Former world No. 1 players don't fade away, they often pump up in post-playing years.
Several supremely fit former world No. 1 players—including Bjorn Borg, Chrissie Evert, Stefan Edberg, Steffi Graf, Patrick Rafter, Martina Navratilova, Guga Kuerten, Tracy Austin, Jim Courier, Amelie Mauresmo and Lleyton Hewitt—are living proof of the old adage playing tennis can add years to your life.
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Marcelo Rios has taken strength training to Gladiator levels—and taken the title of fittest former world No. 1 in the process.
A ripped Rios, looking like he's been hitting the weight room with personal trainers The Rock, The Incredible Hulk and Hercules in recent years, has shared some of his training on Instagram.
The Chilean superstar has re-sculpted his physique to Iron Man proportions and looks stronger now than when he rose to No. 1 20 years ago as a 5'9", 160-pound magician who swept the 1998 Indian Wells and Miami championships in succession to rocket to the top of the rankings.
Rios, who has successfully surpassed Dennis Rodman as most heavily-inked ex-superstar athlete, moved to Florida and was spotted hitting this week at the IMG Academy.
If you've forgotten what an audacious all-court artist Rios was or if you're too young to have seen this brilliantly creative shotmaker, here's a reminder of the eye-popping play from a vintage Rios.
The left-handed Rios, whose fans include Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Richard Williams among many players and coaches, celebrates his 43rd birthday the day after Christmas.
"[Rios] he had that beautiful left-handed game and just such fine feel and so many gifts from the baseline," Hall of Famer Steve Flink told Tennis Now of Rios. "Think of when he destroyed Agassi in Miami and got to number one there. There should have been a lot more of that from him.
"Agassi couldn’t read Rios at all and that was true of a lot of people who played Rios. His two-hander was deceptive, he could hold the ball on the strings a long time. His serve was tricky like Rafa’s has been at times."
Photo credit: Marcelo Rios Instagram