Ilie (Nastase) says I would have been in the worlds top 10 for sure. Wimbledon 2022: Bahrami gives a super show to the crowd. No, Im not angry, I feel I am a very lucky man. Install Sofascore app and follow all Mansour Bahrami matches live on your mobile! One last remarkable story about this man is how he met his wife in a romantic way. The journalists helped me a lot and using the newspapers, the television and radio, my story was finally told. I was thirty-three when I reached the French Open doubles final. Three years later Mansour Bahrami was a member of the Iranian Davis Cup team. Way back in 1997, when Mansour was still playing Davis Cup tennis at the age of forty-one, he said: So you want to hear my life story? Anthony from London Fire Brigade is trying to find courtside seats for awaiting patrons, but there is nothing left. We have seen many teenage players in tennis camps try to emulate him., [Translated from Persian by Fardine Hamidi], Please Support Us so That We Can Continue to Bring You the News That Matters. I walked all nights through the streets of Paris and I went to Roland Garros to sleep on a sofa for a couple of hours.Living in a situation like this, many people would have given up on their dream. We behaved as if we were playing in the final of a great tournament., How good would I have been? With his pockets full of dreams, the young man leaves his country and his family behind and goes to France in search of a new life. It has always been important for me to make people laugh and to give them a good time, Bahrami tells us. Often, I would make one baguette last three or four days. However, this flamboyant man on court is also quite shy and does not ask anybody for anything. He could not yet get visas for all countries, but that changed when he finally received the French citizenship and passport in 1989 after he played the doubles final of Roland Garros. The man to beat, stuck in France You think they will believe this? Today being just a ball boy is probably seen as some kind of slavery, but for me it was great to do this. Bahrami was competing in the senior Doubles event at Wimbledon 2019, and just as he was about to serve, he asked the receiver to stand a bit far away from the baseline. For weeks at a time I had nowhere to sleep, so I would walk the streets of Paris. And at the age of 59 still being the most asked for exhibition player in the world who has always cared more about giving other people a good time than about winning the match. The cost of living in France was so much higher than in Iran that Bahrami soon realised that what he had brought with him wasnt going to last very long, so he reckoned hed better try and do something about it. Receive notifications for all games of this team. Who knows? No, everything is perfect. I had slept in the streets for three months and I swear to God that I had nothing to eat that night and I had no place to sleep. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Mansour Bahrami is not your typical tennis player. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Way back in 1997, when Mansour was still playing Davis Cup tennis at the age of forty-one, he said: So you want to hear my life story? Having lost three years of his career because of the fundamentalist regime in Iran, Mansour then spent the next six years as a virtual prisoner in France because he refused to become a political refugee. Watch 66-year-old Mansour Bahrami entertain crowds at Wimbledon with a series of brilliant tricks in the invitational mixed doubles at Wimbledon. For three and half years Mansour was not allowed to play in Iran, nor could he leave the country. In 1975, Mansour made his Davis Cup debut against Britains Roger Taylor and lost 6-0, 6-0, 6-2. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. His cheerful style wins the hearts of the public. One day when Bahrami was at Roland Garros he met Guillermo Vilas and Ilie Nastase. Roland Garros will always be that star in my heart.". However, two days later she said:No, it is best if you go and after that you can maybe go to France and if the things go right and you can stay there than maybe I will come as well. And he has become a legend, although he has not been "the" champion. I never asked for free money, never asked for money from the government. I was 33 when I reached the French Open doubles final. Yes I was hungry, but I kept my mouth shut. Far from his family and in a foreign country, the young man has nowhere to stay, he wanders the streets of the city and spends his nights in front of the Roland Garros stadium. Whenever you get the chance, go and watch Mansour Bahrami in action: laugh out loud at his antics and toast the greatest Wimbledon Champion who never was. Ilie (Nastase) says I would have been in the worlds top 10 for sure. Bahrami:Well, when I was thirteen the tennis federation needed new players. