Collins On His Betters

Ilie Nastase: "I think he reaches a point where he can't control himself and the adrenaline takes over. It starts as an act, but after a while the act takes charge of him. Maybe he's so clever that he's still in control, but I don't think so, because what he wants is to win and when this happens he seldom wins."

Chris Evert: "She's straightforward, unspoiled, honest and superb. I think she'll be the greatest woman player ever to hit the ball. If she gets her volley down, they can close the tournaments. She won't carry anyone and she'll never tank a match. She's the ultimate professional."

Jimmy Connors: "He's confused now. He may be thinking that you have to be a hater to win. When he was being good he started losing. You have to think back to when you were 22, and throw in magazine covers, a million dollars, star billing, etc. I was a jerk at 22 without any of that."

Guillermo Vilas: "He's very bright and thoughtful, but I think he's changed with fame. He's more touchy and taken with himself now, but who wouldn't be after everything he's won?"

Billie Jean King: "She's probably the most influential person for good in the history of the game. She's been a democratizing force, she's helped move tennis away from the country clubs and out to the folks. It's easy to get mad at her because she goes off half-cocked. As a player, if she's fit she's still the best in the world."

John Newcombe: "I told him recently that I didn't think he had it anymore, and he bristled. I said, 'Look, you're wealthy, you've done it all, you have a lovely family. I don't think you'll punish yourself anymore.' Finally he said, 'Maybe you're right, but I'll show you.' "

Bjorn Borg: "He's cooler on the court than anyone I've ever seen, so completely controlled it doesn't even seem human. And he's a great fighter if he's in the mood; he can come back and beat you when it looks like he's through. I worry a bit about whether he's getting the right advice—I think he's vastly overplayed—but he lives to play."

Arthur Ashe: "Arthur has a defensive mask, and he can be very standoffish. We were on a State Department tour of Africa together and we went to a school for black kids run by an English headmaster in Uganda. Ashe took an instant dislike to this man, perhaps because he was the white patron, you know. So he sat in this meeting and read a magazine the whole time. Arthur is playing better now than he ever has, and he deserves to be No. 1. He got into that 'zone' he talked about at Wimbledon last year and he hasn't come out of it yet."