30/05 - Roland-Garros : "Swedish Ambassadors"

SPORTS / TENNIS : ROLAND-GARROS / "Un Autre Regard" by Philippe Delerm / 30/05 - Roland-Garros : "Swedish Ambassadors"

To the French mind, the word "Swedish" carries a lot of positive connotations. The old fantasy of sexual liberation has less to do with it than the idea of socialism-with-a-human-face, but the role of Swedish ambassadors at the French Open shouldn't be overlooked. The phenomenon began with Bjorn Borg. His superiority in the strictly athletic sense notwithstanding, Ice-Borg was shy — too shy for any real sparks to fly from the hairs of his goatee. Swedemania started in earnest with two of Borg's countrymen. Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg revealed on the clay courts of Roland Garros the best of what their blond-and-blue civilisation had to offer.A true nobleman, the young Mats graciously refused to win the 1982 French Open semifinals when his opponent missed a shot. (The point was played over and Mats went on to win anyway.) Stefan was handsome and equally magnanimous. Yet their playing styles couldn't have been more different. Wilander met any and all threats with his incredible running game. Less effective when it came to the final results, Edberg's attack consisted of unparalleled elegance at the net and his backhand volley, less convincing on a fast court but beautiful to behold.Beyond their success and their respective playing styles, Edberg and Wilander lit up the French Open with their class. It was like a secret gift, like a confirmation for the sport itself: saying it all without ever saying too much. As luck would have it, Mats and Stefan showed others the way. At the Roland Garros stadium today, a Swiss person named Roger Federer is speaking Swedish. — Philippe Delerm