Lendl v McEnroe v Wilander at ATP Senior Tour Paris
Posted on September 30, 2010Ivan Lendl will relive his classic rivalry with Mats Wilander before taking on old foe John McEnroe at the Jean Luc Lagardere Trophy in Paris which starts on Friday.
Lendl and Wilander played each other 22 times, with Lendl winning 15 of them, including the 1987 French Open final in Paris, and the 1987 US Open final. They will clash at 3pm local time on Friday at the Stade Coubertin in Paris. Lendl, who is making his first appearance at an ATP Champions Tour event, will face McEnroe on Sunday.
The head-to-head between Lendl and McEnroe, which stood at 21-15 to Lendl when they retired in the early 1990s, was one of the most fiercely contested in tennis. They complete Group A along with Wilander. Group B consists of former World No. 1 Stefan Edberg, Tournament Director Guy Forget, and Cedric Pioline.
As well as the competitive singles action, which will contribute to their positions in the South African Airways Rankings, the event will also celebrate the recent 50th birthday of the 1983 French Open champion, Yannick Noah. Noah, who has become even more popular in retirement after building a hugely successful musical career, will perform in a one-man concert at the Stade du France six days before the Jean Luc Lagardere Trophy takes place. He will then take part in a special doubles exhibition match on Saturday, Oct. 2 at the tournament.
Also scheduled to appear at the Stade Coubertin for doubles entertainment are popular French players Fabrice Santoro, Arnaud Clement, Arnaud Boetsch, Sebastien Grosjean and Amelie Mauresmo, along with Mansour Bahrami.