Mats Arne Olof Wilander, known professionally as Mats Wilander, is a Swedish former world No. 1 professional tennis player. From 1982 to 1988, he enjoyed great success, winning a total of seven major singles titles.
This impressive record includes three French Open titles, three Australian Open titles and a US Open victory. Wilander also teamed up to win the men’s doubles championship at Wimbledon. His breakthrough came in 1982 when, at age 17, he unexpectedly won the French Open crown.
File
- Full name: Mats Arne Olof Wilander
- Stage name: Mats Wilander
- Date of birth: August 22, 1964
- Age: 60 years old
- Place of birth: Växjö, Sweden
- Nationality: Swedish
- Occupation: Former world number 1 professional tennis player from Sweden
- Height: 1.83 m
- Parents: Arne Wilander and Birgitta Wilander
- Siblings: Anders Wilander
- Spouse: Sonya Wilander (d. 1987)
- Children: Erik Wilander, Emma Wilander, Karl Wilander and Oscar Wilander
- Relationship: Married
- Net worth: 16 million USD
Early life and education
Mats Arne Olof Wilander was born on August 22, 1964 in Växjö, Sweden. He was raised by his parents, Arne Wilander and Birgitta Wilander. Mats has an older brother named Anders Wilander, who served as Mayor of Tranås from 2006 to 2020.
Wilander’s main focus is his professional tennis career and his formal education is unknown. Ethnically, Wilander is Swedish, but his religion is unknown.
Career
Mats Wilander started his career at a young age. His breakthrough came suddenly and unexpectedly when he won the 1982 French Open at the age of 17. He attracted attention at the youth level, winning the French Open junior championship, the European championship under 16 and under 18, and the Orange Bowl under -16 event in Miami. Wilander made his professional debut in 1980 at a clay court tournament in Båstad, Sweden.
Wilander had a brief match with the legendary Björn Borg in 1981, losing in the first round of the Geneva Open in straight sets. However, he went on to become an integral member of Sweden’s highly successful Davis Cup team throughout the 1980s. He was a key member of the Swedish team that won the Davis Cup in 1984. , 1985 and 1987.
In 1988, Wilander had a career-defining year, winning three of the four major singles titles and finishing the year as world No. 1 player. Although he never won Wimbledon, Wilander won the Australian Open twice when the tournament was still played on grass. This makes him one of only seven men to win major singles titles on grass, hard and clay courts.
Wilander won a total of 33 singles titles and 7 doubles titles during his illustrious career. He is the youngest person in history to win four major singles titles, achieving this achievement at the age of 20. Wilander was also the driving force that helped Sweden reach the Davis Cup finals seven times in a row in the 1980s.
In recognition of his achievements, Wilander was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002. He also won the prestigious Jerring Award in 1983, further cementing his legacy as a of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Social Media
- Instagram handle: @matswilanderofficial
Personal life
Mats Wilander, the former world No. 1 tennis player, has been married to Sonya Wilander, a South African model, since 1987. The couple started dating in 1985 and married two years later. They have been together for more than three decades. Together, Mats and Sonya have four children: Erik Wilander, Emma Wilander, Karl Wilander and Oscar Wilander.
Net worth
Mats Wilander, a former Swedish professional tennis player, has amassed an impressive net worth estimated at $16 million.
This considerable wealth is largely due to his remarkable success on the tennis court, where he established himself as one of the dominant players of his time.
During his illustrious career, Wilander won seven Grand Slam singles titles, a remarkable achievement that certainly contributed significantly to his financial prosperity.
