Status: International Tennis Hall of Famer.
DOB: May 10, 1938 In: Madrid, Spain
First Tennis Memory: “Well, I was ten years old and I came to the tennis club in Madrid. This time I saw a tennis racquet and a tennis court. So this was always in my mind.”
Tennis Inspirations: “I think the tennis is the greatest sport to play. The guys that play it, it makes them better persons. (Why?) Because you are alone on the court. If you don’t behave well yourself, you lose the match. Like last night with Roddick (vs. Tipsarevic at 2010 U.S. Open 2R), he complained so much. And instead of playing. So I think tennis, it gives the tennis player no excuses. If you win, you win. If you lose, you lose. And then when you lose, you have to analyze why you have done bad result and then fix it. That’s why I like tennis very much as a sport.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “When I win Wimbledon in 1966.”
Most Painful Moment: “When I lost in the year after to Charlie Passarell in the first round. We have two guys now – Lleyton Hewitt and myself, who have the record – that we lost the year after we won.”
Favorite Tournament: “Wimbledon. And when I play here when it was grass at Forest Hills. Even though I was already champion of the French Open two times, at that time of my tennis career, clay court players were (considered) nothing because tennis was dominated by Anglos. Wimbledon, Australia and the U.S. – they were played on grass. So clay was a very small tournament. So I said to myself: I have to learn how to play on grass to become well known all around the world.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “A lot of things. I made a lot of very good friends that they make life funny. There are many people that I love very much and, besides the tennis players, I think tennis gives you so many opportunities if you want – know which one you have to take.”
Closest Tennis Friends: “Roy Emerson from Australia. Rod Laver. In that era I was very close with Australians. And with Americans, I was with Dennis Ralston and Charlie Passarell, they were my buddies.”
Funniest Players Encountered: “Nastase. No doubt. Nastase and McEnroe. But I never play with McEnroe, he was some other era. But Nastase I play in some tournaments and I live with him and I think he was the funniest one.”
Toughest Competitors Encountered: “The Australians.”
Strangest Match: “When I play Rod Laver in Wimbledon in 1962, that was the year he was the Grand Slam champion in the amateur era. And I have the match in my hands. I lost it because I never thought of myself – I never believe in myself – that I could beat Laver because he was the biggest. But I learned from that match and then until I finish my tennis career.”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “Very little. Sometimes because embarrassment came when you don’t behave well. And so I always took the victory and the defeat with the same manners.”
Favorite Players To Watch: “Right now, Laver, sorry, Federer and Nadal. The young guy that I like is Del Potro. I like him very, very much.”
Last Book Read: “My book. I wrote a book called ‘I’m A Lucky Guy.'”
Favorite Movies: “I like the funny movies. I don’t like fights [smiles] and violence. The guy (Jack) Nicholson I like very, very much.”
Favorite Meal: “Pasta.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “No, I never eat ice cream.”
First Job: “A ballboy in a tennis club.”
Current Car: “A normal Volkswagen (blue).”
Favorite Sport Outside Tennis: “Well, I like soccer. Soccer is my favorite sport besides tennis.”
Which Match Were You At Your Best: “When I beat Arthur Ashe in the U.S. Forest Hills, the year I won the tournament. Because afterwards, he was a coming up player, difficult to beat him in grass. And I think I played one of my best matches against him.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “I hate those people when they talk to me they don’t look in my eyes. I like very much to study the people that I’m around with. And the quality I like is the people, they’re not jealous, people that believe they are happy with what they have with themselves.”
Career Accomplishments: Winner of four Grand Slam singles titles, including Wimbledon in 1966, Roland Garros in 1961, 1964, and U.S. Championships in 1965; 4-0 record in Grand Slam singles finals; Won Olympic gold medal in Mexico City (tennis was a demonstration sport); Manages Manolo Santana Racquets Club in Marbella and Sport Center Manolo Santana in Madrid
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jay komerath · August 26, 2012 at 4:41 pm
There was never a player who combined power and touch better than him-not Rosewell,not Krishnan-in 64 he was the greatest
Scoop Malinowski · September 13, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Jay, I’ll take your word for it. Never saw Manolo Santana play but I heard so many good things about him, from people like Fred Stolle and Cliff Drysdale on the air of ESPN, he is revered by them. It was an honor, privilege and big thrill to do this Biofile with the great Manuel Santana.
Steve · September 13, 2012 at 6:11 pm
Another great biofile! Good to know more about this legend. He’s always at the tournaments supporting Nadal and supporting tennis. I’ll have to do a re-read of my tennis encyclopedia.
Scoop Malinowski · September 13, 2012 at 7:27 pm
Thanks Steve, yeah, Biofiles don’t get any better than this one with Mr. Santana. This is one of my all time favorite tennis Biofiles, up there with Vilas and Wilander. I wish the magazines and web sites focused on the legends more, rather than always Federer, Rafa, Djokovic, Maria and Serena.