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. racquet. It would only seem fair that from that moment on the extremely talented boy would have been given the chance to realise his dream to become a professional tennis player. This happened in July 1980 after a few tennis players had managed to organise one tennis tournament in Iran: the Revolution Cup. Video, 00:01:37. Mansour participates and wins. So, he stayed in Iran and for three years I was not allowed to hit a ball. Reports: Dominic Thiem likely to miss Wimbledon 2021 due to a wrist injury. Video, 00:01:37Can Potter turn things around at Chelsea? Anyway, it is good for the soul to go hungry at some time in ones life., 2023Mansour Bahrami | Developed by littlebluefish. That might have been the hardest day of my live, Bahrami looks back on this horrible event. Video, 00:02:01, 'Results not good enough' - Potter on Chelsea form, 'Never say never' - Russo on Man Utd title hopes. But not this inspiring personality. Thats how I learned, usually at night, barefoot, when they had drained the swimming-pool hitting an old ball someone had thrown away against the wall of the pool with whatever I could lay my hands on: I was that desperate to play tennis! He has fulfilled his dream, but he has lost nine years of his life. In Iran tennis was a sport for the upper-class. The luckiest man alive Playing Davis Cup Posted by TennisPhotoWorld on 25 Nov 2015. He remains a popular figure here at Hurlingham and has been affectionately nicknamed The Court Jester in reference to his showmanship. When I played for example in Hamburg against Boris Becker (number one in the world at that time), the German people where all for me. A week after the French Open the same guy who was telling me to leave France gave me the permission, the residence card, to stay in French for ten years. Having lost three years of his career because of the fundamentalist regime in Iran, Mansour then spent the next six years as a virtual prisoner in France because he refused to become a political refugee. I cannot tell you how many matches I lose that I should probably win because I am joking around. Its hard to imagine that he played like this as a professional tennis player as well. I asked her if it was true that people kiss each other happy new year. TV sports presenters enjoy analyzing Bahramis complicated and challenging shots, which he makes look easy. He is currently pursuing his education in Finance and is passionate about learning new languages. He is sought after and respected by the greatest players like Novak Djokovic , Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal . When the audience laughs, I'm the happiest man in the world.". This One Question Will Make You a Better Thinker, Is Leading the Way in Dog Training and Education, Ask Themselves 1 Question Then Do These 3 Things, This Divisive Workplace Policy and You Should, Too. So love playing @wimbledon Great crowds as always Today our match not before 5pm & TBA - keep your on the OOP So good to be back . When my French visa eventually ran out, I became an illegal immigrant. Not playing is very painful for me and I cannot image to quit tennis. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I know I am a very lucky and privileged man. I lost nine years of my life. I existed by playing backgammon all day., Then his luck changed and a single tennis tournament was organised in Tehran. 35m. Tennis was my love, my dream and the only thing I wanted and could do. Registered in England No. 403 Dislike Share Save. Video, 00:02:53, Watch Gazza shine as Spurs beat Pompey in FA Cup, Watch: Vialli's best FA Cup moments. So, he stayed in Iran and for three years I was not allowed to hit a ball. Then, after the Shah was deposed, he had to stop playing entirely or chose to leave his family and friends behind and surrender his Iranian identity, a choice Bahrami felt he should never have to make. [1] Because all tennis courts in Iran were closed down, he spent the next three years playing backgammon. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Video, 00:00:59'All hail Bahrami!' His career highlight was reaching the French Open doubles final in 1989 with Eric Winogradsky. Video, 00:03:18, 'He can't play the victim' - Eubank Jr on Benn's failed drugs tests, Six Nations a bigger challenge than 2008 - Gatland. My favourite is when he would serve, jump the net . Since he didnt own a real tennis racquet until he was thirteen he taught himself to play using a rusty old metal frying pan, and other implements he is indisputably the greatest player ever to wield a kitchen utensil. [4] His comic turns on the court often include faking serves, slow-motion miming, hitting balls backwards between his legs, over his shoulder or from the back, and playing while laying down or seated. I love my father and my mother so much, but for me it was not always easy to understand why they could not come to see me play.. Mansour is a kind man and people were willing to help him, but he did not ask for help nor accept is. Mansour Bahrami reached the Davis Cup team at the age of 16. A kind of actor, jester and circus performer who captivates whoever sees him. This made Becker very nervous. Jul 13, 2018. As of 2022, "Bahrami: Iran's solo tennis representative", "Islamic Republic Crushed the Dreams of Iran's Top Tennis Players", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mansour_Bahrami&oldid=1121356984, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2022, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Persian-language text, ITF template using Wikidata property P8618, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 11 November 2022, at 21:31. My answer? We have noticed that there is an issue with your subscription billing details. I received two rackets and they said: now you are allowed to play. When I see people smile when they see me play and kids ask me Mansour how do you this and how do you do that? I get a great feeling and its this crowd that gives me the energy to continue to play, answers Bahrami. In Mansours own words I won the tournament and the prize was a ticket to Athens, which I gave