Jim Courier interview: I don’t mind admitting I was an…
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Jim Courier interview: I don’t mind admitting I was an a--hole
The interview touches on Courier's beginnings in media, doing on-court interviews at the Australian Open, his playing career and the contrast in his media persona with his relationship to media when he was a player. It's a pretty standard and tame interview but it did lead me to a small, more interesting rabbit hole with references to Courier's first on-court interviews, which is why I'm sharing it.
The article explains Courier started on-court interviews at the 2005 AO as a last minute replacement for John McEnroe who was unavailable because he was doing a talk show in the US. It refers to his opening night being Marat Safin's first round match. I remember Safin's firsr round match at 2005 AO, it is rather famous not only because he won the tournament but because it was against Novak Djokovic and that match was Novak's grand slam main draw debut.
I found the interview on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtGq_RqxHYI and it's a great throwback. First of all, Courier was as great at it from the get go as he's always been. This is how he started the interview:
>**Courier:** OK Marat. When you were 18 years old you made your debut at the French Open. That was your grand slam debut. You played a veteran player, Andre Agassi. And he was polite. He let you play. You guys played a five set match. This guy, Novak, plays his debut tonight. You beat him in about an hour and five minutes. You don't give him any games. Don't you think that was rude?
Apparently that's the first question he ever asked in an on court interview. RLA laughed and Safin's reply was "Honestly I really believe he's better than McEnroe doing these things, ha?"
Safin then talked about th Davis Cup tie he played before Roland Garros that year:
>The first time I played him was in Davis Cup against you guys if you remember in 1998 in Atlanta. So, Agassi wasn't nice to me at all. On the other hand, you were great. It was my second match. You were great, you were polite. You beat me in 5 sets. We made a great show for the people. You won the last match. And you became a hero, you know, in Atlanta.
**Courier:** Go on...
**Safin:** TBH, you have to be really careful with these upcoming players, young ones you know. I remember myself, for sure you remember yourself that whenever you have a huge chance to play in front of the huge crowd, night match against a good player, I consider myself a good player... And, so basically they have nothing to lose. And they play great match, they go for it and they can be very dangerous. But I wish all the best to this kid because he has great talent, great potential and I wish him all the best.
It's an interesting interview to watch in retrospect with all this coincidental interplay between it being Courier's first on-court interview, Safin's opening round to a slam title, the reference back to his own main draw grand slam debut playing another legend of the game, his words about young and upcoming players and the little they did know back then, that players eventually becoming the greatest ever. What are the odds?
For reference, Safin beat Djokovic 6-0 6-2 6-1 that match. Safin beat Agassi 5-7 7-5 6-2 3-6 6-2 in his own grand slam main draw debut at 1998 RG. Next round he actually beat defending champion Gustavo Kuerten in another five setter before losing in the fourth round. And in the Davis Cup matches he referenced, Agassi beat Safin 6-3 6-3 6-3 and Courier beat Safin 0-6 6-4 4-6 6-1 6-4.
The Telegraph piece also references their interview after the iconic semi-final and how Courier gave Safin a hug. That interview is also on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srpPPrbKTfs and pretty funny as well.
#sport
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The interview touches on Courier's beginnings in media, doing on-court interviews at the Australian Open, his playing career and the contrast in his media persona with his relationship to media when he was a player. It's a pretty standard and tame interview but it did lead me to a small, more interesting rabbit hole with references to Courier's first on-court interviews, which is why I'm sharing it.
The article explains Courier started on-court interviews at the 2005 AO as a last minute replacement for John McEnroe who was unavailable because he was doing a talk show in the US. It refers to his opening night being Marat Safin's first round match. I remember Safin's firsr round match at 2005 AO, it is rather famous not only because he won the tournament but because it was against Novak Djokovic and that match was Novak's grand slam main draw debut.
I found the interview on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtGq_RqxHYI and it's a great throwback. First of all, Courier was as great at it from the get go as he's always been. This is how he started the interview:
>**Courier:** OK Marat. When you were 18 years old you made your debut at the French Open. That was your grand slam debut. You played a veteran player, Andre Agassi. And he was polite. He let you play. You guys played a five set match. This guy, Novak, plays his debut tonight. You beat him in about an hour and five minutes. You don't give him any games. Don't you think that was rude?
Apparently that's the first question he ever asked in an on court interview. RLA laughed and Safin's reply was "Honestly I really believe he's better than McEnroe doing these things, ha?"
Safin then talked about th Davis Cup tie he played before Roland Garros that year:
>The first time I played him was in Davis Cup against you guys if you remember in 1998 in Atlanta. So, Agassi wasn't nice to me at all. On the other hand, you were great. It was my second match. You were great, you were polite. You beat me in 5 sets. We made a great show for the people. You won the last match. And you became a hero, you know, in Atlanta.
**Courier:** Go on...
**Safin:** TBH, you have to be really careful with these upcoming players, young ones you know. I remember myself, for sure you remember yourself that whenever you have a huge chance to play in front of the huge crowd, night match against a good player, I consider myself a good player... And, so basically they have nothing to lose. And they play great match, they go for it and they can be very dangerous. But I wish all the best to this kid because he has great talent, great potential and I wish him all the best.
It's an interesting interview to watch in retrospect with all this coincidental interplay between it being Courier's first on-court interview, Safin's opening round to a slam title, the reference back to his own main draw grand slam debut playing another legend of the game, his words about young and upcoming players and the little they did know back then, that players eventually becoming the greatest ever. What are the odds?
For reference, Safin beat Djokovic 6-0 6-2 6-1 that match. Safin beat Agassi 5-7 7-5 6-2 3-6 6-2 in his own grand slam main draw debut at 1998 RG. Next round he actually beat defending champion Gustavo Kuerten in another five setter before losing in the fourth round. And in the Davis Cup matches he referenced, Agassi beat Safin 6-3 6-3 6-3 and Courier beat Safin 0-6 6-4 4-6 6-1 6-4.
The Telegraph piece also references their interview after the iconic semi-final and how Courier gave Safin a hug. That interview is also on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srpPPrbKTfs and pretty funny as well.
#sport
source
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