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The Pat Cash vs Ivan Lendl Brawl In Monte Carlo
22 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
By Scoop Malinowski
The recent purchase of The Autobiography Of Pat Cash: Uncovered has been a fantastic read. Pat Cash is one of the rare authentic voices in pro tennis, fearless to speak his mind. The former 1987 Wimbledon champion and two-time Davis Cup winner reveals a lot of inside info about pro tennis and his own Hall of Fame quality career (1982-1997 singles/2006 doubles; best ranking was no. 4; six ATP singles titles, 12 in doubles. Cash also lost in the 1987 and 1988 AO finals both in five sets to Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander, respectively.)
One of the most intriguing anecdotes was about a fight a young Pat Cash had with Ivan Lendl in the Monte Carlo Country Club locker room in 1983. Here’s how Cash described the clash with the five years older Czech Republic legend…
“The day Lendl decided to have a joke at my expense was the day he made a big mistake. Not only did he run into somebody who didn’t give a damn about his reputation or his ranking, he also earned himself a fierce enemy who would take great delight in getting even with him at a place that really mattered a few years later (Wimbledon final 1987). As I recall, the incident happened very early in my career when I was only just 18 years old and fresh from the junior circuit. Eventhough I was a Wimbledon boys champion and a junior world no. 1, in terms of the full tour I was still very much a new kid on the block. Lendl had taken over the world no. 1 spot a couple of months earlier and quite rightly thought of himself as a big star. Nevertheless I was feeling kind of special as well. I had just signed a deal to wear tennis shoes made by the Italian firm Diadora and had been given a very unique gift. One of my great sporting heroes of the time was the legendary 400 meter hurdler Edwin Moses, who was another, but much more celebrated Diadora client. In honor of Moses, the company had made him some special crimson red leather jogging shoes. Diadora had presented me with a pair.”
“They were my pride and joy. I loved them. And one afternoon I was sitting on the bench in the Monte Carlo Country Club locker room talking to Paul McNamee. I had already lost in the qualifying rounds of the tournament but was hanging around because Monte Carlo in the European spring is not an unpleasant place to spend a few days training. The actual setting of the tennis courts is one of the most beautiful in the world. They are terraced, climbing above the clear blue Mediterranean and if you look across the bay there is the designer Karl Lagerfeld’s villa standing on the headland. I was minding my own business when in walked Lendl and he instantly took huge amusement in the red shoes on my feet. There was no other way to describe it, he totally destroyed the things and the little plastic bits that held the laces in place were pinging all over the locker room. Lendl thought it was hilarious. Like a great bully at school, he was having a good time at the expense of one of the younger kids. But he didn’t realize that this new boy wasn’t going to take any of his shit.”
“I flew at him in a fearful rage. He looked totally stunned as I grabbed him by the throat and if Paul McNamee hadn’t intervened very smartly, who is to say what would have happened. Macca had his arms around my chest pinning me back but I was still shouting at Lendl, how I would punch his lights out once I got the chance. All through it, Lendl was looking at me with the expression that suggested: You cannot do this to me because I am the no. 1. He really did think he could do anything he wanted. There were a few players in the locker room who just missed the incident and several of them have since told me that they truly wished I had given Lendl a really good hiding.”
“From that day on I disliked the guy intensely. He was always so conceited, so superior, and always used to put people down. He would regularly berate me about my game and say I possessed so many technical and fundamental flaws.”
In an example of poetic justice, Cash defeated Lendl for the 1987 Wimbledon title a couple of years later, the one Grand Slam title Lendl never won. 1987 was Lendl’s last real shot but Cash prevailed 76 62 75.
Lendl on the head to head series vs Cash 5-3
1988 Australian Open Outdoor Hard SF Cash 64 26 62 46 62
1987 Sydney-2 Indoor Hard F Lendl 64 62 64
1987 Wimbledon Outdoor Grass F Cash 76 62 75
1987 Australian Open Outdoor Grass SF Cash 76 57 76 64
1986 Sydney Indoor Hard SF Lendl 75 62
1984 US Open Outdoor Hard SF Lendl 36 63 64 67 76
1983 Australian Open Outdoor Grass R16 Lendl 76 63 63
1983 Wimbledon Outdoor Grass R16 Lendl 64 76 61
Diadora · Edwin Moses · Ivan Lendl · Monte Carlo · Pat Cash · Wimbledon
Sam · November 28, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Scoop, was the fight rigged?? πΉ
Sam · November 28, 2023 at 3:14 pm
Sam, because hen a boxer has no leverage or no big payday options, heβs very happy to get hired as a patsy for a big money fight. Pro (fake) wrestling is far more profitable than real wrestling.
OK, Scoop, that makes sense. In that case, I guess the boxers drop to the athletic equivalent of a streetwalker. π§π»ββοΈ
Boxing puppetmasters understand that. There still are some real fights at the top level but most are corrupted in one way or another.