to my girlfriend at the time. He knows that any of them can win, he knows that he is the best. Playing Davis Cup for his country, while being prohibited to play tennis till the age of thirteen. Generous as he was, he gave the ticket to his girlfriend so that she could go on a nice holiday. In reference to his showmanship, his 2009 English-language autobiography was titled The Court Jester. Villas asked me how I was and if he could do anything for me. I have a feeling that most woman play just for fun too, they are like nah, i am winning 5-1, lets loose to 5-7 and have more fun xd Nooshin Jalali 2 bulan yang lalu In Mansours own words I won the tournament and the prize was a ticket to Athens, which I gave to my girlfriend at the time. I had to do it my way and find a way to stay in France without bothering anybody, Bahrami tells us. Video, 00:01:54, 'Never say never' - Russo on Man Utd title hopes, Can Potter turn things around at Chelsea? Mansour Bahrami (Persian: ; born 26 April 1956) is a former professional tennis player. All Rights Reserved, Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic, Ranelagh Gardens, London, England, SW6 3PA, United Kingdom. Is Yours Next? Yes, I suffered from that. I was 10 Reaching the doubles finals of Roland Garros without one single tennis lesson or a coach. Best known for his trick shots and on-court entertainment, Bahrami featured in the Iranian Davis Cup team at the age of sixteen but political issues in Iran meant that it was some years after he burst onto the scene before he was able to forge a successful doubles career. 1.37M subscribers. In 1983 the Ayatollah's measures are relaxed a bit and a single tournament is organized in Tern. But I am happy. When we risk everything to fulfill our dreams, a lucky star may appear to guide our way. Watch Gazza shine as Spurs beat Pompey in FA Cup. I love playing. Was playing the final of Roland Garros the most beautiful moment of his career? Watch 66-year-old Mansour Bahrami entertain crowds at Wimbledon with a series of brilliant tricks in the invitational mixed doubles at Wimbledon. The first photo of me. Wimbledon. Having nothing to eat and no place to sleep and still tell other people that everything is perfect, because he did not want to bother others with his problems. (1.78 metre) Weight: 180 lbs. Mansour Bahrami | Screenshot via Wimbledon. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms of Use, 2022 by Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at Hurlingham. Am I angry? Can you climb & ski the highest mountains on one leg? In desperation, he fled to France with his life savings, which he gambled in a casino and lost. How good would I have been? At 66 years old, Mansour Bahrami continues to defy belief #Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic . People would stop, look at me and have a good time, Bahrami looks back on his childhood. The 65-year old won two Doubles tournaments and also finished as the runner-up at French Open 1989. Mansour Bahrami performance & form graph is Sofascore Tennis livescore unique algorithm that we are generating from teams last 10 matches, statistics, detailed analysis and our own knowledge. Haz tu seleccin entre imgenes premium de Kevin Leconte de la ms alta calidad. Watch Wimbledon's 66-year-old viral star. It was very selfless of her to send me away and it changed my life for ever. I understand that the data I am submitting will be used to provide me with the above-described products and/or services and communications in connection therewith. 2023 BBC. The frying-pan, the poverty, the years of not being allowed to hit a tennis ball, sleeping rough in Paris, on the run from the police yes, I suppose my tale is a little out of the ordinary. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. I thought it would be the last day of my live. Being one of the most talented players ever, while his father never saw him play. Shot of The Championships?! There are also all Mansour Bahrami scheduled matches that they are going to play in the future. What is your problem?, journalists asked me. Watch highlights of Wimbledon on BBC iPlayer. Mansour was thirty years old before he was allowed finally to join the ATP as a full-time professional player. Every time I saw a policeman coming, I changed direction. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. It hypnotizes and attracts glances. While Rod Laver believes him to be the most naturally gifted player ever to pick up a racquet. !At 66 years old, Mansour Bahrami continues to defy belief #Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/pNDicXBx6K, UK team said Modi was responsible for climate of impunity in 2002 riots, claims BBC documentary, A trove of pornographic art is lying unappreciated in a sarkari library in Uttar Pradesh, IND vs NZ: Reactions as Shubman Gill notches record-breaking double ton Different class, From India to Iran, via Bombay and its Parsis, Rabindranath Tagore and a forgotten book, Why Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur stood in the 1962 Lok Sabha elections (and won by a landslide), Mumbais nomads who have no land to call their own, WFI president sexually harassed women wrestlers, alleges Vinesh Phogat, U19 Womens T20 World Cup, IND vs SCO blog: Mannat Kashyaps four-for helps India win by 85 runs. Often, I would make one baguette last three or four days.. Bahrami has famously never had a tennis lesson and has even used a frying pan to teach himself all his tricks! (81.8 kilos) Plays: Right Handed Championships Played: 3 Events Entered: Invitation Mixed Doubles Best Doubles: 2, (1988) Career Matches Won: 23 Career Matches Lost: 46 High Rank for Singles: 192 If they had asked me for my papers or ID they would have put me on the first plane back to Iran. His status also of course made working and earning money even more difficult. 