There is no doubt that the Americans in 1984 saw Czechoslovakia as a small Soviet Union on the world map. This is also evidenced by the tennis rivalry between the current Roland Garros TV pundit John McEnroe (65) as Rocky and Ivan Lendl (64) as Ivan Drago at the French Open tournament of the same year.
It was in Paris that the Czechoslovak hero, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible by the American media, sensationally turned around the five-set battle (3:6, 2:6, 6:4, 7:5, 7:5) and brought the cold war between the two “enemy” countries to a boil. And Blesk asked him about that during an online meeting with journalists.
Can you briefly go back to 1984 and the Roland Garros final?
“It’s not exactly a career moment I like to remember. But I have to admit that Ivan deserved the win. He was not only a better player on the court then, but he humbled me above all with his head. But that’s exactly what shaped me into a better tennis player.”
How was your rivalry born?
“We played against each other already in our junior years. We always supported each other and joked in a good way, rather than in any kind of hostile competition. (pause) It’s a fact that there was a lot of talk about our rivalry, and at that time he was like Ivan Drago for me (ed. the old enemy of the movie Rocky). After all, Ivan was from Czechoslovakia, from a communist country.”
How are things between you two today?
“Paradoxically, Ivan has been an American citizen for many years and is my fellow citizen. (laughs) Seriously though, I have to say that we were and still are good friends.”
And do you see each other?
“Nothing regular, but the last time we played golf together.”
You know that…McEnroe retired in 1992 and now works as a TV pundit for Eurosport. |
The friendship between McEnroe (left) and Lendl after the end of both successful careers only grew stronger. The last time they shook hands was golfing.
Topics: sport, blitzsport, tennis, Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union, French Open, Paris, Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Rocky, tennis player, Ivan Drago, Sport on Heureka.cz