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For Bobby Hurley – my 5 Favorite Rios matches
58 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Reader and tennis blogger Bobby Hurley Jr asked me to name my five favorite Marcelo Rios matches —
Here they are:
Key Biscayne final ’98 – with the pressure of having to win against Agassi (in their first meeting) to achieve the number one ranking just weeks after the disappointing Aussie Open final wipeout loss to Korda, Rios came up with one of the finest tennis performances of the decade, as one European match broadcaster called it – Rios obliterated Agassi in three straight electrifying sets with a game so sensational that it inspired a couple of young future ATP champions named Roger Federer and Alexander Dolgopolov. I spoke with Brad Gilbert for my Rios book and he told me the first thing Agassi told him after the match was “I thought I played good” — basically meaning Rios was simply unbeatable. With this monumental and historic win Rios pocketed a $5 million dollar bonus, $2 1/2m each as bonuses from Yonex and Nike Grand Slam Cup final vs Agassi later in ’98 – this time the stakes were also huge – a jackpot prize of a million bucks was on the line. Again Rios displayed the court magic and wizardly, downing the A Train in five sets, seemingly toying at times with Agassi like a cat with a helpless mouse. One of the most memorable winners was of Rios, having slipped and fallen on his rear, still managed to hit an overhead winner while sitting on the court – only Rios could choreograph a point like this.
Rios vs Arazi at the French Open – not sure if any footage of this match exists on You Tube but it was a classic duel of two artists – even a legend like Guillermo Vilas called this clash of spectacular southpaws “one of the best matches I’ve ever seen” – as I was later told by a friend of Vilas who worked at the John McEnroe Academy. First set of Rios vs Agassi at the 2002 Key Biscayne semi – it seemed whenever these two titans shared a court magic happened. Rios seemed extra motivated and inspired to play tennis against the most colorful and famous tennis player on the planet. Rios clearly was not fit enough to finish the job and faded physically after winning an unbelievably entertaining first set. Fifth set of US Open ’96 match with Thomas Enqvist – This was the first time I ever saw Rios, who looked like a fourteen year old junior, how slight and small he was, but boy could he play. Down two breaks in the fifth to the seeded Swede, Rios cranked his turbo engine into seventh gear and battled back to a tiebreaker, wowing the crowd on the outside court with his skillset but also his court behavior which included spitting at balls, blowing at balls, grabbing his privates, the most unlikely looking tennis pro the sport has ever seen. Enqvist survived and won the match but for those in attendance that afternoon, we all knew there was no question that a superstar was going to emerge from Chile.
Check out Bobby’s blog http://tennispr.blogspot.com/2015/09/marcelo-rios.html
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« Previous 1 2Scoop Malinowski · October 4, 2015 at 7:15 pm
Speaking of Dustin Brown, he lost in Tiburon to a Florida kid Sekou Bangoura who went to UF and turned pro and has struggled for years, big win for Sekou who also got in Delray dubs last year as ALT with mirzadeh and they beat the Aus Open finalists Butorac Klassen in the first round, huge win – but beating Brown is far bigger, I once hit with Sekou when he was about fourteen in Lakewood Ranch through a friend who is friends with Sekou’s dad — Sekou has been grinding around the tour in qualis and staying on as hitting partner for Querrey last year in DC, so this win vs Brown is huge for Sekou’s confidence — Kozlov update — played Croatia Futures and lost in SF on red clay — in Europe now playing some events — trained in Alpine NJ for a few weeks with Court Sense team — Paul Opelka and Fritz playing Sacramento Challenger next week —
Andrew Miller · October 4, 2015 at 7:23 pm
Michael, that disparity is certainly there. I don’t know of other sports that do this – I’d guess this would hold for boxing, maybe golf.
Michael · October 4, 2015 at 7:43 pm
Boxing still exists ? Legally ? I thought they outlawed that back during the Cosell era.
Seriously it’s still around ? The objective as I understand it is to punch a guy in the head until his brain shuts down and he falls to the ground. Then you rush over and try to revive him. This continues until the guy can’t get up or time runs out. That can not be a legally sanctioned activity in any remotely “civilized society.”
I mean who the heck would possibly find enjoyment in watching such a thing ?
Stop teasing me.
Golf I know exists and some people do claim is a sport even though I consider it more of a highly skilled activity then a sport. I mean can an overweight, out of shape 40-something really beat a 20 year old if it’s a sport ? And don’t you have to break a sweat at some point to be a sport. (Contrary to common belief, Federer does sweat he just does it with style; it isn’t dripping on to the court like, say, Roddick.)
I’m going to have to check in with people that know more about Golf then I, I don’t think golf is so geographically dispersed so that one day you in NY and the next Asia ? But I’m not sure. And not that how you travel is the only thing wildly disparate among the tennis players,
Moskova Moskova · October 4, 2015 at 10:24 pm
Ferrer has a great nutritionist and doctor 😉
Moskova Moskova · October 4, 2015 at 10:30 pm
@ scoop, if u were able to get access to arod….and ask him if he was satisfied with his career. He’d prlly get defensive or snappy as it truly was not…..maybe if he had snuck a W @ W by the GOAT – Fed….then maybe.
Dan Markowitz · October 5, 2015 at 3:09 am
Roddick’s career looks better and better since he’s retired and we’ve had to watch Izzie, QBall, Sock and Young take his place with a little SteveJo on the side. I mean Fish for a while was making ARod’s disappearance feel not so stark, but we see now, makes even me–never a Roddick fan–long for quick-serving, loopy forehand, badmouth one.
Scoop Malinowski · October 5, 2015 at 8:53 am
mm – I know Roddick is satisfied with his great career, he started out as a longshot just like the American juniors now turning pro, I still recall seeing Roddick at Ashe Kids Day with Levar Harper Griffith who was in the same ‘prospect’ boat as Roddick, there were no guarantees Roddick would be become a great champion like he did, so winning a major, Davis Cup, 32 titles, becoming ATP Number One for the year, several Wimbledon finals, was superb for a guy going against the most challenging era in ATP history — stand proud stand tall Andy Roddick
Moskova Moskova · October 5, 2015 at 10:37 am
@ dan…again all realtive. arod next to izzie and qball, etc. – he seems like royalty. however arod next to fed, nadal, djoko (the benchmarks) – arod looks like a bloody toilette attendant with a mouth to suit !
@ scoop – take your beer goggles off. no one is satified with 3 almost W @ W. arod has nightmares about the last one still – esp. that high backhand volley to put him up in the second set to be ALMOST 2 set up against FED and almost win !