CBS SportsLine
Chat Transcript
September 1, 1997

Argentinan tennis star Guillermo Vilas stopped by to chat with CBS SportsLine fans on September 1, 1997.

Find out what Guillermo had to say in the full transcript of his chat below.

Guillermo Vilas: Hello from Buenos Aires everyone!

Question: Hello, Mr. Vilas! Who has been the toughest opponent in your career?

Guillermo Vilas: It was Bjorn Borg and the reason for that is that we had a similar game. But, I felt that I was stronger than him, but he was faster. He was just a very difficult player to beat. Sooner or later I could feel that I was getting slower and I felt he was always having an edge on me in the long run.

Question: What do you think of Mantilla or Bruguera's chances to win the Open?

Guillermo Vilas: Actually, I think both players are going to be very, very tired. I think if Bruguera wins a couple of matches the easy way, he'll have a chance, but he's had tough matches so far. Mantilla and Bruguera are both baseline players. You can't win at the Open playing from the baseline.

Question: Do you think Bjorn Borg played up to his potential before his career ended?

Guillermo Vilas: I think he could have played more. He retired because he wasn't having fun anymore. He was not a McEnroe who could pull out great shots at the right moment. He was not a Connors who could get turned on in the middle of a match. From what I know, he told me he was not enjoying the game and didn't have that magic touch... He didn't think he could provide what he needed to in order to continue playing.

Question: How do you think racquet technology has changed the game since you played?

Guillermo Vilas: It changed the game completely. The reason is the new material helps certain shots which were not essential and now are... These new racquets brought a new dimension to the game. And, Chang, think about it, he's taller than Bjorn Borg and taller than me. And, yet, he's considered a small player. Most players are taller now and the new technology benefits taller players.

Question: What do you think of Venus Williams?

Guillermo Vilas: Venus Williams, as a newcomer who has had some success, is helping because there's a new person on the circuit and no one knows how to play against her. So far, she's doing very well. She needs to keep producing and needs to react to when the others figure out her game. She's very promising and enjoys playing tennis. There's no reason why she shouldn't keep winning.

Question: What was your most memorable tennis moment?

Guillermo Vilas: I'll always remember my first Grand Slam, because it is one which opens every door for you. Secondly, after you win a Grand Slam, what you want even more afterwards is win all of them! For me, it was very strange, because everything happened in one year. In 1977, I won the French Open and the U.S. Open, but I lost the Australian and it was such a close match. Those are my memorable moments.

Question: What are you thoughts on the Nuveen Tour and what can be done to improve it?

Guillermo Vilas: When this Nuveen Tour came out, it was the greatest idea especially for me to be able to play tennis where I could still be around people and let people enjoy the game. It's been a very successful tour. Most of the players who retired the latest seem to be the best like Jimmy and Bjorn.

Question: How can the Nuveen Tour be as successful as the Senior Golf Tour?

Guillermo Vilas: I think that the reason that the Senior Golf Tour is so successful is because there's a lot of people at that age that are still very competitive and the Nuveen Tour needs to prove that. It's going to take a little more for tennis, because it's more demanding. Sooner or later we'll have more tennis players on hard court, in better shape, who will join the Nuveen Tour. In 3 or 4 more years, we'll see a better level of playing and more players.

Question: Do you think that you'll be able to get Stefan Edberg to join you all on the Nuveen Tour soon? That would seem to be a big boost, no?

Guillermo Vilas: Yes, he is already telling us that he wants to play. That would be great! I think the more players that play from different eras it will make the Nuveen Tour better and bring more history. It will bring a lot of champions together representing the different eras.

Question: How do you and Connors get along today?

Guillermo Vilas: Connors and I are very good friends. He's probably the greatest fighter that the game has had. I think his spirit is what people remember.

Question: Do you attend the Open every year?

Guillermo Vilas: Yes, I do. I go to the French and U.S. Open every year. I feel at home at both of them. They were the first two events that opened the doors to the champions. It was a great idea to put the name of Arthur Ashe at the U. S. Open stadium. I think it's the first time that a stadium has been named after a champion. And, he really was a true champion. I remember before that some players couldn't attend because of the wrong race or weren't accepted socially.

Question: Mr. Vilas, is it possible to chat with you again on SportsLine?