I seemed to be the only one who recognized the man walking down the aisle towards his seat a little further back in the plane that was due to take off for Arlanda in September.
Joakim Nyström, former tennis star with an impressive resume.
13 final wins on the ATP tour. Two Davis Cup titles. As best ranked seventh in the world.
He reached that mark on March 31, 1986. Seventh in the world. But only third in Sweden.
Sweden had nine players in the top 50 then. 50 is the ranking that was Mikael Ymer's highest.
Sweden has had 27 different winners on the ATP tour over the years. Mikael Ymer is not one of them.
It was a shame that Mikael Ymer did not accept the place in Båstad in 2022. Then he was in such good shape that he could have won a title.
But considering the impact shown above in Swedish tennis history, his justification for the nob was really funny.
"The reason why I don't play in Båstad is the same reason why Zlatan doesn't play in the Allsvenskan."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic can build towers out of all the titles he won as a footballer and that makes Ymer's grandiose quote more fun than when former world number one Mats Wilander read his poem "Droppen" in SVT at the beginning of his career. Filip&Fredrik have named it Sweden's funnest moment.
After 18 months he made a comeback despite saying he was going to retire.
Mikael Ymer was the great talent Swedish tennis longed for. In a brilliant DN report by Alexander Mahmoud, Ymer exposed how tough the road to the top of the world is, not least mentally.
Along the way, he was suspended for his mistakes in the stay reporting to the anti-doping agency. After 18 months he made a comeback despite saying he was going to retire.
MIkael Ymer played a lot during 2025. In October there was a loss in the first round in Stockholm against big brother Elias in two straight sets. It was Mikael Ymer's last/last match.
Just over a year later, it's time for the Stockholm Open again.
The tournament's starting field is impressive, but that has nothing to do with the Swedes. Elias Ymer is ranked 245 and has received a wildcard into the main tournament. Max Dahlin has also received that.
I'm calling Simon Aspelin, the old doubles specialist who won the US Open in doubles. At the beginning of 2027, he will end his position as national team captain and sports director at the Swedish Tennis Association.
It is incredibly exciting to see how things will go for him.
Before the Stockholm Open, Aspelin says:
- Max Dahlin is a player to keep an eye on. 20 years old and one of the best players in college tennis in the US right now. It is incredibly exciting to see how things will go for him.
Many obituaries have been written about Swedish tennis in recent years. Simon Aspelin doesn't think everything is bleak.
- The light you can see is a trend we have had for a few years. We have had better junior success than before.
- But then you have to be honest and say that we have a long way to go. Just look at how we are in terms of ranking on the men's and women's side.
That's where the big work needs to be done. Out among the clubs.
It's not just the numbers that are sad. Others are more alarming.
According to Expressen, the number of competitive juniors in Sweden has decreased by 85 percent in 20 years. The number of tennis clubs has dropped from around 1,000 to just under 360.
Simon Aspelin doesn't quite recognize the numbers but confirms that this is where the big work needs to be done. Out in the clubs. Out in the country. Throughout the country.
In many places, junior activities have waned. There is too much concentration in Stockholm and Skåne.
- We have a big job to do with increasing the development of the tennis clubs throughout the country. We have lost there and we must get much better at bringing up more competition juniors, says Aspelin.
When Swedish tennis still had its golden days, the national table tennis team tore down the Great Wall of China at the same time. Ping-pong then had a number of difficult years, although the slump was not like Swedish tennis.
Now the blue-yellow table tennis is back at the top of the world again. It is not only due to Truls Möregårdh, but he is such a fixed star that Simon Aspelin dreams that tennis can produce.
After the loss against the brother in Stockholm last fall, it has been quiet.
The latest who seemed to have potential was Mikael Ymer. After the loss against the brother in Stockholm last fall, it has been quiet. He looked to be struggling with an injury in that game. According to Simon Aspelin, Mikael Ymer's body is not yet ready for the match but:
- I know he wants to come back, I heard that quite recently.
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