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The Biofile: Darren Cahill Interview
13 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios, Scoop
Status: ESPN Commentator, former ATP professional, former coach of Lleyton Hewitt and Andre Agassi.
Tennis Inspirations: “All the old Aussies for sure. We’re pretty lucky in Australia with great tradition of all the Grand Slam champions. So, for me, looking up to guys like Tony Roche, Neale Fraser, John Newcombe, Ken Rosewall, Rod Laver, Lew Hoad, you know, we just have bundles of them. And really, when I was nine, ten, eleven, sitting back and watching those great Wimbledon finals between Borg and McEnroe was really the inspiration for me to even pick up a racquet in the first place.”
Hobbies/Interests: “Golf, golf and more golf. I have two kids so a little less golf than I would like. I live in Vegas so we try to get on the golf course as much as possible. And spending a lot of time with the family.”
Favorite Movies: “It ranges, for me I enjoy a good escape for a few hours with a good comedy like Caddyshack, or a serious intense movie like The Deer Hunter. It’s a big, big range for me but I enjoy the movies.”
First Tennis Memory: “My dad (John) taking me out to a local park/tennis court and giving me a beating. Inspired me to get involved in the game and take it up and never looked back since (age 8).”
Greatest Sports Moment: “The moment I enjoyed the most, without a doubt, was sitting down as a spectator, watching Andre play his second to last match against Marcos Baghdatis at the US Open.”
Most Painful Moment: “Losing a Davis Cup match. Any time you lose a Davis Cup match for your country is a difficult thing. I think you can get more enjoyment from Davis Cup than you do at any other tournaments but it certainly comes with a backside that is more disappointing when you lose. Davis Cup losses for sure.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “Anytime you’re in the locker room with Pat Cash. You cannot help but laugh [smiles]. Nothing that can be printed.”
Funniest Players Encountered: “You know what, I’d put Wally Masur as the number one guy with the quickest wit and the funniest sense of humor.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “All the Aussies, John Fitzgerald, Wally Masur, all the guys I grew up with, being so far from the rest of the world that we tended to travel together, train together. And we played mostly the same tournaments together. So you make friends for life.”
Toughest Competitor Encountered: “Thomas Muster. Just never said die. Just played until the very last point, no matter what the score. Very friendly with him off the court, once you stepped between the white lines, just got the sense that he disliked you immensely. But I respected that. There was a bunch of great competitors. But Thomas Muster stood above the rest for me.”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “I lost my first ever inter-state junior match 60 60. And I’ve never really shaken that off. I was fifteen, from Adelaide, played in White City, which is in Sydney. Lost to a guy named Jamie Hardy who was a good junior my age at the time. You know, one of my most funny and embarrassing moments…I played a Davis Cup match with Yannick Noah against France. And the tie was dead. And Yannick Noah ended up moonwalking between serves and I called the ballboys out on the court and he and I played against the ballboys. During a Davis Cup dead rubber match. For me, that was the funny and most embarrassing match of my…it was great, the crowd loved it. He was a great entertainer. (Who won?) Yannick won. I couldn’t play. He just completely messed with my game. But no one cared who won or lost, it was about The Show with Yannick.”
Favorite Player To Watch: “Monfils. I think he’s a great athlete. Highly entertaining. You get a bit of everything with him…he has a bit of showman about him on the court and there’s also a bit of flair, there’s some creativity and there’s some power. My favorite guy to watch of all time is Andrew Ilie. From Australia. Remember him? (The shirts.) Yep. Yep. Expect the unexpected with Andrew [smiles].”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Just like a great sense of humor. Not take themselves too seriously. Work hard at whatever they do. Always be honest. And give life a great shot. Give it the best shot that you possibly can.”
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Dan Markowitz · September 8, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Love that DC loves Ilie. He was very entertaining. I think one hander too. Cahill seems like a cool guy. But what’s with playing all the golf? Don’t see the obsession certain people have with that game.
