NEW YORK: Stefan Edberg ended a disappointing Grand Slam year with a dream win at the U.S. Open Tennis Championship on Sunday.
At the Grand Slam Event that has been traditionally a source of frustration for the soft-spoken Swede Edberg played the best tennis of his career to trounce American Jim Courier 6-2 6-4 6-0.
“It’s really hard to believe it was almost like a dream out there” said the 25-yr-old Edberg who will regain world number one when the rankings: are released.
“The further the match went on the more comfortable I felt. I just felt great out there. I felt that I could do almost anything and the strategy which I had going out as well as I could have ever hoped.
“It’s fantastic that you can actually play such a good match in a Grand Slam final for three sets without losing the concentration once” he added
Ironically Edberg had often been accused of lacking the mental toughness necessary to win the Open considered by players to be the most difficult of the four Grand Slams.
He had suffered a series of disappointments here in the past. In 1989 Edberg fell to Jimmy Connors who was then considered over the hill. The previous year he was upset by Aaron Krickstein also in the fourth round.
Edberg always seemed to be bothered by the noise. The wind difficult night match conditions or swirling garbage floating around the Louis arm-strong Stadium. There was always some excuse for Edberg’s inability to play up to expectations at the Open.
The two-time Wimbledon and Australian Open champion suffered his greatest humiliation here last year when he came in as top seed and not favorite only to crash out in the first round
But in the 1991 Open Edberg put it all together.
His graceful serve and volley game a perfect combination of power and finesse was firing on all cylinders from his brilliant fourth round victory over Michael Chang through his demolition of Courier in the final.
“It’s really something to actually win it here after what happened last year and the last couple of years where
New York hasn’t been the greatest place for my tennis”.
“Actually to tum it around here it’s really hard to describe” Edberg said in the post-match interview his luge silver trophy by his side.
“The last four matches I played here I think I played as well as I can” said Edberg whose previous best showing have come on Wimbledon’s center court against Boris Becker who must surrender his beloved number one to the Swede.
“I really peaked especially for the last two matches here where I played solid tennis first to beat (Ivan) Lendl Sunday and then to beat Courier Monday.”
“Still winning Wimbledon the first time is always going to be very special to me” ‘said the London resident who claimed his first Wimbledon crown in 1988″ But this ranks number two or three to me It’s just great to win here”.
Edberg has been frustrated by his showing at this year’s first three Grand Slams.
“I have been number one most of the year but I have not really done it in Slams”.
“I lost to Lendl in the Australian (in the semi-finals) I had him down two: match points In the French I lost in the quarter-finals “he said of his four set loss to eventual champion Courier
“Then Wimbledon when I had everything going for me I lost that incredible match to (Michael) Stich he said referring to that amazing semifinal sets without dropping his serve.
But no one can take away his sensational U.S Open victory.
“This has sort of made up) for the year” said Edberg.
“Whatever happens the rest of the year I will be a happy man”
Article extracted from this publication >> September 27, 1991
