Mario Ancic

"And then, you've to accept to play like a God one day and to loose heavily the day after."
Mario Ancic

His tall and young body put the fire on court Suzanne Lenglen this year in the second round of the French Open. Against André Agassi, Mario Ancic, 19, 1m93 for 81 kg, sounded like a winner as he led 75/61/20. Rejoinded at 2 sets-all, his last fight to come back from 2-5 to 5 games-all in the 5° set brought him the crowd ovation.

As for his peers respect, it's already done, thank you. Since the day Ancic beated Federer in 3 sets in Wimbledon last year, on the same court where the Swiss beated Pete Sampras the previous season ; since his last-16 round at the Australian Open, everyone has known that this Goran Ivanisevic protégé, currently ranking world number 67, has a brilliant future in front of him.

Like Ivanisevic, Mario has "sticky" legs, like Ivanisevic, he has a big serve, like Ivanisevic, he is from Split, the Croatian tennis breeding ground. And finally, like Ivanisevic he venerates, he has faith in his star and is aware that he holds all the hope of a little and proud country which just asks to admire its eros. Mario was in Croatia whan his idole triomphed in Wimbledon. His telling, we'll see, is still full of astonishement and emotion.

Affable, smilly and relaxed out of the court, Marion Ancic is all the more interesting to discover in this interview that Davis Cup 1st round next year will be a France –vs- Croatia meeting. Unless an accident, he'll take part of captain Nikki Pilic's troup, to support Ivan Ljubicic as a single player. And to continue in the trail of his "captain bis" Goran Ivanisevic, to learn the job…
Interview by Guy Barbier

You are only 19 years old, but you have already played 6 grand Slam tournaments. And only one time, at US Open, you've not reached second round …
Yes, and yet I feel good on all of the surfaces. In a good day I've the feeling I can beat anyone. I used to have acclimatation problems in the US. Nowaday, it's fine, I'm used to the heat, hard surfaces, the crowd's atmosphere around courts. Everything is fine. Last year at US Open, I'd suffered a lot against Hrbaty, the match was very long, it was terribly humid, and I had had cramps…It was my first 5-set match. But I've learned a lot from this match. Now, I drink a lot of more, I've more experience and I know what I wait for…

You are achieving your 3rd season as a pro. Do you think you've established a good year?
I started very well with the last-16 round at the Australian Open, the continuation was average, but nothing abnoramal. And I often lost close matches. They could have taken another sudden turn. In Marseille, I lost against Escudé in the 3rd set tie-break, in Rotterdam, another tough match against Mirnyi, who then won the tournament. Clay was in my favour, after a hard start. Quarter finals in Sankt Polten, and moreover a good French Open. It's on grass that I could have done better. On hard this summer, nothing special unless that I won my first double tournament in Indianapolis. I know I have to improve in every field and to learn how to have a better adaptation to all the games conditions. I have to keep working hard, that doesn't scare me. Now I've a more precise idea on what I've to do in priority. And I know it's going to lats for a long time. That's what's great in tennis, there's aloways something to change or to improve.

You made your first stroke when you beated Roger Federer first round in Wimbledon, on Centre Court. What do you keep in mind from that big moment?
Extraordinary. I was ranking 160th, a few people knew me. I was out of the qualifications where I'd already played well. I'd beated Byron Black who is a very good grass player. My confidence was at the highest point. And I did know my ranking didn't mean anything. I knew most of players, I regularly trained with them. I knew I was able to be anyone. While entering on court, I was very calm and detreminated.

It was all the same Centre Court in Wimbledon!
Yes, all this History about Centre Court, these great matches which had happened there…It was a dream that came true to me, for sure. But I had forced me not to think a lot about it on the moment. Otherwise, you can't focus on the match any more. My aim was to stay focused and relaxed to play my best tennis. I'd even told myself : it's a tennis court like all others, the lines are the same, the balls are the same, the oly thing I had to do was to stay focused on the game.

But could you really forget where you were? Could you think it was a court like another?
No, of course. It's fabulous. It's the most extraordinary place in the world to play tennis. I was stupefied of the quality of the court. But there was also Federer on the other side. Everybody saw this year, when he won Wimbledon, how wonderful his hand could be. He did know him already, and I knew he could come back at any time. I couldn't stop my effort, and start admiring the place !

That day, like you regularly do it on fats surfaces, you played serve-volley with a big skill. How have you developped this style of game whereas in Croatia everybody learn to play on clay?
It's true that we grow up on clay, in Croatia. It's only around 13/14 years old, when we start to play abroad, that we play on hard surfaces. But it's not a problem. I think learning the game on clay is an advantage. This surface islike a judge : you have the verdict. You know if you are good, or if you are bad. You can't allude on clay, like sometimes on fast surfaces where, with a good serve, you can go out. On clay you must play all tennis shots. With time, I have been learning to play on faster courts. And I've developped other games sectors, the serve-volley, the volley,… I think I have now all the bases in all the fields, but the problem is to do everything in the same time. It's now what I've to work on.

