When Ramesh Krishnan defeated World No 1 Mats Wilander in AO 1989

Down the memory lane : When unseeded Ramesh Krishnan toppled the defending champion and world no 1 Mats Wilander in the second round of Australian Open
“It was the highest point of my career and one of those matches where I played to my potential” - Krishnan said later while recalling this victory
#throwback | #tennis | #indiantennis | #atp | #sports

[@dak71889]

Since 1989 none of Indian defeated world number 1 in men’s single. Respect for Ramesh sir

[@hariharansankaran9012]

Leander beat Sampras

[@maverickcruise]

​@@hariharansankaran9012 Correct, in 1998. However Pete was sick that particular day.

[@ms6063]

@@hariharansankaran9012 leader beats ivanisivic , in davis cup once ?

[@manishagandhi_2001]

We all remember his Davis Cup game against France...... It was a decider (reverse singles).... Ramesh had lost first two sets and was down 2-5.... With just one game away from losing the game & India losing in the Quarter Finals, RAMESH KRISHNAN played one of the greatest Tennis to win that set 7-5 without losing a game and then winning the next two sets, won the match and helped India to reach Semi Finals of the Davis Cup (1993-94). That too it was played in France (home Crowd supporting the French team player with thundering noise).... Pure mental strength of Ramesh Krishnan..!! The entire stadium gave him a Standing ovation for nearly 5 long minutes and people forgot that their country lost to India, but appreciated the great game of Tennis and the skills produced by Ramesh Krishnan.

[@milindphadnis3990]

I remember this match as though it was yesterday. Krishnan beat Rudolphe Gilbert in the decider. Paes beat both Leconte and Boetsch in this tie.

[@manishagandhi_2001]

​@@milindphadnis3990 Yeah.... I'm 2001 born, but I have good collection of Old Tennis and Cricket matches.

[@vivekrbs]

Wow. I remember that game. Game with Gilbert.

[@vivekrbs]

@@milindphadnis3990 Paes Leconte was also amazing

[@vivekrbs]

Lets not forget when Vijay and Ramesh took India to the 1987 Davis cup finals

[@anandbose4340]

Great player making up for the lack of a strong serve with strong backhand and forehand play! Made his father proud and one of the few cases where the son was as almost as good as his father!!

[@srinivasanranganathan3468]

Ramesh Krishnan was a good tennis player, but no one excepted him to beat the world number one Matts Wilander in straight sets!!!. But he did the unbelievable, everyone noticed him!!!.

[@michelgarrigue9483]

Quel touché de balle ! Super joueur comme son père

[@VARMOT123]

How long have you been following tennis

[@debdipbasu3203]

​@@VARMOT123Seems long long time and knows tennis very well or else wouldn't have commented on Ramnath Krishnan.

[@thiruvalluvar]

Ramesh had great touch. Still remember my childhood days watching Davis Cup matches when Paes and Krishnan used to play

[@gauravmehta0]

Why is the commentator calling him a "a player only known for his trickery" as if that's something derogatory? If Mats Wilander wins he's a great player, if Ramesh Krishnan wins, he's just a trickster, is it? Ramesh Krishnan was a fantastic and skillful touch player!

[@venkatakrishnams]

Respects to Ramesh Krishnan Sir, with Wilander coming off 1988 longest USO final match (then) win over Lendl , this upset was nothing short of incredible. i also remember a Davis cup come back from 2 set down win by this touch artist 🙏

[@z1az285]

touch artist par supreme. he had a weak serve but his returns, volleys, drop shots and passing shots were surreal. very much in the Santoro mold

[@sudiptakiran]

Ramesh Krishnan, a great player and one of the gentlemen of the game.

[@maheshnayak3001]

We ha great team. The extremes athetic leander paes and a moderately athletic ramesh Krishnan whi had magic in his game.

[@IamJaiG]

I remember seeing this match at the age of 8. After this win his cute wife gave him the kiss of his life in front of this entire crowd ❤

[@nitinjadhav-wj4zv]

Lucky to have seen this match live telecast, also saw Ramesh and Mats play at Cubbon Park Bangalore in person for Davis Cup in 1985. Ramesh's game was poetry in motion.... Mats Wilander never recovered after this defeat.

