Spoilt for riches in tennis stocks for decades, Sweden’s descent from a powerhouse of the men’s game to a complete no-show in Grand Slam main draws is hardly news to 19-year-old Elias Ymer.
For years, “not since 2011”, as the teenager reluctantly points out having been reminded of it since showing promise as a junior, the once great tennis nation has not had a sole presence in the Gentlemen’s Singles at Wimbledon.
“I think Robin Soderling,” Ymer answered correctly when asked who was the last.
Winning through three rounds of Grand Slam qualifying for the third time this year, the teenager of Ethiopian heritage will make his main draw debut at SW19 against serving giant Ivo Karlovic when The Championships begin.
Apologising for needing time to treat cramps after a gruelling final-round victory over Guido Pella, Ymer spoke of the difficulty transitioning to best-of-five-set matches even on the typically more forgiving grass courts.
I like Ali and Mike Tyson because they are fighters, they have that killer instinct
“Well when you play (best of) five sets it’s like a rollercoaster. You go up and down with your energy level. You can feel totally dead and in the end; five sets is really difficult,” he said as his coach, former Spanish player Galo Blanco watched on.
“I usually don’t play five sets, maybe three, four times a year. You have to get used to it.”
He snuck past Pella in four, but three sets went to tie-breaks. In a Davis Cup tie against Austria in March, however, Ymer was required to go the distance.
He would beat experienced former world No.7 Jurgen Melzer 6-3 in the fifth. Only a month later, world No.7 David Ferrer was praising the Swede’s talent and said he had “a brilliant future ahead” after ending his run in the third round at the Barcelona Open.
Ymer had claimed Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker’s scalp and scored the biggest win in his young career in the previous round, saving two match points against Australian world No.27 Nick Kyrgios.
“Well Nick is the guy who one year ago he showed us here at Wimbledon (beating then No.1 Rafael Nadal en route to the quarter-finals) ... I’ve known Nick since we were 14, 15 in the juniors so Nick is a close friend. It’s not like he’s like Rafa or Roger (Federer) to me. I’ve known him since all the time,” Ymer said.
“When I saw him last year making quarters I was like ‘geez, this guy’s making quarters and he was playing juniors one year ago’. Of course, what he has done is unbelievable. He has shown us we can play against the big guys and a win for me against him is obviously big for me.”
Currently ranked No.133, the teenager – who was born in Skara, a small Swedish city of only 10,000 people – has his sights set on cracking the top 100.
“Now I’d like to make main draw next time (without having to qualify),” he grinned. “I have to play good in the main draw to be in the top 100 to make the main draw and that’s my goal.”
Sweden’s pedigree at the All England Club is renowned.
Bjorn Borg won five straight titles in the late 1970s, Stefan Edberg won twice in 1988 and 1990. So strong was the Swedish production line of elite players that from 1974 to 1992 in only two years did a Swede fail to win a grand slam title. Add seven Davis Cup crowns from the mid ’70s to late ’90s into the mix and the dearth in successors becomes even more apparent.
But with all due respect to the Swedish legends before him, Ymer lists a pair of infamous American boxers as his idols.
“I like Muhammad Ali. I like Ali and Mike Tyson because they are fighters, they have that killer instinct. You need it,” Ymer says with passion.
Is it something he is born with or is it something that develops?
“Of course I think you’re born with it but you can learn it, too” he says.
So you can improve it to become a champion?
“Exactly.”
