My Best Year Yet

Star Time MY BEST YEAR YET once or twice a year. Recently Vijay "I find John (McEnroe) invincible. I am trying to learn was in Madras to spend Christmas with ways to get past him". his family—-his mother Maggie Amritraj, his father, Robert, and tennis playing E is the Prince of Indian tennis, has never beaten—the twice U.S. Open brothers Anand and Ashok. one of the most popular sports winner, John McEnroe "It is great to be home", Vijay seemed Hpersonalities in the country. Abroad, Essentially the pre-1980 Vijay had been visibly thrilled as he said that when he is India's sports "ambassador an enigma. But his performance in '80 THE SPORTSTAR correspondent met extraordinaire', the tennis pro who sports does reflect a streak of consistency him at his residence in Sterling Road, that warm and friendly boy-next-door and his game seems to have taken Madras, on the last day of 1980 The grin through victory and defeat, through on an authoritative edge that was not sinking evening sun set aglow the silk glory and disaster, both on court and there hitherto. finish of his dark blue jacket as he away from it. It has taken a long time for Vijay warmed up for an intimate interview'. To introduce Vijay Amritraj formally to reach this stage, from the heady The following are the excerpts from to the readers of a sports magazine days in the early part of the 70s when, the conversation. would perhaps be an anachronism. Like as a lean, avid youngster he had received an orbiting^satellite Vijay has been sending rave notices in the world press. He signals qn_and off :hrough his deeds. even went so far as to be bunched, The Spirit Admittedly, his performance on the by some critics, with Borg and Connors professional tennis circuit has lacked as the 'ABC of tennis—the three most consistency and it would be rather far- promising youngsters on view. It appeared is Willing fetched to give Vijay an "excellent" a dream, and the dream teetered beguili- rating. "One day I am better than the ngly on the edge ot reality as Vijay Question: You have beaten most of best in the game but the following after- scored a series of big wins in 73, a the top tennis pros on the tour excepting noon I would go and lose to a rank year in which he was a quarter-finalist John McEnroe. Reminiscent of the Borg- outsider", says Vijay with transparent at Wimbledon and the US Open and Gerulaitis syndrome, every time you play honesty winner at the Volvo International. In McEnroe you seem to be a faint shadow the second round that year at Forest of yourself. What is the reason for this? But the year that has gone by (1980) Hills Vijay had beaten the great Rod Answer: I would say my showing has been the best in the career of Laver in a five-setter that had touches the 27-year-old Indian ace, according against McEnroe is more like what hap- to his own estimate as well as that of a high noon melodrama. "It still ranks pened between Ashe and Laver For, of critics at home and abroad. With as the best win of my career", Vijay McEnroe is more like Laver and I am two Volvo Grand Prix title triumphs— recalls today. more like Ashe. A few months before in Long Island, U.S.A. in July and recently But, following this, even as Borg and our latest meeting in Montreal I played at Bangkok, Thailand—and string of Connors inexorably climbed up the ladder, him in Milan, Italy, and lost. But in other good performances, Vijay, has Vijay was slipping. He had his big wins, the earlier rounds I had beaten some inched his way up from 33 to 19 on no doubt, but those were few and far of the best in the game like Vilas and the ATP computer. between to take him anywhere near others. It might seem strange, but that the elite 10. is the way it turns out. At Montreal (Canada) in the WCT Challenge Cup a week before Christmas, The year 1980 has given rise to new The reason I think is that John Vijay played splendidly, beating the Pole, hopes, as Vijay himself says with a (McEnroe) likes to play a guy who plays Wojtek Fibak, and Peter Fleming (US) renascent confidence, "My game is good, clean power tennis. I fit that role to reach the final and it looked as getting closer to winning Wimbledon, very well. John also serves at his best if he would cap a fine year by claiming the No. 1 on my list of priorities." everytime we meet and let me tell you, the title. But then, almost inevitably, Knocking around the odd corners his serve is THE most dificult to read. he fell in humiliating fashion to the only of the globe for tennis bounty, the 6' For some reason, confidence or man among ATP's top ten whom he 4" Vijay jets home for brief vacations whatever, I have never .been able to 20 get anywhere against him. I guess I'll have to try and vary my game against him I have given a lot of thought to this and I am going to scan a computer study of John's game to try and get some clues on how to beat him. Q: You have been quoted in the press as saying that 1980 has been your best year in pro tennis. What makes you say this? Why not '73, when you were younger and still made the quarters' in Wimbledon and Forest Hills? A: The main difference betwen 73 and '80 is that, today, I am physically stronger. You have to be mentally and physically mature to remain in top grade tennis and in 73 I was just not mature. When a player has just come into the circuit, as was my case in 73, he can afford to lose to several guys as it would go unnoticed. At the same time, one big win is enough to get him into The famous grin...Vijay beside his old faithful, the Volvo he won in the glare of publicity. 1973, his first major triumph, the quality of competition? How do you one can afford to be funny on court. But when you are 27 years old and see India's chances in the coming year? I mean a little bit of clowning will keep ranked 19 in the world, there are very A: I have always loved Davis Cup the crowd in good humour. But when few guys you can (or are expected) competitions, for it is a great thing when you are in the public eye, you should lose to. I said 1980 has been my best avoid obscene behaviour. year so far because I think I did not you are playing for India and not just lose to that many players I should not as Vijay Amritraj. But many of the top- Such "bad acting" on courts will cost lose to, considering my ranking. ranked players had chosen to stay away more from this year as the ATP had because there was little money in the decided to enhance the fine from $(US) Q: Would you attribute your successes Davis Cup matches. Klow changes have 250 to 500 in 1980, at least partly, to the coaching been rung in and I am sure it will Q: Have you ever felt that you have lure the big ones .in the game to play had an overdose of tennis, a point where you undertook with Roy Emerson in for their country. the US? you thought, well that's it now I need A: Yes indeed, Emerson has helped The format is good but I think that a break. me improve my game tremendously. they should not have brought it in so A: I have lived with the feeling through- He would spend the whole day (10 suddenly and implemented the scheme out. Three weeks of competitive tennis a.m. to 5 p.m.) on the court with me based on last year's results. Now India and I feel I should take a week off. and we used to have strenuous work- will lose a whole year as we have But to stay keen and to stay at the outs. to first play in the qualifying round. top, or at least to hold on to your As for India's chances, a lot would ranking, you have to keep playing. That is why I like to start the year depend on the draw and also the venue. with a session with Emerson. I'll be For instance, let us say we draw the But I am not a tennis robot. I like there for ten days from Jan. 5 before Czechs in Prague well, I am optimistic to spend most of my free time away I leave for Mexico to play in a tournament but I am not a fool. from tennis courts and during these hours I hate to discuss the game, there Q: As one of the "gentlemen" players Q: As a player who has played and Q: The Davis Cup format has been in the game today, what is your opinion beaten both of them, how would you changed and sponsorship has been in- on display of tempers on tennis courts? compare Rod Laver with Bjorn Borg? troduced. A lot of money is at stake A:Everybody has a temper.

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