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David Nalbandian is a prick. The blond Argentinean has just handed Mark Philippoussis the infamous "Early exit" from this year's US Open, forcing the 26-year-old to check out a week early from his New York hotel, a residence many knowledgeable pundits would have expected him to reside in until at least the pointy end of the Yankee Grand Slam. "What can you do?" he offers philosophically to FHM Collections less than 24 hours after the umpire gave him the "game, set and match" death knell. "It's obviously disappointing, but you don't dwell on it. I'll take a couple of days off, get my head right and think about the next one."
Mark Philippoussis's career is well documented. The wins, the spats, the wonky knee, the fast cars, the Monaco love-den and, of course, the bevy of beautiful ladies adorning his arm and warning the aforementioned love-den. But like any sportsman, who comes to the realization mid-career that perhaps they hadn't yet given the whole thing their best shake, Philippoussis is having a sea change. A simpler life we hear, minus all the trappings that any young man in his early twenties would court given $US6 million in sporting prize money. The Ferrari's gone, the Monaco love-den got sold yonks back and we read he's surfing every day. Even when FHM Collections proffered up the rather brilliant idea of having Mark on the cover of this very issue with a bevy of lingerie-clad sirens, it was quickly poo-pooed by both his Melbourne and LA agents. Can Philippoussis offer and explanation to this perve-reducing censorship? In short, it is all part of a grander spit'n'polish? "I have no idea why they'd can it," he explains coyly, "why don't you ask them."
Philippoussis is a tad bemused why anyone would consider him for a fashion mag cover in the first place. "I'm not the world's most fashionable guy," he confesses in that kind of deprecating charm that only a sickeningly hansom millionaire tennis player who bags some of the world's most beautiful women can. So he's not a metrosexual then, one of these horrible narcissistic, fashionista-wannabe self-worshippers we keep hearing about? "What's a metrosexual?," he asks, confused. "I've never heard that expression before in my life!" After explaining the doctrine a metrosexual is supposed to adhere to, he confidently declares: "Oh God, I'm definitely not one of them!" Right then. WIth that thorny issue resolved, FHM Collections and Mark Philippoussis settle down to talk fashion, sport and women (of course)...
Thanks for doing the FHM shoot. Is it something you're comfortable with, that whole fashion-model part of what you do?
It's not what I do, but I understand why I have to do it. I've never been comfortable with it and normally I don't have the patience for it. But the photographer was totally cool and had it all over pretty quickly... yeah it was a bit of fun!
You've been involved with the fashion labels before - do you regard yourself as a bit of a clothes horse?
No, not really. I love to wear street gear, actually. There's a street wear company in the US called Hurley who really look after me, I really like their gear, it's really light and loose and comfortable, that's really more my kind of sense.
How would you describe your style?
Just so long as I'm comfortable. You're more likely to see me in a pair of baggy cargo pants than you are some straight-fitting suit. To be honest with you, I love going barefoot, I hate wearing shoes, so even when I have to wear a suit, I'll probably wear a pair of skateboarding shoes with them, I never go the whole way.
ACE Magazine in the US just voted you the sexiest player in the world, how do you react to that?
What can you say to that? It just makes me laugh, it's just fun. I'd rather they called me the best player in the world!
What's something Mark Philippoussis wouldn't wear?
Oh, anything too tight-fitting. You know those jeans your dad used to wear - and I doubt you'd get me into some body-hugging skivy. That all just looks to uncomfortable!
Any major fashion blunders you'd like to recount?
Ha, ha, ha, there's just too many! You could probably say every day I make some kind of fashion mistake. So long as I'm comfortable, I don't really care.
It's been a great 2003 for you tennis-wise...
... thank you
There's been a lot of talk in the press of late surrounding your form reversal: a kind of life turnaround. Would we be correct in saying that?
For so long, I just wasn't healthy and didn't have the chance to play well. For the past three-and-a-half-years I was really savaged with injuries, but now I'm healthy and that allows you to train hard and play well; so yeah, I'm really enjoying myself.
You've been plagued with a wretched run of injuries - how frustrating is that?
Of course it is, but I'm not that kind of guy who dwells on the past and overly worries about those kinds of things. I just think about the future and take one day at a time because if you sit back and whinge and complain about how unlucky you've been, where's that going to get you? You get the cards you've been dealt and everything happens for a reason so you've just got to deal with it.
Why do you think the Australian media is so tough on our tennis players - certainly more so than our cricketers or our golfers or even footy players?
