Tim Mayotte played professional tennis from 1981 to 1992. In 1994, Tim told Bill Buell of 'The Daily Gazette' that "my biggest disappointment was not winning Wimbledon. It was the one Grand Slam that I had a realistic chance of winning. I could have won on maybe 2 or 3 occasions because I was really playing well. But I'll also look back on that fondly. I mean, just playing really well at Wimbledon and having some legitimate shots to win was a thrill."
After Tim retired from professional tennis, he told Craig Lambert of 'Harvard' magazine in 2015, "I've become a very technical coach. My main mission is to try to improve the quality of coaching in the United States, where there isn't a great understanding of how the game has changed in the last 25 years (since 1990). The American tradition has been one of very aggressive tennis — big serves, big forehands, an attacking game and shorter exchanges: it goes back to Jack Kramer.
"But the game has changed drastically. The two-handed backhand, the semi-Western grip, bigger racquets, and new kinds of strings that produce more spin — all these things can mean 25-ball exchanges in which offense transitions into defense, then back to offense, and so on. It's a game that maximizes movement, and if you’re not moving in the most dynamic and efficient way, you won't be able to recover fast enough and set up for the next ball in time."
For many pros, it was said, a 'good' draw could mean the difference between reaching the fourth round or losing to a seeded player in the first round. In Grand Slam events a player played 7 matches to win the tournament. Herb Zurkowsky of the 'Montreal Gazette' also mentioned, "The purpose of the draw is to ensure that the strongest players don't meet until the later rounds. To ensure that, the top seed and the second seed in the tournament would be placed in opposite halves (of the draw) to avoid any chance of a meeting until the final."
"A draw is significant," Arthur Ashe told Neil Amdur of the 'New York Times'. "At major tournaments, players can hardly wait for the draw to come out." Players reportedly viewed the draws differently. Some players subscribed to a 'luck of the draw' theory. Chris Evert made the comment in 1981, "My feelings toward draws have changed. Up until 3 or 4 years ago (before 1978, 1979), I looked all the way through and tried to see who I would play in the quarters and semis. I would panic if I saw Evonne (Goolagong) or Billie Jean (King) in my half. The fear is gone now (in 1981). If I'm good enough to win the tournament (Wimbledon), I have to beat everybody."
Some 32 players would be seeded in a Grand Slam event. The remaining seeds would be split between the top and bottom half of the draw. "A draw by lot determines which half they are placed in. For example a 3rd seed in the bottom half of the draw could meet the top seed in one of the semifinals. The 4th seed, conversely, in the top half of the draw could meet the top seed in the other semifinal," it was explained.
In 1996, Yevgeny Kafelnikov (nicknamed "Kalashnikov") became the first Russian player to win a Grand Slam singles championship when he won the French Open, seeded 6. "The first Grand Slam title really means everything. For Russia, it means very much. I know I have many supporters in Russia. I’m going to bring that wonderful trophy back to my country," he said after winning. Yevgeny turned pro in 1992. He began playing tennis at the age of 6. In 1996, "It is just a dream. I never felt I could do it, winning a Grand Slam at age 22."
Yevgeny also reached the men's singles finals of the Australian Open in 1999 and 2000. He won in 1999 seeded 10, "Whenever Pete (Sampras) is in the tournament, he is definitely the man to win. But when he's absent, it opens up the tournament for everybody, including myself." In 2004, Yevgeny told Brian Viner of the U.K. 'Independent', "I have retired . . . I played 1,000 matches in my tennis career. That's more than enough, no? If you asked me when I started (11 years earlier at age 19), would I win a Grand Slam, I would say no. But I won 26 singles titles, 2 Slams, Olympic gold. I have my gold medal on the wall of my home, in the most exposed place where everyone can see it. But all my wins are as important as each other. It is that number, 26, that is the most special to me."
Of his decision to play poker instead of tennis, Yevgeny also told Brian, "The most important thing was not to disappoint my fans. It is very hard to earn a good image in Russia. Once you do, you're a hero. But if you then do something wrong, you're treated like, like, I can't even think of a word to describe it. I dedicated myself to playing for Russia. I played all Davis Cup matches, I won Olympic gold, I still have a very good image. So when people on the street in Moscow ask why I stopped playing, I say 'because I don't want to see you people crying when I lose'. They understand that."