1519: All looking a touch gloomy for Wimbledon's 'breath of fresh air' Sabine Lisicki. He is cheerful, creative, witty and unique. I love to make them laugh. Watch Wimbledon's 66-year-old viral star, Up Next. Mansour Bahrami - Best Wimbledon Trick Shots video created by Wimbledon: 10M views, 27K likes, 7.1K loves . Anyway, it is good for the soul to go hungry at some time in ones life.. When I had nowhere to live, I walked the streets of Paris all day and slept on a bench at door number 13. Sometime playing partner, Ilie Nastase, called him a maestro. Mansour Bahrami fixtures tab is showing last 100 Tennis matches with statistics and win/lose icons. I love to feel like people are having fun watching me. What Mansour wanted was to play tennis and at 65 he still does. Their adversaries were the UKs Andrew Castle, 55, and Jeremy Bates, 57. At the end of the seventies during the Islamic Revolution in Iran professional sports, including tennis, were forbidden. Video, 00:04:19. Once a Skeptic, Elon Musk Now Embraces This Divisive Workplace Policy and You Should, Too. That was very frustrating.As soon as he had an opportunity to leave Iran he went to France. Therefore it is not surprising that it was rather easy for him to leave the ATP tour in 1993 and to start playing on the Champions Tour and focus on playing exhibition matches. Mansour, is that you!? Wimbledon has given fans some ever lasting memories and some funny moments along the years. (on the left) and am here with my ball boy friends at the tennis club in Tehran. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Bahrami was a prodigy who was on the Iranian Davis Cup team as a 16-year-old, but due to the Islamic revolution, tennis courts were closed as the new regime viewed it as a capitalist and. Am I angry? Mansour Bahrami executed a perfect underarm serve at Wimbledon 2019, which was met by a huge round of applause from the fans. Sometimes things don't go as expected and there are circumstances that alter our destiny. Bahrami was convinced that he would be able to get out of his difficult situation. That was his only win in a singles slam, but in the second week of Wimbledon he is one of the favourites outside the. 8. Football fans around the world have been giving it a go but now the craze has seemingly reached the Wimbledon tennis championship. All this just to catch a glimpse of a man whose best singles result at a grand-slam was the second round of the 1981 French Open. Life, however, is much more expensive than I imagined. I never had a lesson in my live and I never had a coach. Yes, I always played the same way. Bahrami retired from the main ATP Tour in 2003. Enjoy some of his best moments on The ATP Champions Tour About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy . In 1975, Mansour made his Davis Cup debut against Britains Roger Taylor and lost 6-0, 6-0, 6-2. Through a decree the magic of Mansour Bahrami is hidden from the world's view and the young man has to choose between leaving his family and his country, or stop playing tennis. Video, 00:01:54'Never say never' - Russo on Man Utd title hopes. Mansour Bahrami reached the Davis Cup team at the age of 16. Crowds at the Wimbledon Tennis Championship this year were treated to two sets of entertaining tennis on July 13 when the 63-year-old Iranian Mansour Bahrami and his British doubles partner Chris Wilkinson (49) teamed up on central court in the second round of the Senior Gentlemen's Invitation. Did it hurt him? For weeks at a time I had nowhere to sleep, so I would walk the streets of Paris. Video, 00:01:31, This is a very serious project - Fabregas on Como. The idea of tennis goes into the background. All my best results (15 finals and five tournament victories) came after the age of 30. Please, Bahrami has made a career out of entertaining the crowd. He is no longer a young player and although at 33 he manages to reach the French Open final in doubles alongside Eric Winogrdasky, his best days as an athlete are behind him. I was a very happy child, tells the positive minded Mansour. I dont have papers and the French government wants to kick me out. Why do women work harder than men? Remarkably, at 63, Mansour can still perform these acrobatic feats on the court, a BBC TV announcer said. The story of the young man who left everything to pursue a dream captivates the country and several politicians offer him their help to fix his immigration status and later, grant him French nationality. But Bahrami was barred from achieving tennis greatness because the then rulers of Iran viewed tennis as a decadent Western activity definitely not to be encouraged. I love to feel people are having fun watching me. Mansour Bahrami beat Jean-Louis Haillet at Roland Garros 41 years ago, losing to Mel Purcell in his next match. Well, if I would have had a coach, I would not have been allowed to do all the things I do today. 4.1K views, 197 likes, 69 loves, 14 comments, 16 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Mansour Bahrami: @wimbledon - this is for YOU Thank you for inviting me again this year to play in the. For six years I just played tournaments in France and I was the man to beat there.