Scoop Malinowski · September 8, 2014 at 1:41 pm
I guess he needs a peaceful escape from tennis. Not a golf fan either, Ilie is a legend. Wonder where he is now, if he’s involved in tennis. Tennis sure can use a few Ilies. And Noah’s. Unbelievable that Noah actually did the moonwalk on court during a Davis Cup match.
Jack · September 8, 2014 at 2:02 pm
“Toughest Competitor Encountered: “Thomas Muster. Just never said die. Just played until the very last point, no matter what the score.”
A warning about what was to come. Rafael Nadal. Whatever Muster did to improve his physicality, Nadal has done as well, except from a younger age.
So why is Darren called “Killah” ?
Andrew Miller · September 8, 2014 at 5:03 pm
Muster got pinned between two cars came back and won a slam. Like to see Nadal do that or any player. No one on the mens tour compares, no one. Not Blake or anyone.
Jack · September 8, 2014 at 7:27 pm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2747037/Marin-Cilic-doping-scandal-hangs-US-Open-final-short-bans-leave-questions-drugs-tennis.html
http://www.thetennisspace.com/ljubicic-exclusive-i-pleaded-with-the-bookmakers
“I got one missed test in Croatia this year, it was my first. Then you’re kind of under a bit of pressure because if you get a second then you have to be really careful. (Marin) Cilic told me also he had two.”
Cilic didn’t do well in the warm up events.
Has never shown any hint that he could be a grand slam champion before this tournament, yet he smashed higher ranked players on his way to the championship. He is just 3 weeks shy of his 26th birthday.
Hmm.
I guess 26 is the new 19.
Congrats Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion.
Jack · September 8, 2014 at 9:01 pm
Skip, Dan, do you have a “wrap party” after working hard for the two weeks of the USO ?
jblitz · September 8, 2014 at 10:07 pm
““I got one missed test in Croatia this year, it was my first. Then you’re kind of under a bit of pressure because if you get a second then you have to be really careful. (Marin) Cilic told me also he had two.—
Did you even read the article you linked to? Ljubicic was talking about the ridiculous ‘whereabouts’ program where you have to tell WADA where you’re going to be every single day many months in the future. It’s absurd, especially for tennis players, who never know if they’re going to lose in a first round and leave town or stay til a final on Sunday, or enter tournaments at the last minute or something. If you forget to change your ‘whereabouts’ report you risk missing a test which he said happened to him once and to Marin twice. They didn’t fail any tests, they just weren’t where their report said they were going to be.
Virtually all the players have no problem with being tested but they all have a problem with this ‘whereabouts’ report. Surely to goodness the ATP could come up with a more efficient system – every single player has an IPhone. Could they not create an app where the players could report their locations on that? But Jack just wants to make false allegations against everybody.
Mike · September 8, 2014 at 10:39 pm
There is a Grand Slam tournament in your ‘hood. Men’s Final day no less and your posting “biofiles.” LMAO.
Mike · September 8, 2014 at 10:39 pm
“Skip, Dan, do you have a “wrap party†after working hard for the two weeks of the USO ?”
False premise.
Jack · September 8, 2014 at 11:47 pm
jblitz said “But Jack just wants to make false allegations against everybody.”
Could you be specific about which false allegations I made ?
Jack · September 8, 2014 at 11:53 pm
Mike is quite the critic. Maybe he should start his own blog ?
Guillermo Morales Rubert · September 9, 2014 at 10:35 am
Mr.Cahill is truly a nice guy. During the Citi Open in Washington DC Mr.Cahill took the time to take pictures with his fans. He also won as a player the Suisse Open Gstaad which has one of the most spectacular backdrops of any ATP World Tour tournaments. Mr. Cahill is another great representative of the sport of tennis.
Mike · September 9, 2014 at 4:00 pm
“Mike is quite the critic. Maybe he should start his own blog ?””
Right after A.O. Scott produces and directs his first feature film.