Marcelo Ríos Mayorga

Born: December 26, 1975 in Santiago
Height: 1.75 m
Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand)

Few players in the Open Era were as naturally gifted as Marcelo “El Chino” Ríos. Left-handers are a minority in tennis, making their unique skills stand out more – John McEnroe’s sublime volleys in the first half of the ‘80s, Henri Leconte‘s extraordinary shot-making in the second half of the 80s, often emphasised by hitting winner after winner with graceful flair all over the court, Goran Ivanišević’s unmatched serve in the first half of the ‘90s; Ríos dazzled with his exceptional baseline game in the second half of the ‘90s (it wasn’t until the mid-00s that we witnessed another left-hander redefine the game – Rafael Nadal, whose extraordinary movement set new standards for defensive play). Ríos’ uncanny anticipation and ability to create incredibly sharp angles made him a nightmare for grinders and big servers whose mobility during longer rallies was limited. Once he improved his serve, he could dictate rallies with ease, forcing his rivals to scramble from corner to corner while he remained anchored near the baseline’s centre mark. Andre Agassi had a similar ability, but while Agassi relied on power, Ríos made it look effortless.
At the peak of his brilliance in March 1998, Ríos won back-to-back hardcourt US titles at Indian Wells and Key Biscayne, becoming the first South American man to reach World No. 1. Tennis had already become highly physical by then, making his rise all the more improbable given his smaller titles in previous years (his breakthrough season came in 1995, with triumphs in Bologna, Amsterdam, and Kuala Lumpur, but a skill set to beat the best players in the world on clay he showed triumphing at Monte Carlo ’97). The landscape of men’s tennis in 1998 also played a role – Pete Sampras was finally showing signs of fatigue after years of dominance, while Agassi was still rebuilding after his problematic 1997 season.
“Winning this, and beating Agassi in the final, the former No. 1, I can’t ask for more,” Ríos said after claiming the title in Florida, arguably the biggest in his career because six wins (five over top opponents) were required. “Being the best player in the world for Chile is something like not normal; I feel really proud.” Shortly after reaching the No. 1 ranking, Ríos made the surprising decision to part ways with his coach Larry Stefanki, whose expertise had been instrumental in refining the Chilean’s game – raising speculation that financial disputes may have played a role. A few months later in Rome, Ríos added another big title to his collection in lucky circumstances.
Later that year, Ríos won two indoor titles on different continents (Grand Slam Cup & Singapore), keeping hopes alive that he could finish as the year-end No. 1. However, injuries soon plagued his career – hamstring strains, a stress fracture in his back, thigh and hip issues, tendinitis in his knee and groin. He never regained his 1998 form, and by the early 2000s, his time at the top had passed. He remains the only World No. 1 in history to have never won a Grand Slam title.
Ríos’ last major impact came in 1999, when he won his fifth Masters 1000 title, in Hamburg after an amazing “South American” final. He was second year running among the top favorites for the French Open but suffered another four-set quarterfinal upset. In 2015, he controversially claimed he should be recognized as an Australian Open champion, arguing that his 1998 final loss to Petr Korda should be overturned due to Korda’s later doping suspension. It was the only time he managed to go beyond the Slam quarterfinals, having lost at this stage twice to Michael Chang before (Aussie Open and US Open in 1997). 
Despite his reputation for being difficult both on and off the court, Ríos was an inspiration for a new generation of Latin American players. He paved the way for Chilean stars Fernando González and Nicolás Massú, who found success in the 2000s. However, even among his compatriots, he remained a distant figure. “I don’t have a relationship with Chino,” González once admitted. “I’ve never had it. Never. There was no good vibe, not bad either.”

Career record: 391–192 [ 198 events ]
Career titles: 18
Highest ranking: No. 1
Best GS results:
Australian Open (runner-up 1998; quarterfinal 1997 & 2002)
Roland Garros (quarterfinal 1998-99)
US Open (quarterfinal 1997)
Grand Slam Cup champion 1998
World Team Cup champion 2003