MELBOURNE Dec. 28: Pat Cash today clinched the Davis Cup for Australia by recovering from a two set deficit for a stunning win over Sweden’s, Mikael Pernofors.

Cash came back from the brink of defeat to take the first of the reverse singles 26, 46, 6,64, 63 in three hours 27 minutes, giving Australia an unbeatable 31 lead in the best of five match finals. The victory gave Australia its 26th Davis Cup title in 41 appearances at the finals. Only the United States, with 28 wins, has a better record.

 Playing before a capacity of 11,000 crowds, 21yearold Cash used his aggressive serve and volley game to blunt the passing ability of 23yearold Pernfors. Sweden, winner of the last two cups, was attempting to become the first nation to win three successive titles since the abolition of the challenge round system in 1972.

Australia’ has “now won four cups under present captain Neale Fraser, the previous wins being

1973, 1977, and 1983. Cash, Australia’s number one player, won his third match of the final today.

He beat Stefan Edberg, Ranked fifth in the world, in the first singles match on Friday and yesterday he teamed with John Fitzgerald to beat Edberg and Anders Jarryd in the doubles.

All four Swedish players have higher world rankings than Cash, who is 24 on the ATP computer.

Edberg and Paul McNamee meet in the second reverse singles later today.

Article extracted from this publication >>  January 2, 1987