robpop wrote on Sep 7
th, 2008 at 9:01pm:
I used to work for the USTA. Even though, I know zip about tennis. I went to/worked at the US Open twice. Ate good, partied even better. Met some pros. Jimmy Connors was a total asshole.
Never met Jimmy....but I spent a lot of time with Borg in '79. Wonderful guy. What you saw is what you got. Also spent a lot of time with Nastase---another really, really nice guy...which belies his "bad boy" image on the courts. Vilas was practically unapproachable, thanks to Ion Tiriac. I talked at length with Heinz Gunthardt, Swiss player who went on to coach the incredible Steffi Graf. Wish I could have told him that was in his future! The only bummy acting player I met was Brian Gottfried. I was surprised, as I thought he would be one of the nice ones.....Roscoe Tanner, nice. Manuel Orantes, nice. Jaime Fillol, nice. Raul Ramirez, nice {and gorgeous!} Ditto with Adriano Panatta.....lol, does anybody remember these 70's players?
I live in Arthur Ashe's hometown. Saw him play, but never met him. DID meet his wife and daughter, about 5 months after his death.
I've also seen {but not personally met} Laver, Rosewall, Stan Smith, John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Ivan Lendl..... Also Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong {my fave, along with Graf}, Ginny Wade, Rosie Casals......even Renee Richards! {The man, Richard Raskind, who had a sex change and played women's tennis}.
SIGH. I miss professional tennis around here.