoulder in Paris is enormous and a similar thing happens in Melbourne with Australia, New York and the Americans and also at Wimbledon for the British guys... At least until Andy Murray's win."
Wilander also admitted that he struggled to keep being motivated during that season: "When I won the US Open that year and I became the world No. 1, I really felt that my motivation was not the same one. I really felt it different after. In 1989, and that was definitely not an excuse, my father was diagnosed with cancer and he died the following year. He was very important for me and his disease and death made me at proof. Once you reach most of your goals, motivating yourself is difficult. We saw that with Novak Djokovic when he won the French Open."
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2FxEsa3
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