In 1996, Yevgeny Kafelnikov (nicknamed "Kalashnikov") became the first Russian player to win a Grand Slam singles championship when he won the French Open, seeded 6. "The first Grand Slam title really means everything. For Russia, it means very much. I know I have many supporters in Russia. I’m going to bring that wonderful trophy back to my country," he said after winning. Yevgeny turned pro in 1992. He began playing tennis at the age of 6. In 1996, "It is just a dream. I never felt I could do it, winning a Grand Slam at age 22."
Yevgeny also reached the men's singles finals of the Australian Open in 1999 and 2000. He won in 1999 seeded 10, "Whenever Pete (Sampras) is in the tournament, he is definitely the man to win. But when he's absent, it opens up the tournament for everybody, including myself." In 2004, Yevgeny told Brian Viner of the U.K. 'Independent', "I have retired . . . I played 1,000 matches in my tennis career. That's more than enough, no? If you asked me when I started (11 years earlier at age 19), would I win a Grand Slam, I would say no. But I won 26 singles titles, 2 Slams, Olympic gold. I have my gold medal on the wall of my home, in the most exposed place where everyone can see it. But all my wins are as important as each other. It is that number, 26, that is the most special to me."
Of his decision to play poker instead of tennis, Yevgeny also told Brian, "The most important thing was not to disappoint my fans. It is very hard to earn a good image in Russia. Once you do, you're a hero. But if you then do something wrong, you're treated like, like, I can't even think of a word to describe it. I dedicated myself to playing for Russia. I played all Davis Cup matches, I won Olympic gold, I still have a very good image. So when people on the street in Moscow ask why I stopped playing, I say 'because I don't want to see you people crying when I lose'. They understand that."
It was noted in a non Grand Slam event, the top 8 seeds often received first-round byes. However players seeded 9 through 16 all played first-round matches. The remaining unseeded players were usually selected at random by lot to fill the remaining draw sheet openings as they came up. In 1992 at the Australian Open, hours before Steffi Graf was scheduled to play her first round match, she withdrew from the tournament because of a middle-ear infection. Steffi's spot was filled by "lucky loser" Ann Devries. Mary Joe Fernandez, seeded 7, was in Steffi's draw, played Monica Seles in the final. Mary Joe also reached the women's singles final in 1990. In tennis, floaters were recognized for their talent.
"Similar placings split Nos. 3 and 4 as well as chance drawings for Nos 5 through 8," it was reported. "The No. 1 seed traditionally played the No. 8, No. 2 played 7, etc., in the quarterfinals, thus assuring the top players of more comfortable positions in later rounds." As pointed out, "There is no accurate measurement to analyze the particular weight of a draw, since situations can change from round to round." Thomas Boswell of the 'Los Angeles Times - Washington Post News Service' made the observation, "In tennis, luck has been all but eliminated ("luck of the draw")." George Vecsey of the 'NewYork Times' added, "Sometimes the classic matches leap out of the draw sheet, and sometimes they evolve on the tennis court." Yevgeny maintained, "Sportsmen know how to keep calm under pressure, they're focused, observant, disciplined and they have a powerful winning psyche."
"Similar placings split Nos. 3 and 4 as well as chance drawings for Nos 5 through 8," it was reported. "The No. 1 seed traditionally played the No. 8, No. 2 played 7, etc., in the quarterfinals, thus assuring the top players of more comfortable positions in later rounds." As pointed out, "There is no accurate measurement to analyze the particular weight of a draw, since situations can change from round to round." Thomas Boswell of the 'Los Angeles Times - Washington Post News Service' made the observation, "In tennis, luck has been all but eliminated ("luck of the draw")." George Vecsey of the 'NewYork Times' added, "Sometimes the classic matches leap out of the draw sheet, and sometimes they evolve on the tennis court." Yevgeny maintained, "Sportsmen know how to keep calm under pressure, they're focused, observant, disciplined and they have a powerful winning psyche."
