Miloslav Mecir - The Last to Win a Title with a Wooden Racquet
- Berlin Tennis Gallery
- Apr 26
- 1 min read
Updated: May 31
The Last Wooden Triumph: Miloslav Mecir’s Historic Victory
On 19 March 1989, Miloslav Mecir – known as “The Big Cat” for his effortless movement – defeated Yannick Noah in a memorable five-set battle at Indian Wells. It was a meeting between two remarkable milestones: Mecir, the last man to win a professional title with a racquet containing wood, overcame Noah, who had himself been the last player to win a Grand Slam title with a wooden racquet (Roland-Garros 1983).
Though named the Graphite Mid, Mecir’s racquet concealed a wooden core beneath its graphite layers – making his triumph the final chapter for wood in the story of professional tennis. It marked the symbolic end of an era, where tradition gave way to the new power-driven technology of modern graphite frames.
With Mecir’s victory, a century of tennis tradition quietly closed. His Snauwaert Graphite Mid, carrying the last trace of wood into a new world of graphite, symbolized the final link to a style of play built on touch, control, and intuition. An era that would not return.
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About the Author:
Andreas Fixemer
Berlin Tennis Gallery
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