For your first French open, you made sensation by leading 2 sets to love against Agassi before loosing in the fifth set. Weren't you a bit surprised of yourself, were you?
First I'd like to say I was glad of my game against Rios first round? He got injured, he withdrew. But during the whole first set, I had palyed very well. Very few faults. Coming from Sankt Polten, I felt very confident. And I was not surprised of my game.
As far as André is concerned, what had helped me a lot was the fact I had trained a lot with him last year, in San Francisco. And of course, I'd often watched him playing. André, evryone knows him : he gives nothing.
But that day I did an incredible match. The pity is that I could not finished. My tennis started weakening in the 3rd set. He broke, I broke. And that's when my serve starting weakening. And he did start play better and better. He even hit a few extraodinary shots which had put him back on the rails. I fought till the end of course…

In the fifth set it was a bit craziness, when you came back from 2-5 to 5 games all…
Yes, the crowd became completly crazy. It was like a football game. There were olas… A fabulous atmosphere. At the beginning of the match, people cried in majority "An-dré !", "An-dré !", and during the match, I think they started appreciating my way to play and to fight. I started hearing some "Allez Mario ! Allez Mario !", it was great. I was glad people could appreciated my game.

In general, on which surface are you the most comfortable?
I think it's on hard that I'm at my best. But in the end, when I play well, I can be competitive everywhere. In Australia, on rebound ace, no problem, at the French Open, on clay, it's all the same. Grass, hard, all these things, it's okay. Actually, to me, playing a good match or not is a matter of feelings the day I play. And the surface never interferes with feelings. I don't care.

Mario, you started very young on tour, but you give the impression that you do things without speeding up, taking care to avoid all haste. Was not burning stages a plan at the beginning?
When I left the juniors, I started at the ground floor : futures, challengers, satellites,…I was just 16, and I had to fight like a crazy man in these tournaments. You have no idea how good players in challengers. There's almost no differences of level with ATP tournaments. It's true I've made progress step by step, I've never been impatient. This is true, for example, for my ranking. I've always more thought of improving my game instead of having a better rank. And I naturally entered in the top 100, and now in the 70 first… There's a lot of work behind all this, and I wish I have a huge progress margin.

You're a young adult and you see arriving clearly younger players than you, for example Rafael Nadal or Richard Gasquet. What would you tell them if you had advice to give them?
(smile) Yes, 19 years old and already an "old" man ! I know these two. I've already played with Nadal, but never with Gasquet.

Except once in the juniors…
Yes, I had won easily, but it didn't mean anything. It was during the European Championship for juniors under 14 and he was only 12. Since then, I've just hit the ball during a training with him in Monaco. He has a "damned" game level, and honestly I would not have a lot of things to tell young kids like them, when you watch what they've done at such a young age.

It was a big surprise to see Nadal beating you on grass, this year in Wimbledon…
First of all, I knew he could be very dangerous. He is a typically spanish competitor : he hits the ball very well and he's very strong in the ball, his "back-court" game isn't that weak, even his serve is good. But on my side, it was also a bad day. That's all me : I'm able to play a great match at the French Open and three weeks later in Wimbledon, I won't be there. I have to make progress on this in priority : the consistence, the ability to have results after results.

In fact, just before Wimbledon, you played very well at the Queen's…
Yes…Maybe I tend to play a bit too many tournaments, but I miss experience. I talked to Goran (Ivanisevic) and he reassured me. He told me, the learning of Wimbledon goes through very hard losts in first rounds, it's part of the game. Every year you come back stronger. And then, you've to accept to play like a God one day and to loose heavily the day after. It's tennis, it's life. And in both cases, you have to stay cool and keep big objectives in mind.

Mario, like most of croatian tennis players, you're from Split. In which conditions have you discovered tennis ?
I started tennis at 7. My older brother Iviæa already played. I just had to cross the road and we met at the Split Tennis Club, the only real club of the town. It's from where went out Franulovic, Pilic, and of course Goran… Actually, I wanted to do the same things as my brother. He would have played football, I'd have played football, water-polo, that'd be water-polo for me too because we played it too. At the beginning, I didn't play tennis seriously. At the age of 12/13, I also had a good level in football. But it's at this moment I really chose tennis.

Did your parents play tennis?
No, absolutely not. My mother were mostly an athlete at a school and university level, and my father was more a basketbell player.

What are their jobs ?
My Mum studied econommics, my Dad is in charge of an big supermarket in Split, they work together.

You also have a sister who plays tennis, is she gifted?
Yes, Sanya who played pretty good at US Open. This summer she won a junior tournament in Canada. I think she has everything to be strong, but has been handicaped by injuries and growth problems. We'll see…

Talking about Split and tennis in Croatia, we must talk about Goran. What was his influence on you ?
You can't imagine that in big countries. Croatia is small. When a Croat does something great, everybody knows it, everybody knows him. Moreover I'm from Spilt, like Goran. I first met him easily, and I even played with him when I was a kid. Goran fascinates all kids in Croatia, and not only those who play tennis ! Everyone loves him.

