Mats Wilander, Swedish-American tennis player and coach
Mats Arne Olof Wilander (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈmats vɪˈlǎnːdɛr]; born 22 August 1964) is a Swedish former world No. 1 tennis player. From 1982 to 1988, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles (three at the French Open, three at the Australian Open, and one at the US Open), and one Grand Slam men's doubles title (at Wimbledon). His breakthrough came suddenly and unexpectedly when he won the 1982 French Open at the age of 17.
In 1988, Wilander won three of the four Grand Slam singles events and finished the year ranked as world No. 1. Although he never won the singles title at Wimbledon, Wilander twice won the Australian Open when it was played on grass courts. This makes Wilander one of only six men (along with Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic) to have won Grand Slam singles titles on grass courts, hard courts, and clay courts. since it was first achievable in 1978 (when US Open was played on a Hard Court). Since 1978 he, Nadal, and Djokovic are the only men to have won at least two Grand Slam singles titles on each of the three surfaces (two Australian when it was played on grass, one Australian and one US on hard court, and three French on clay).
Wilander won his fourth Grand Slam singles title at the age of 20, the youngest man in history to have achieved that feat. He also won eight Grand Prix Super Series titles (1983–88), the precursors to the current ATP World Tour Masters 1000. He won 33 singles titles and seven doubles titles during his career. He was also a driving force behind Sweden's run of seven consecutive Davis Cup finals in the 1980s.
In 2002, Wilander was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
1964Aug, 22
Mats Wilander
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Events on 1964
- 6Mar
Muhammad Ali
Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad officially gives boxing champion Cassius Clay the name Muhammad Ali. - 26Apr
Tanzania
Tanganyika and Zanzibar merge to form Tanzania. - 12Jun
Nelson Mandela
Anti-apartheid activist and ANC leader Nelson Mandela is sentenced to life in prison for sabotage in South Africa. - 12Aug
Apartheid in South Africa
South Africa is banned from the Olympic Games due to the country's racist policies. - 28Nov
Lyndon B. Johnson
Vietnam War: National Security Council members agree to recommend that U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson adopt a plan for a two-stage escalation of bombing in North Vietnam.