I have no idea why, but it's been that way for as long as I can remember. You're right, it does seem like our footballers and our cricketers can get away with anything and remain the darlings of the media. But tennis is such a worldwide sport, with no clear seasons, like say, a cricket season or a basketball season... so they've got all year to pick on you. Australians have a lot of expectations of their tennis players, particularly the Davis Cup team, and the media play on that. The media love jumping on the bandwagon - they're all over you when things go well, then lose a couple of matches and they want to crucify you. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. YOu get used to it.
Lately, the press have dined out on Mark Philippoussis chucking in his playboy ways and really knuckling down to his tennis. Was that a conscious decision of yours, or did someone pull you aside and give you a bit of a talking to?
Ha, ha, well no-one's pulled me aside. I've always been pretty much my own boss. Hey, you just mature a bit more and you learn from the mistakes you've made in the past and the decisions you've make. You start to realize what you've got in your life and you realize how lucky you are, and you don't want to flit that away. LIfe doesn't come with some kind of instruction manual, it's just about maturing as a person and learning as you go.
As every guy in their early twenties would probably admit, would you say you fucked around too much when you were younger?
Sure, I think so, who didn't? I was a younger guy, who got successful and I think I did what anyone would have done in my position. I have no regrets at all, but sure, things are now changing
When's the biography coming out so we can read all the sordid details?
Ha, ha, ha, if I did write it would be one hell of a book, I can tell you! But that's not me. Do you really think I could sit down and write a book? I don't think so!
We'll just have to wait for the movie then... YOu have a lifestyle that most of us can only envy, particularly the travel to all these exotic places. Of all the places you visit, where'd be your favorite?
I can honestly say Melbourne
Yeah?
It's set up so perfectly - you know, you've got the sea, you've got the river, the restaurants, the art district, and you're an hour away from these gorgeous beaches. I definitely think it's the world's best city.
It's renowned for its shopping too - are you a good shopper, or like most Australian men, so you find it a chore akin to visiting a vasectomy clinic?
Year, I don't mind it - well, in small doses. It's always that thing of finding something you want, then finding the right size...
When you're travelling, do you steal the hotel bathrobes like the rest of us?
Steal bathrobes? No!
So what do you nick from the hotel? The shampoos? The sewing kit?
Steal? Nothing!
You're a true gentleman. This is what everyone wants to know: who's the biggest dickhead on the men's circuit?
You know, even if there was someone I couldn't tell you who it was.
Australian sportsman, in particular our tennis stars, have a great history of sporting awesome moustaches. Do you think that's what's wrong with Australian tennis, not enough great 'taches? Maybe your or Lleyton could improve your games with the simple addition of a great mustache.
I've never really thought about it, to be honest with you, and I'm not really a great fan of the mustache. I'm not saying I couldn't grow one - unlike Lleyton, he can't grow anything. If he wanted one, you'd have to buy him a fake glue-on!
To your credit, you've been linked to some of the world's most beautiful women... Can you let us in on the secret to pulling these gorgeous babes?
There's no secret at all.
What, you play the cool guy and let them come to you?
To be totally honest, I am a very, very shy person. I've pretty much only had two girlfriends in my life that I've truly loved and both of those I got introduced to by friends, I never chased them. I think the secret to it is being yourself and if it's meant to be, it's meant to be.
Where do you stand on the old chestnut of sex before a match?
I would definitely vote against it.
Ye gods, you're against it?
I don't think it's the right think to do the night before a game, it keeps you up all night and that can make your legs heavy the next day.
And I have to ask you the big "Tara Reid: is it on?" question - and please don't say we're just good friends...
NO, no, no, we're not together and it gets quite frustrating.
It's an awesome rumour all the same...
Yeah, I guess so but I have been trying to stop it. We are definitely not an item and I do not have a girlfriend at the moment.
We always hear about this lesbianism on the women's circuit - have you ever seen any of that going on?
No, I haven't seen any of that.
You're killing the fantasies of Australian men here, you realize?
Ha, ha, sorry about that, I'll try to see something next time
There's all these reports that you've sold your Humvee, you've sold your Ferrari, you're no longer seeing all these beautiful women, which simply begs the question: are you sane?
Like I said, you start realizing what the most important things are in life, and you soon realize that the fast cars aren't that special. It's just something materialistic you don't really need.
What haven't you achieved in your career? What's the tournament or trophy you most covet that you won't be able to retire happy without?
I want to reach my full potential as a tennis player.
And what would be your measure of success?
I think I can be number one in the world. I know I can.
Excellent answer! Lastly, I couldn't let you go without asking: you dated Anna Kournikova for a while, what was that like?
I've known Anna for a while. Let's see, what can I say that won't get me into trouble...
Was she a cracker in the sack?
Let's just say she was very demanding!