[@g5realestate280]

Simply superb. Hats off for you. Sir

[@shekharparanjpe7227]

Simple and unassuming....

[@mddistribution30]

Extraordinary how Wilander fell apart so quickly after being do awesome in 88, winning 3 out of 4 Slams. Even by the end of 88 the collapse had started at the Masters and the Davis Cup final! I think getting to the very top just took too much out of him!

[@LeafInTheStream]

Wilander cheated death about a month before this match. On December 21, 1988, Wilander was supposed to fly from Stuttgart to New York to get some cortisone shots for shin splints. He "chickened out", as he later put it, and cancelled his booking aboard Pan Am flight 103. The flight was doomed. While the plane was over the town of Lockerbie, Scotland a bomb exploded, killing all 243 passengers and crew, and 11 people on the ground. It seems that narrowly avoiding such a horrifying mass murder messed with Wildander's head. He was never again in a slam final, and by the end of 1989 had fallen out of the top 10.

[@mddistribution30]

@LeafInTheStream I didn't know that, but I think the decline had started before that, he didn't play well at the masters or the Davis Cup final. I don't think missing that flight really accounts for why he went downhill so quickly

[@zeddeka]

​@@LeafInTheStreamI don't think it was much to do with that to be honest. It was burn out, and he's talked about it a lot in recent years. After that US Open in 1988 and reaching #1 he'd effectively achieved everything he wanted and was sick of the grind. It was far from unusual for players in that era to suddenly decline in their mid 20s. McEnroe won his last slam aged 25. Edberg was 26 and Borg was out of the game for good also at 26. Becker only won one slam after that age and Pat Cash's career went off a cliff after the age of 23.

[@zeddeka]

​@@mddistribution30Yup. And he's already decided to skip the Olympics after winning the US Open. He's talked a lot about how after reaching #1 with that 1988 US Open win, he'd had enough.

[@mddistribution30]

@@zeddeka the similarity with Borg is quite striking really. Both effectively burnt out at 25!

[@bglr2011]

He is a great icon in Indian Tennis.

[@jasonfarr9252]

"Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time."

[@narayanans2636]

Forgotten player now. The serve and volley era gave lower rated players a chance. It also helped both volleyers and baseliners win on different courts... Sadly that era😢is.well past

[@warpebhushan]

❤Epic. 🇮🇳

[@shethsa]

Ramesh Krishnan and Vijay Amritraj - India's first Davis Cup heroes. Then we were fortunate to have Paes and Bhupathi

[@ShiftySkunk]

Player known more for his trickery than anything else?!

[@rocky49able]

Can someone please get videos of the 1987 Davis Cup Final semi-finals between India and Australia?

[@nandkumarhukeri8905]

I had seen this match on Doordarshan

[@ameychitale3423]

Full video please

[@MarcoPerottiPeroz]

incredible talent! Normal physique but ball touch at the time second only to McEnroe's...

[@narayanans2636]

Alongwith Miloslav Mecir

[@arunsadasivan1738]

Forgotten hero

[@xav9258]

Hero, for playing tennis. Really😊😳😱

[@Amit-xd5mt]

0:40 ‘For a player known for his trickery’, clearly the commentator is finding it more difficult to justify a loss from a 23rd ranked player! Or is it easier to justify the loss through use of such words than say a better player on the day won!!!!

[@vivekrbs]

Bad commentary. He was definitely not a trick player. He was not an athlete , he did't have a serve , but what he had was insane touch and a feeling for the court

[@idarthcadeus]

Every dog has its day.

[@kaifmazhar8049]

Ramesh had the game but also had pathetic service which never took him anywhere meaningful.

[@JaySHEK-k7u]

A fluke. Ramesh was a below average player with poor skills and lack of athleticism. Even a broken clock is right once a day.

[@xvarshne5239]

O, he looked so very GAY! :-):-):-):-):-):-/:-/:-/:-/:-/