Tennis Prose




Jan/21

25

Biofile Robert Seguso Interview

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: Former ATP world no. 1 doubles player in 1985. Won four Grand Slam doubles titles and 1988 Olympic gold medal in doubles. Won 29 total ATP doubles titles between 1984-1991.

DOB: May 1, 1963 In: Minneapolis, MN

First Tennis Memory: “Maybe it was winning something important that meant a lot. Maybe it was winning the Italian Open. I won it in 1984. My first year coming out we played, I thought … don’t take this wrong …I thought it was going to be a lot harder for me. When I broke into it (ATP) I shot up pretty quick. I wasn’t a great college player. I was a good college player (at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Division II). I wasn’t a great junior. When I turned pro in 1983, it happened very fast. (Why so?) I think it was in college and junior, I played kind of an aggressive game. And when I went to school I rushed the net a lot. I was 6-1, 170. After two years of college I came out 6-3, 185. Next thing you know I’m serving ten to fifteen miles an hour faster and stronger. When you play that style it usually takes guys longer to develop their game. And it usually comes down to power, strength and serve. I wasn’t the speedster in the back of the court trying to grind out four hour matches. That’s probably why.”

Tennis Inspirations: “I was always a Jimmy Connors fan. Huge Jimmy Connors fan. I started off with a (Wilson) T2000 and the two-handed backhand. He became a good friend of mine on the Tour. I actually beat him like five times. Played a bunch of times, nine to eleven times. One was an exhibition match in the LA Forum where the Lakers play. And he was supposed to play McEnroe. And they called me up. I happened to be out there. It was right after Davis Cup in San Diego. I filled in and had to play him. And we had a big bet on the side. And I beat him 6 in the third. He didn’t talk to me for like six months [smiles]. Took forever for him to pay me too. But he was the guy I always looked up to as a kid. Loved to watch him. Used to hit flat like him. Two-handed backhand. But then I realized I wasn’t a little guy like him. And I couldn’t run. So I had to change that quick.”

First Famous Player You Met Or Encountered: “Him or McEnroe at some of the big tournaments I went to. Probably the biggest one I got to know first was Vitas Gerulaitis. Ken (Flach) and I went over to Japan. This is our first year of playing. And went to play the Japan Open. And we basically hung out with Vitas the whole time. This guy was no. 4 in the world. And he was so nice to us. It was just awesome. We’d go out to dinner every night. Just hang out. He was just a wonderful guy. He’s probably the first big guy I got to know in tennis.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “The weirdest moment was probably when we won the US Open and they booed us off the court. In the third set we were playing Noah and Leconte. And the ball whizzed by Ken’s hair. People still come up to me and bring it up. And they say it hit his ear, hit his shoulder and ricocheted long. And it was 76 67, it was 6-4 in the tiebreaker – them. And our serve. Came in, Ken made a volley. They came in, ripped the ball. Ken went down and hit a volley. It hit the net, popped up and they said it hit his shoulder and went long. And it whizzed by his ear. He had long hair. They said it hit his hair. And back then you’re supposed to make the call. And Ken goes, ‘I felt it go by my ear. Did it hit my hair? (I said) I don’t know if it hit your hair!”

“Noah came out and said something in front of the whole crowd. And they started booing us. They looked at Ken, got quiet. The umpire said, ‘Ken, did it hit you?’ And Ken said No. They booed us off the court. It went 6-5. Noah’s serve. A bomb. They still had set point. Served out wide. Ken hit the backhand return 150 miles an hour back. They didn’t even see it. And then they served to my backhand. I just ripped a backhand down the line, clear winner. And then I hit an ace. The fourth set was 6-0. They tanked the whole fourth set. They literally tanked it and they booed us the whole fourth set. That was my weirdest moment.”

“My greatest moment…probably winning the gold medal. The US Open would have been but it was kind of screwed up with that. Winning my first Wimbledon. Gold medal. And when I beat Connors at Wimbledon in the first round in ’86.”

Most Painful Moment: “I have a few of those. One that was high level…French Open, were were down two sets to love. Came back and won in five. Then in Wimbledon we were down two sets to love, came back and won in five. Then US Open same year we were down two sets to love to Jarryd Edberg and went up 3-2 and a break in the fifth on my serve. I hadn’t lost my serve the whole tournament and we ended up losing 76 in the fifth. That match there. All in the finals. And thought about it too. Two-love down. I said to Ken at the bench, ‘We’re gonna do it again.’ And I frickin’ lost my serve. Then we lost 7-6 in the fifth. I played some doubles matches where we were up 6-0 in the tiebreaker and ended up losing. But those are smaller tournaments. But I don’t care if you play anything. If you’re up 6-0 in the breaker and you lose…there’s a lot of heartbreak matches. But I’d say the US Open. That meant a lot. Three slams in a row when down two sets to love, battle back and you end up losing.”

Favorite Tournaments To Play: “Probably Wimbledon. I always liked to go to London for that month. Queens, Wimbledon, you settle in there. I always liked that. Palm Springs – I always liked the places where there was golf. I’m a good golfer.”

Funniest Players Encountered: “I have no idea. Most of them were serious. Probably… … I have no idea.”

Funny Tennis Memory: “The weirdest thing that ever happened…it’s actually on You Tube. It has 750,000 hits. We were playing in Europe. I hit a return. Then I hit another ball. Then I missed a forehand. The weather wasn’t nice. Right when I missed it. I yelled, OH GOD! Lightning and thunder came out at the exact time I said that. And I didn’t know till about three or four years ago it’s on You Tube. That’s obviously the thing I remember the most.”

Why Do You Love Tennis: “I grew up with a large family. Seven kids in my family. And we played all sports, football and baseball, in Boca Raton. Saw the wall. Just started playing. I had good hand-eye coordination. I got really good at that age, to that level. In two months I was winning tournaments, playing guys that were 20th ranked in state of Florida. I was just learning how to play and I was winning.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “I’m into just people being nice to people. My wife always yells at me, You’re always so nice to everybody. Just the way I am. What am I gonna do?”

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