You said you played with him as a kid. Do you remind this special moment?
Of course ! I was 10. It was easy for me to meet him since my brother had talked to him a bit about me. And, one day, after a training, Goran hit the ball with me for 25 minutes. I have a micture of that moment at home in Split. When I was told Goran had decided to make me play, I was like a man person. I put on my most beautiful shirt, my most beautiful shoes, I warmed up for half an hour. It was unbelievable…After of course, I mixed him closer, in tournaments, in Davis Cup, at the Olympic Games…

At the Olympics, you lost first round in doubles. A big disappointement?
The biggest disappointement, for Goran, was rather the day before our double, when he had been eliminated in singles. We had played bad, but what a wonderful experience…

Where were you when Goran won Wimbledon?
I was on an island, in Croatia. You can't imagine what it was. You know, there have been two sports miracles for Croatia : the 3rd place of our football team during the World Championship in 1998 and Goran's victory in Wimbledon. In Croatia everyone started watching him after he won against Roddick. And finally, during his final, there was noone outside ! It was yet a vacation place, but everybody was watching TV. Noone on the beach, incredible… When he won, it was craziness. People rushed in the streets, it was jubilant. Some cried, others were so happy that they drew stuffs through windows, even TV sets ! As for me, I can't describe what it did to me. I like him so much, he is so nice to me. When he came back to Split, the whole city was in the street. Everybody wanted to talk to him, to touch him. I was with him in the bus back from the airport. It took us 2 hours to do 100m. It was totally crazy. And besides, there were so many people waiting for him at the airport that the only way for Goran to go out of it was to take a boat. We arrived in Split by the sea ! Of course, we had been located, and fast we had been rounded by a horde of little boats.

You also mix Goran in the croatian Davis Cup team. How is the atmosphere ?
Perfect. We have a lot of fun. We're relax. With Ljubicic, Zovko, Goran, it's perfect. We play jokes to each other, we play football together,…

And what about Nikki Pilic, the captain ? Who is the real boss of the team ?
(laugh) The boss, everybody knows who he is – it's Goran, of course…But everything happens without a problem. I do love Davis Cup. The team atmosphere, being all together from morning till night, it's really fun. Everybody get on.

Your Davis Cup debutes were more confidential. Did you feel from the start, the sensation to participate to an incomparable competition ?
It was against Portugal and Goran Prpic was our captain. We were in the deepths of Group III, there were barely anyone in the stands ! But I already felt something magical. Playing for Croatia was one of my dream. I still have this feeling today.

Croatia knew its big time this year by eliminating USA first round.
We knew we had a good chance. We had the advantage to play at home and to choose the surface. And moreover, Andy Roddick, injured, couldn't come. I was very good for us. Unfortunately, after that, in quarter finals, we had Spain in Spain. It was too hard. Spanish and Argentinian people on clay are…pfff. I yet did a strong match against Ferrero (64/62/76), but he was too strong. You see, in our draw this year, we had the United States, then Spain, then if we had won : Argentina. In Davis Cup, a lot of things depend on the draw…

Coming back to your debutes, who was your first teacher ?
My uncle, Neno Ancic. He was my trainer when I was from 10 to 14 years old. Then, there was Bob Brett. Then, my brother, next Christo Van Resburg. Then Bob Brett again until Wimbledon last year. I then worked with Sven Groeneveld, till the clay season. My brother's never been far. And since Wimbledon this year, there's Rohan Goetzke.

What major lessons have you learnt from all these coaches ? What has each of them brought to you…
Each coach brings his rock. The player also has to see what a coach can bring to his own needs. Neno thought me all the bases. Bob made of me a calmer player, he helped to relieve me of my "Split Mentality", to be more master of me. With him, I worked a lot in Monaco, in Davos, in Switzerland. I worked much more and in addition to this, I had a lot of fun.

But it was a big surprise for a lot of people, to see Bob leaving you after your victory against Federer last year in Wimbledon. What were the reasons of his departure ?
After all these years with Richard Krajicek, with whom he had started working when Richard was 18/19 years old, Rohan has a huge experience. At this present time, we've learned to know each other better. We'll see. He likes my general attitude. It was the same case with all my other trainers. In general, they like the fact I give my maximum on court. Some sometimes asked me to give less during trainings. Rohan'd like my game to be more offensive, not in Krajicek's way, but rather by alternating "back court" sequences and volley. With the idea of taking my chance when it arrives, or not to keep only one type of game. So as the opponent to keep wondering what I'm going to do.

Your parents wanted you to finish your secondary education. Did you "fully" agree with them ?
I've always had normal class transitions. To me, studying has always been natural. Unless maybe last year, my last high school year, when I turned pro. When I was at home, I went to school and during tournaments, my mother sent me lessons and homeworks. She never forgot ! (laugh) It was not a chore[a fatigue] to me, on the contrary. Besides I have attended Split law university since last year. I train, of course, but when I've nothing to do instead of watching TV, I study. It's not always easy, but in general, that relaxes. I don't do that with an occupationnal aim. My priority is to enjoy my carreer of player, this life we're lucky to have.

Source: French Tennis Magazine.
Thanks to mary the froggie for the article and translation! :)