My reports on the Optima Open are finally online! This match took place on Saturday, August 16th (read my complete Optima Open report here).
First match of the day between two Wimbledon champions: Pat Cash (1987) and Goran Ivanisevic (2001).
An entertaining match with lots of interactions between the players and the public. Cash and Ivanisevic even tried to “corrupt” the line judges by offering them money. It was a lot of fun with some good tennis too.
Goran’s impressive serve:
Pete Sampras was the first player to pass 1,000 ace mark in a single season, but Goran still holds the record for most aces in a year.
Grandpa Cash, still looking strong at 49:
I’ve recently bought Pat Cash‘s autobiography: Uncovered (I found a used copy for less than 1€ on Amazon), he tells his Wimbledon triumph, his numerous injuries and comebacks, his bad relationships with John Newcombe and Ivan Lendl, and his drug problems. He also has nice words for Goran Ivanisevic:
“Now I have retired, I can sit back and watch Wimbledon, thinking I have actually won this, and it’s no mean feat. But it took a very long time to appreciate that the Wimbledon title isn’t that easy to attain. Even though it was Pat Rafter, who is both an Aussie and a mate, who was beaten last year, I think seeing Goran finally win gave me more pleasure than any win since mine.”
Cash threw a few of his trademark checkerboard headbands to kids, he even had to cut one headband in 3 parts because some kids were arguing:
Goran Cash or Pat Ivanisevic?
I’ve always thought that Cash was a car racing fan and that was why he was wearing a black and white checked headband. In reality it is a tribute to one of Cash favorite band, Cheap Trick and in particular to their guitarist Rick Nielsen, who was always wearing black and white.
Cash throwing a (fake) McEnroe tantrum:
Goran taking a pause during the match to sign autographs:
Both Wimbledon champions, Cash and Ivanisevic have something else in common: they both had success as coach. The Australian has worked with top players Mark Philippoussis and Greg Rusedski, the Croatian is Marin Cilic’ trainer.
After the match Goran talked a bit about his protege, said Cilic was playing really well and that he had high expectations for him at the US Open. He was more than right!
Lower tournaments are a good opportunity to discover young players in the making like Karen Khachanov and Quentin Halys, or some charismatic veteran players like Rudy Coco.
