Tennis Prose




Jul/13

16

Who Misses Fabrice Santoro? Here’s His Biofile

Here’s an oldie but a goodie – my Biofile interview with the one and only Fabrice Santoro, which was conducted in 2007 at the U.S. Open…

Status: Currently ranked No. 43, Santoro has scored career victories over Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Sebastien Grosjean, David Nalbandian, Tommy Haas, Nicolas Kiefer, Carlos Moya and Patrick Rafter.

Ht: 5-foot-10 Wt: 160 pounds.

Born On: December 9th, 1972 in Tahiti.

Childhood Hero: “John McEnroe, for sure.”

Hobbies/Interests: “Now I like to spend most of my time with my wife and my daughter because I miss them a lot when I’m on the Tour. And for the rest of the time, I listen to a lot of music, the French music. I have a passion, which is to stay busy. Building a home, trying to build a home in the south of France takes a lot of time.”

Early Tennis Memory: “McEnroe-Lendl final of the French Open, 1984. Devastation because I remember I was pushing a lot behind John and I remember I was very disappointed after the match. Because I knew it was a big chance for him to win the French (McEnroe led two sets to none before falling, 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5). And I was very, very disappointed.”

Favorite Movie: “Nikita.”

Musical Tastes: “Jean-Jacques Goldman, French singer Frances Cabrel.”

First Job: “Umpire. I was 12 or 13. Usam Club. I was on the chair for a couple of matches, to earn some pickup money, a couple of dollars.”

First Car: “Was a white Lada, very cheap car.”

Pre-Match Feeling: “In general, I’m stressed. Very stressed. And when I’m like this, I know I’m going to play well. I need the stress to feel good.”

Favorite Meal: “Indian.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Chocolate.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “Probably when we won the Davis Cup final in Australia (2001).”

Most Painful Moment: “Hmmm (pause)…when I was not on the team for the Davis Cup final in 1991 (which France won against USA in Lyon. Fabrice recorded two Davis Cup semifinal wins vs. Yugoslavia to help France reach that final).”

Closest Tennis Friends: “It’s tough to answer. I would say there are many, many people I respect a lot and pretty close to. But my best friend is not on the Tour.”

Funniest Players: “On the court or off the court? Off…(pause)…I have to pick a Frenchman because it’s tough for me to understand the humor in different languages. So…I have to say my doubles partner (Michael Llodra).

Toughest Competitor: “Kafelnikov was best for me. (Why?) Because he has the answers for every question I ask him on the court. Because when I’m on the other side of the net he has every shot to cause me trouble.”

Funny Tennis Memory: “McEnroe, when he became crazy on the court. A couple of times he was pretty tough on the umpire. And that part of his character, as a young kid, I really appreciate (smiles).”

Childhood Dream: “My career is more than I ever dreamed. I was trying when I was young — to be a professional tennis player. And I said, Maybe I can be on the Tour for three, four or five years. And I’m there for 16 years. So it’s more than the first dream.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “Honesty — that’s the first one. Honest — that’s more important for me…on the court, out of the court, and every part of the life.”

3 comments

  • Steve · July 16, 2013 at 12:34 pm

    Would love to see him coach.

  • Andrew Miller · July 16, 2013 at 3:17 pm

    Santoro beat all number ones in his time except Lendl, Kafelnikov, Nadal. As Safin (2-7 vs Santoro, Wikipedia!) says: “Being told I would play Santoro was being told I was to die.”

  • Steve · July 16, 2013 at 5:44 pm

    ^^ HAHAHA

<<

>>

Find it!

Copyright 2010
Tennis-Prose.com
To top