Tennis: January 2008 Archives

...His name is Stefan Edberg and he turns 42 today.

If you don't know, he was once the number one tennis player in the world and I just love that shot of his (above) reacting after winning his first Wimbledon title in 1988. With the Austrlian Open underway, it's fitting that Stefan should have a birthday today since he won the tournament twice and made it to the finals three other times.

He was my favorite player for a long time and not just because of his sensational legs and thighs and handsome face - really! He was always a great sportsman and an absolute joy to watch. I got to see him play at Wimbledon in 1991 when my friend Lorna and I had seats in the 10th row on a magical day that landed us on the front page of The Independent as spectators participating in the first audience wave on Centre Court.

But I had first seen Stefan (pictured, right, being inducted into the Hall of Fame w/Steffi Graf) four years earlier when my college roomie, Scott, took me to an exhibition match he was playing againstJohn McEnroe at the Forum in Los Angeles.
Stefan beat Mac who walked off the court in a bit of a huff. I went courtside after to get Edberg's autograph and when he grabbed my pen, his pinkie brushed across my hand. I nearly fainted on the spot. Then he used my pen to sign several more and after, looked around to find me to return it.

He had no idea that I was an obsessed stalker!