The playersIvan Lendl and Todd Martin
- Ivan Lendl, eight-time Grand Slam champion
Ivan Lendl, born in 1960, was ranked 7th in the world in September 1992. After turning professional in 1978, he was ranked among the top four players in the world since 1980, along with Björn Borg, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors. Although he won a dozen ATP titles, including the 1981 Grand Prix Masters (defeating Vitas Gerulaitis 6-7, 2-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4), he did not claim a Grand Slam title until 1984. In fact, he had lost four Grand Slam finals, once in a Grand Slam final, once to Ronaros. Borg), twice at the US Open (defeated by Jimmy Connors in 1982 and 1983), and once at the Australian Open (defeated by Mats Wilander in 1983).
In 1984, Lendl finally won Roland-Garros, defeating John McEnroe in an epic final, where he came back from two sets down to lift his first Grand Slam trophy. In 1985, he reached the final of the French Open, where he once again lost to Wilander.
However, at the US Open, a few weeks after becoming world No. 1 again, the Czech won his second Grand Slam crown, beating McEnroe (7-6, 6-3, 6-4) in the final. In the years that followed, Lendl dominated the game, winning six Grand Slam titles; Roland Garros (1986, 1987), i US Open: (1986, 1987) andand Australian Open (1989, 1990).
He never managed to win Wimbledonalthough he was runner-up twice, in 1986 (to young defending champion Boris Becker, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5) and 1987 (lost to Pat Cash, 7-6, 6-2, 7-5). Lendl’s dominance ended in the early 1990s, but he remained a top 10 player until the end of 1992. In 1993, he failed to advance past the second round of any Grand Slam event, and in October he was ranked 18th, his lowest ranking since April 1980.
Ivan Lendl set new standards in the baseline game with a very powerful topspin forehand that allowed him to play aggressively while remaining extremely consistent, engaging his opponents in very physical battles. She also set new standards in work ethic, training harder than ever, paying attention to her fitness and diet in a way that tennis players never did before.
- Todd Martin, a rising American star
Todd Martin was born in 1970 in Illinois, USA. He played two years at Northwestern University before deciding to turn pro in 1990. It took Martin two years to break into the top 100. The following year, 1993, he won his first title in Coral Springs (defeating David Wheaton in the final, 6-3, 6-4), and also finished runner-up in Washington, Montreal and Memphis. Having reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon that same year (losing to Jim Currier 6–2, 7–6, 6–3), Martin was now ranked 16th in the world.
The placeThe Tokyo Indoor Open
The Tokyo Indoor Open has been held since 1978 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, famous for its suspended roof design. The tournament was part of the prestigious Grand Prix circuit in the 1980s and was won by some great players such as Borg, Connors, Becker, Edberg and Lendl himself (four times in 1983, 1985, 1990 and 1992).
The factsLendl beats Martin in straight sets
At the 1993 Tokyo Indoor Open, although Lendl was the defending champion, he was far from the favorite. His 1993 season was his worst since 1979. He, who struggled with hip mobility, also underwent knee surgery and dropped out of the world’s top 15 for the first time in 13 years. In Tokyo, he finished only 9th in a tie that included great players like Edbergise Vić and Goran Beker.
However, great champions like Lendl, who at the time held the record for most weeks at No. 1 in the world (270 weeks), were never to be counted out. He took care of Becker in the quarterfinals, surviving a thrilling contest 6-3, 1-6, 7-6. In the semifinals, the three-time US Open champion defeated Paul Haarhuis (who had eliminated Ivanisevic in the third round) in another decisive set tie-break (3-6, 6-4, 7-6).
In the final, Lendl met Martin, a newcomer who had just reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon a few months earlier. The American eliminated No. 1 ranked Edberg (6-4, 6-4) in the quarterfinals. Very tall (6ft 6in), Martin had a great serve that he often followed to the net, but he could be consistent from the baseline as well.
On the day of the final, October 18, Lendl proved Agassi right when the American said in August that “there are days when he still hits the ball like a top-four player.” and in the finals he won 6-4, 6-4 over Martin.
“I don’t think I’m in the top 10 yet, but there are reasons why it happened that I couldn’t manage,” Lendl said. quoted The New York Times. “I’m going to have another crack at it, but if I play bad, there’s a good chance 1994 could be my last year.”
What next?? Lendl retires from the game in 1994
Despite a good start to the 1994 season, where he reached the final of Sydney and the fourth round of the Australian Open (both times losing to undisputed No. 1 Pete Sampras), Lendl’s decline would continue in 1994. with.).
Martin would be named ATP Player of the Year in 1993. He would achieve his best results in 1994, entering the top 10 for the first time after finishing runner-up to Sampras at the Australian Open (7-6, 6-4, 6-4) and reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon, 6-4, 6-4, again losing to Sampras. 6-3) and at the US Open (losing to Agassi 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3).
In 1999, Martin reached his second Grand Slam final, this time in New York, losing to Agassi in five sets (6–4, 6–7, 6–7, 6–3, 6–2), a result that would take him to his highest ranking of world number 4.
