At capacity: More than 5,000 tennis lovers are seated to the ceiling of the Royal Albert Hall

Persian prince: Mansour Bahrami Court charmer: Tim Henman SPORT

MIND Games The Royal Albert Hall has cleared the stage of musicians and scientists for a tournament of unprecedented sporting spectacle. GEMMA TAYLOR speaks with the stars of this year’s Statoil Masters Tennis to unravel the mysteries of the tennis player psyche

THE CENTRAL ATRIUM OF the Royal Albert Hall was originally built by Prince Albert to promote the understanding of cultural concerts and exhibitions and this winter, it’s being transformed into Lapland’s answer to Wimbledon. World champions such as national treasure Tim Henman, the famously volatile seven-time Grand Slam Champion John McEnroe, Pat Cash, Goran Ivanisevic, Carlos Moyá, Mark Philippoussis, Mats Wilander and trick-shot maestro Mansour Bahrami will be among those battling it out at this official ATP Champions Tour finale. As one of the most intimate and intense tennis courts in the world, only those well-versed in the stresses of the game will survive. First up, representing France in the Paris corner is Henri Leconte. Off-court bad-boy Henri brought a roguish cheekiness to the tennis industry in Dream team: Mark Philippoussis the 80s that he says has now been replaced with steely (left) and Pat Cash professionalism. “What makes this tournament so fun is that you can be a real personality. There’s less pressure and the stakes aren’t so high. Tennis today is harder, faster, and the entourage is huge. I had one coach. Now you have three coaches and a sports psychologist.” The left-handed 48-year-old is confident of his place on the court and admits to being his own most formidable opponent: “Sometimes you can be in the moment and sometimes you have to reconsider everything, take it apart and put it back together. I still always try to be the best that I can be. I train hard and look after my family. It’s busy but there’s no better feeling than being on the court. I feel at

THE KENSINGTON & CHELSEA MAGAZINE 105 home there. I know what I am doing.” They know how to have a good laugh and allow themselves Henri used to be obsessive about pre-match habits to be drawn into the drama,” he says. and do everything exactly the same but he’s left such A big personality, Mats is looking forward to superstitions behind him and doesn’t hark back to the entertaining on court and being friends with his opponents past. “You live the way life is when you’re in it. We had straight after the match. “The heat of the battle is the our time and the players today have theirs. Playing greats same but none of our lives will change like they do in your like McEnroe, Cash, Ivanovic and Henman at the Albert mid-20s. McEnroe is a treat and Pat Cash is a good friend Hall is a unique and special experience; the atmosphere and only a year younger. We have played tourneys since we is unreal and the hard plastic surface is spectacular. It’s were 17 years old and now, 31 years later, I don’t think our a pleasure to be there because British people love their games have fundamentally changed. We still have the same tennis, especially now Murray has won the US Open.” tactical mind-set but the shorts aren’t as tight!” he smiles. A notorious foe of Henri’s is Mats Wilander. Beating Years at the top have honed Mats’ psyche to handle Henri in straight sets at the 1988 French Open final, the pressures of the game. He explains that “the skill of the despite strong support from the crowd, means this year professional athlete is to never think about the future. We felt could see a grudge match. Swedish Mats, 47, now lives the game was quick back then and now it’s wild. I am my in the States and reminisces fondly about the last time he own sports psychologist and try to solve each little problem was in the Royal Albert Hall playing Knocking on Heaven’s as it happens. Losing is the biggest challenge and if you start Door on guitar for charity. “We call this tournament the thinking you’re winning you can lose track of the problem- Wimbledon of the Champions Tour because it never solving process. Even if you’re ahead of the score board it changes. Tennis players are traditionalists and like to see doesn’t mean you’re winning. Ignore the score board. This is venues the same as when we’re at the top. A timeless what separates Murray today from Murray three years ago. venue, it takes you back there instantly. The crowd is “Tennis players are grounded and responsible respectable and really appreciates your level and effort. people; they are out there winning or losing. At professional

STATOIL TENNIS TOP TRUMPS

MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS MATS WILANDER HENRI LECONTE Age: 34 (7 November 1976) Age: 47 (22 August 1964) Age: 48 (4 July 1963) Star sign: Scorpio Star sign: Leo Star sign: Cancer Lives: Las Vegas, United States Lives: Idaho, United States Residence: Geneva, Switzerland Plays: Right-handed Plays: Right-handed Plays: Left-handed Singles titles: 11 Singles titles: 33 (7 Grand Slams) Singles titles: 9 Doubles titles: 3 Doubles titles: 7 (1 Grand Slam) Doubles titles: 10 (1 Grand Slam) Highest ATP rating: 8 (Doubles - 18) Highest ATP rating: 1 Highest ATP rating: 5 (Doubles - 6) Career prize money: £4,343,993.29 Career prize money: £4,960,315.04 Career prize money: £4,960,315.04 SPORT

‘Mushrooms’ inserted in 1969 Court live-wire: John McEnroe fixed the terrible acoustics

Goran Ivaniševic, the only wildcard levels it’s now a very serious business and I The Statoil Masters Tennis Wimbledon men’s singles winner worry about children who are starting for career Royal Albert Hall, 5-9 December reasons; it should be about having a healthy body and mind. It can be a very lonely sport Tickets to the Masters Tennis are on sale from £17.50 per and hard for the mind if you’re losing regularly. person. Book tickets at www.royalalberthall.com/tickets or Playing the Wimbledon doubles with my best call the Box Office on 020 7070 4404. friend, Joakim Nyström, was the best win of my For information on hospitality packages call IMG on life because very few people know what it feels 020 8233 5854 or visit www.statoilmasterstennis.com like to win a Grand Slam victory.” One former world number one who Proceeds from the event will be donated to Centrepoint knows what this feels like is the smooth- to help homeless 16-25 year-olds in the UK talking Mark Philippoussis. Currently living in California, the 34-year-old Australian- born Mark takes a relaxed approach to his mornings, starting with a fresh OJ and surfing. When it comes to tennis though, the gloves are off. Turning professional in 1995, Mark WHAT THE STARS became one of the youngest players ever to be THINK OF FEDERER in the top 50 in the world and has no plans to play nice. “The set up on court is incredible “People say he is a machine. He’s not a machine; he is and like no other because it has a theatrical a human but he finds the right moment and balances and concert style vibe. And the England fans power and tactics” - Henri Leconte are well educated about their tennis and passionate about sport so they can feel when “Rodge is brilliant physically and good at dusting himself off. If he loses, next week you don’t see lack of it’s a big point. The great thing about the tour confidence. He plays with a smile on his face, is up for is that we’re all playing for fun with no politics every match and has great consistency” - Mats Wilander and playing guys you know and respect. In fact, this is my favourite event of the year.”

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