Mats Wilander is a Swedish retired Swedish professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1. In doubles, he is also a former World No. 3. As a singles player, he won 7 Grand Slam titles. Including 3 Australian Open and 3 French Open titles. He also won a doubles title at Wimbledon.
Player Profile and Personal Life
Mats Arne Olof Wilander was born on August 22, 1964, in Växjö, Sweden, and later established residence in Hailey, Idaho, United States. Standing 183 cm tall, Wilander played right-handed with a two-handed backhand, a style that contributed to his consistency and versatility.
He is married to Sonya (née Mulholland), with whom he has four children: Emma, Karl, Erik, and Oskar. The family moved to Idaho, in part for the climate’s benefits to his son Erik’s health. Wilander is recognized for his sportsmanship, earning the Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award in 2012.
Junior Career
Wilander was an outstanding junior, winning the French Open junior title, the European under-16 and under-18 championships, and the Orange Bowl under-16 event.
Career
Wilander turned professional in 1979 and immediately made waves in the tennis world by capturing the 1982 French Open title at just 17 years old. His victory made him the youngest male Grand Slam singles champion at the time, and he quickly established himself as a formidable competitor on every surface.
By the age of 20, Wilander had already amassed four major singles titles, setting a record as the youngest man to achieve that milestone.
The peak of Mats Wilander’s career came in 1988. That year, he triumphed at the Australian Open (then played on hard courts), the French Open, and the US Open, completing three-quarters of the Grand Slam and finishing the season as the World No. 1.
Wilander is one of only seven men to win major singles titles on grass, clay, and hard courts, and one of just three—alongside Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic—to have won at least two majors on each surface.
His Grand Slam singles titles include the Australian Open (1983, 1984, 1988), the French Open (1982, 1985, 1988), and the US Open (1988). In addition to his singles success, Wilander was a skilled doubles player, winning seven career doubles titles and capturing the 1986 Wimbledon men’s doubles championship.
He reached the finals of all four Grand Slam tournaments in doubles and achieved a career-high doubles ranking of No. 3.
Wilander was a cornerstone of Sweden’s Davis Cup dominance during the 1980s, helping the team reach seven consecutive finals and securing three titles in 1984, 1985, and 1987. He concluded his career with 33 singles titles, eight Grand Prix Super Series titles (the predecessors to today’s Masters 1000 events), and a reputation for sportsmanship and competitive spirit.
Wilander retired from professional tennis in 1996 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002.
Career Record
Singles
- Career Titles: 33
- Highest Singles Ranking: No. 1 (September 12, 1988)
- Career Record: 571–222 (72.0%)
Best Grand Slam Singles Performances
- Australian Open – Winner (1983, 1984, 1988)
- French Open – Winner (1982, 1985, 1988)
- Wimbledon – Quarterfinals (1987, 1988, 1989)
- US Open – Winner (1988)
Other Tournaments
- Tour Finals – Finalist (1987)
- Davis Cup – Winner (1984, 1985, 1987)
Doubles
- Career Titles: 7
- Highest Doubles Ranking: No. 3 (October 21, 1985)
- Career Record: 168–127 (56.9%)
Best Grand Slam Doubles Performances
- Australian Open – Finalist (1984)
- French Open – Semifinals (1985)
- Wimbledon – Winner (1986)
- US Open – Finalist (1986)
Other Tournaments
- Tour Finals – Finalist (1985)
