08/17/2020 - 13:18
- Clarín.com
- sports
Guillermo Vilas is an emblem of Argentine sport and each tribute that is made moves him because of his importance in national history. Not just with a racket in hand. A true ambassador. That is why the photo that he published on his Instagram account with the family celebration of his 68th birthday pleases from a distance.
From Monte Carlo, the number one tennis player in the country posted: "Thank you family !!! Thank you all for the greetings!" And there he is seen in the photo with the cake and the candle with his Thai wife Phiangphath Khumueangy and their children Andanin (16), Intila (10), Lalindao (9) and Guillermo Jr. (3), with whom he shared the celebrations.
Vilas won four Grand Slams: two Australian Opens, one Roland Garros, and one US Open. The exception was always Wimbledon, on grass. In addition, he is the fourth player with the most games on the professional tour : 923 games.
However, due to a whim of the ATP, Willy was not recognized as number one in the world ranking, although in practice he was.
Guillermo Vilas, with a T-shirt with the special recognition of the Argentine Tennis Association Photo: AAT Press
In mid-1973 the world classification table was created, with the peculiarity that it was not counted as it is today. The ranking was not published weekly.
Jimmy Connors led for three consecutive years, from July 1974 to August 1977 year Argentinean excellence in the circuit. However, in 1975 Vilas had been number one, although not for the ATP that awarded him second place in the world.
At that time, the sum of points did not determine the place in the ranking, but the total was divided by the number of tournaments played. And in that average Connors was the best, with 59.80, while the Mar del Plata player was left with 57.50.
Time was giving the figure of Vilas the tremendous dimension it had, not only at the national level but also worldwide. Since 1991 he has had his place in Room 4 of the Tennis Hall of Fame, where visitors can see the wax figure that represents him next to a plaque listing all his sporting achievements and photographs of his titles are displayed. He earned his place among the legends.