To shift gears just a little, about what percentage of big tennis matches do you think could be compromised? π§
Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2023 at 4:55 pm
Sam, nothing fake about Pat Cash, one of the few prominent figures/champions with the guts to tell it like it is.
Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2023 at 5:08 pm
Bernard Hopkins, one of the greatest ring champions ever, said boxers are expendable like prostitutes, there’s always the next one ready to replace. They’re both used up and spit out… I’ve read the old books and there are many references to fixing matches, split sets then play the third for real. With the political and business agendas now so powerful, it’s anybody’s guess how many matches are authentic. I’ve heard of some high profile boxing matches that were fixed and I had no idea or sense of it for decades. Tennis is similar in that regard, it’s very hard to tell. Some are obvious tanks though. Like when Svitolina said after losing to Serena at US Open SF, their last match, she already had her flight made for China before the match, she actually said this at the press conference.
Sam · December 1, 2023 at 7:36 pm
Sam, nothing fake about Pat Cash, one of the few prominent figures/champions with the guts to tell it like it is.
Yeah, Scoop, a couple of years ago I believe he made some very un-PC statements about the Covid jabs in a video.
Iβve read the old books and there are many references to fixing matches, split sets then play the third for real.
Sounds like a boxing tradition. π
Like when Svitolina said after losing to Serena at US Open SF, their last match, she already had her flight made for China before the match, she actually said this at the press conference.
Hopefully Svitolina will never try to become an actress then. π
Scoop Malinowski · December 2, 2023 at 7:41 am
Sam, Cash takes so many pokes and shots at various tennis figures, it’s a fantastic read. Breath of fresh air to read some reality instead of all the fake cliches we’re used to getting.
Krzysztof · December 2, 2023 at 5:18 pm
Scoop, did Pat Cash mention anything in his book about Rafter, Edberg, Henman or Blake?
Scoop Malinowski · December 2, 2023 at 9:40 pm
Yes he did, he loved Henman’s potential and seemed to be lobbying to coach him but it didnt’ work out, also they had some controversy sparked by Cash of course, Ineed to reread that part. Rafter he respected. No mention of Blake yet.
Krzysztof · December 3, 2023 at 4:22 am
Ok, thanks. And how about Edberg? π
Scoop Malinowski · December 3, 2023 at 8:11 am
Huge respect for Edberg. Haven’t found any Edberg anecdotes yet. When I do I will share…
Sam · December 5, 2023 at 1:47 am
Sam, Cash takes so many pokes and shots at various tennis figures, itβs a fantastic read. Breath of fresh air to read some reality instead of all the fake cliches weβre used to getting.
Well, Scoop, I guess he’ll never get a commentating gig then. π
Scoop Malinowski · December 5, 2023 at 6:52 am
I believe Cash does do some TV commentating during Wimbledon but that’s just a couple of weeks.
Sam · December 9, 2023 at 3:45 pm
He must have a lot of enemies in the tennis “deep state,” but good for him. π
Scoop Malinowski · December 9, 2023 at 4:12 pm
Sam, Pat Cash may be outspoken sometimes and not afraid to say the truth but he has a charm at the same time and he’s well liked enough to be given TV and coaching jobs, also he’s a senior tour attraction. Once a Grand Slam champion always a Grand Slam champion. The deep state will always respect Cash for that. Everybody knows every grand slam champion is a human athletic miracle.
Sam · December 12, 2023 at 8:11 pm
Scoop, glad that Cash has a healthy dose of charm and savoir-faire.
Scoop Malinowski · December 13, 2023 at 8:07 am
Sam, the Pat Cash book is superb, better than expected. He was a player who really had his career shortened by injuries by early 30s, his knees were a mess, it’s amazing how Nadal despite all the mileage and wear and tear on his legs is still moving very well at 37.
Sam · December 15, 2023 at 7:29 pm
Glad to hear it’s such a good read, Scoop. And surprised you haven’t read it before now. π
Scoop Malinowski · December 16, 2023 at 8:04 am
Sam, I never even knew Pat Cash had written his autobiography until I saw it three weeks ago in a thrift store for $2 and it is a personally signed copy too. Lucky find.
Sam · December 19, 2023 at 9:27 pm
That is very serendipitous! π
Just curious, Scoopβhave you ever interviewed him?
Scoop Malinowski · December 20, 2023 at 7:58 am
Yes many times, first was a Biofile at a press conference at Tennis Sport in NYC about 20 yrs ago. Also for my Facing Rafa Nadal and Facing McEnroe books, and for Facing Vilas the most recent. He played Rafa when he was a teenager about 14 and he lost. It was an exo. Pat Cash is one of my favorite people in tennis.
Sam · December 24, 2023 at 7:20 pm
Scoop, I suppose that Facing Pat Cash will be coming down the pike pretty soon then. π
Scoop Malinowski · December 25, 2023 at 4:10 pm
No Sam, sorry, not much interested in hearing Facing Pat Cash stories, his biography is enough and covers everything and then some )