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My Interview With Chile’s La Segunda About Marcelo RIos
My interview with La Segunda’s Daniel Fernandez about the 20th anniversary of Marcelo Rios becoming world no. 1. Rios became ATP world no. 1 in 1998 after beating Agassi in three straight sets, also collecting double $2.5m bonuses from his top sponsors Nike and Yonex…
Daniel Fernandez: When I talk to you about Marcelo Rios, what comes to mind?
Scoop Malinowski: Three things come to mind. One – still my favorite player to watch play because of his creativity, elegance, unpredictable personality and shotmaking, and court presence. Two – one of Roger Federer’s favorite players to watch. And three – Marat Safin said Rios had the talent to win ten majors.
DF: -On retrospect, how surprised you were that time that “short and long haired South American” was able to climb to the top of the world tennis?
SM: I really was not surprised. The first time I saw him live at US Open in 96 or 97 against seeded Swede Thomas Enqvist, which he lost in a fifth set tiebreaker, I knew this guy was very special and there were no limits. Somehow I just knew it. He looked great, played great and conveyed a confidence that he could do anything. Certain few players have that X factor whatever it is that makes them glow and stand out from the rest and Rios had that.
DF: Do you think someone (especially if he didn’t saw him on person) could be surprised today that he ever reached that far?
SM: Surprised or shocked. Marcelo Rios has to be one of the most unlikely looking top tennis players in history, along with Ivo Karlovic, John Isner, Olivier Rochus, Michael Chang, Dustin Brown. I remember Mats Wilander said that when he first saw Rios in the locker room he “thought he was a ballboy.” The first time I saw him at the US Open against Enqvist, with the pony tail and cocky attitude, he looked like a gang member from East LA with a switchblade in his pocket.
DF: -Talented as hell, as you covered on your terrific book he’s probably one of the most “unique” and extravagant characters to ever play tennis. Could you elaborate more on that, please?
SM: I’m currently working on my seventh tennis book Facing Safin. And Evgeny Donskoy just told me he was quite close with Safin in the early years of his career and one quality that stood out about Safin was how mentally strong and confident Safin was. Donskoy was in awe of that attribute of Safin. Just this week in Delray Beach he told me “It was crazy how strong he was inside.” These top players like Safin and Rios are talented but also so very very strong in their heart and soul and mind to do what they do. And also crazy too. To actually believe you can be the best tennis player in the world is a crazy thought. So you have to be a little crazy to be the best. Like one of the coaches at Nick Bollettieri told me, “to be so so freakishly great at playing tennis, you just can’t expect this person to be a normal person.” So a lot of the behaviors and actions of Rios and Safin and the other super elites of the ATP are going to be considered by most normal people to be strange and odd. A man who sells life insurance is going to have a hard time understanding an artist, right?
DF: -Usually Rios classifies on the “worst number one ever” category like some kind of weird backhanded compliment. Do you agree?
SM: I dislike that topic: the “worst” No. 1 player in the ATP. They do this in boxing too. Some of these experts say Buster Douglas was one of the worst heavyweight champions. I think it’s stupid and it’s disrespectful and inaccurate. There is no sense in trying rate all the best players of tennis. They all were so special and so amazing all in their own independent ways. Marcelo Rios made the sport even greater with his contributions and achievements and his best matches who many tennis enthusiasts still remember fondly two decades later. Rios has inspired many many excellent players today. Donald Young, Yoshihito Nishioka, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Roger Federer, all told me they were big fans of Rios and they were inspired by the way he played. Roger Federer told me he would vote yes to Marcelo Rios being inducted to the Hall of Fame. It makes no sense to put the word “worst” in the same sentence with Marcelo Rios.
DF: -How we measure his legacy today, 20 years from his (short-lived) glory moment? He could (should) have accomplished more?
SM: Rios accomplished what he could. We have to accept what he did. Yes, Marat Safin said he had the talent to win ten majors. And other major figures of the sport expected more from Rios. But to be the very best in the world at anything is a lot of extra work and obligations and dealing with public and media. We all know Marcelo was not equipped to handle these obligations. It is so very very difficult to reach the top of Mount Everest, so many things can go wrong. Marcelo Rios reached the top of the tennis Mount Everest. He saw the view and enjoyed it for six weeks and then he came back down the mountain.
DF: -Watching players like Pat Rafter and (recently) Michael Stich inducted into the THOF, do he has the accomplishments/accolades to be at least nominated? Do you think, maybe, his extravagance, tantrums and sometimes awful behavior will forever be an asterisk on his résumé?
SM: Rios has been kind and unkind to me but I was never offended by it. I accept Rios the way he is. Personal relations and sensitivities do not matter, what matters is the quality of tennis he played. Yes, I believe Rios is worthy of being inducted to the Hall of Fame and I will try to nominate him and I will vote yes. Rios is the first South American world No. 1. It’s more difficult to be ATP world no. 1 than to win a major title. Rios also inspired so many other great players and champions after his career ended. I think all world no. 1s deserve to be in the Hall of Fame for that alone. All the best players in the world are worthy of Hall of Fame status. Roger Federer even said that he would vote Marcelo Rios into the Hall of Fame.
