Mats Wilander - Private Life

Private Life

Wilander, who won $8 million as a pro and more in endorsements, now spends much of his time living on an 81-acre estate in Hailey, Idaho, United States (part of the Sun Valley ski resort) with his wife Sonya (née Mulholland), a South African-born model. He competes from time to time on the senior tour. Since retiring as a player, he has served as captain of the Swedish Davis Cup team and as coach of the Russian player Marat Safin. He also occasionally spends time commentating tennis matches on Eurosport. He is a supporter of Leeds United A.F.C.

Wilander has four children named Emma, Karl, Erik, and Oscar. His son Erik suffers from a comparatively mild form of epidermolysis bullosa, which benefits from Idaho's cool and dry air, and Wilander and his wife have worked to raise funds for research into cures for the disease. Wilander also has a nephew, Filippo Botta, who is considered a top prospect.

Wilander created a minor controversy during the 2006 French Open when he criticized several top players, including Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters, as lacking the competitive edge to beat their toughest rivals. After Federer's 1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6 loss to Nadal in the final, Wilander said that "Federer, today, unfortunately came out with no balls... you don't find too many champions in any sport in the world without heart or balls. He might have them, but against Nadal they shrink to a very small size and it's not once, it's every time."

In the aftermath of these comments, fans coined the neologism "Wilanders" as a humorous synonym for "balls", denoting a competitive spirit and tenacity to win. Wilander later apologized to Federer on-air on Eurosport during an interview with the Swiss.

He began coaching Tatiana Golovin in July 2007. After working with Golovin in the later part of 2007, Wilander began coaching Paul-Henri Mathieu. Despite his wealth, for several weeks each year he and a business partner (Cameron Lickle) travel around the United States in a Winnebago, offering lessons at tennis clubs and private homes to those who call 787-GET-GAME.

Wilander escaped death in December 1988 when, despite having made a reservation on Pan-Am flight 103, which was destroyed by a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, he did not take a seat on the flight.