Miloslav Mecir - The Last to Win a Title with a Wooden Racquet
- Berlin Tennis Gallery
- Apr 25
- 1 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
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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