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Marcelo Rios “Ate The World” 25 Years Ago In Miami
By Scoop Malinowski
When Diego Maradona saw a teenaged Marcelo Rios play live for the first time, in a Davis Cup match vs Argentina’s Franco Davin, which Rios lost, the soccer legend was so impressed by the Chilean’s tennis wizardry, he felt compelled to go meet him after the match. Rios told the story recently, how he was thrilled to meet Maradona who told him a memorable, inspiring message: “Someday you will eat the world.”
On this day March 30, 1998 in Crandon Park, Key Biscayme, Rios fulfilled the prophecy of Maradona and devoured the tennis world and Andre Agassi in the Miami Open final to become the ATP’s no. 1 ranked player. Rios was ATP world no. 1 for a total of six weeks.
Today I asked two former peers of Marcelo Rios for their memories of the monumental triumph by Rios that spectacular, sensational, Sunday afternoon vs. Agassi.
Justin Gimelstob, winner of two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles: “Yes, I was there that day. I lived in Key Biscayne at the time and I was friends with Andre. I just came to watch. I remember it was an incredible atmosphere. The crowd was packed with Chilean flags. Rios made the sport look so easy. He was on a tear, winning Indian Wells and then dominating Agassi. Rios was making the ball twist, turn and bend. He always looked like he had so much time and unlimited options. He was a true tennis savant.”
Sander Groen, winner of 1997 Dubai doubles with Goran Ivanisevic, and Segovia doubles title with Roger Federer, the first of the Swiss master’s ATP career: “I saw the highlights of the match of Rios vs Agassi, Miami Open final. But I love to watch highlights of Rios once in a while anyway. It is like the purest form of tennis art to me.”
I asked Groen if he shows his two kids Rios video, one who is a highly ranked ITF junior, and he replied: “I showed my kids this phenomenon of Rios a long time ago – but it is beyond their comprehension [smiles].”
ATP · Chile · Justin Gimelstob · Marcelo Rios · Miami Open · Sander Groen
