Tennis Roundup : Becker Beats Edberg for Canadian Open Title

Second-seeded Boris Becker of West Germany proved there’s more to his game than a big serve Sunday as he defeated fourth-seeded Stefan Edberg of Sweden, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, to win the $375,000 Canadian Open tennis tournament at Toronto.

Becker, a two-time champion at Wimbledon, took the winner’s check of $51,000 to increase his earnings this year to $485,939. Edberg, the Australian Open champion, received $25,500.

Playing in temperatures up to 115 degrees, neither player was at peak form.

“It was a tough match because it was very hot,” Edberg said. “Boris returns very well on second serves, and I was missing too many first serves today. I was a little bit tired, and Boris put more pressure on me than any of the other guys did.”

Edberg served excellently all week, making 94% of his first serves against Robert Seguso in the quarterfinals and 90% against Christo Steyn in the semifinals.

But against Becker, Edberg’s first-serve percentage dipped to 67%. The West German made 49% of his first serves.

Becker blasted seven aces in the 2-hour match but committed an uncharacteristic six double-faults.

The turning point in the final set came with Becker leading, 2-1, and Edberg serving. Becker smashed two forehand volleys and then tucked a passing shot down the line to break Edberg and go ahead, 3-1.

At 5-3 and 40-5 in the third set and Becker serving two match points, Edberg rallied with two backhand winners from the net to force deuce. Becker slapped a forehand return down the line for advantage. Edberg’s forehand crosscourt return was wide, giving Becker the match.

“In the last game . . . I thought I could come back,” the Swede said. “I tried my best, but I just couldn’t do it.”

The victory boosted Becker’s career record against Edberg to 4-2. It was also Becker’s third win of the year, the others coming at Wimbledon on grass, and Chicago indoors.

Eliot Teltscher defeated top-seeded Jimmy Connors, 6-1, 6-2, and then came from behind to beat Andres Gomez, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, to win a $100,000 invitational tournament at Stowe, Vt.

Teltscher and Connors had been scheduled to play Saturday, but their match was postponed because of rain and because Connors wasn’t feeling well.

At New Haven, Conn., amateur Brad Pearce of UCLA upset third-seeded Ben Testerman, 1-6, 7-6, 6-0, to win the Pilot Pen Open in a match that was moved indoors because of rain. Pearce automatically qualified for the main draw of the U.S. Open Championships with the victory.

In the doubles final, Pearce teamed with Marc Flur to beat USC’s Rick Leach of Laguna Beach and Tim Pawsat of Los Angeles, 6-2, 6-4.

Simone Colombo of Italy won his first Grand Prix tournament by defeating Paul McNamee of Australia, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6, in a $100,000 event at Saint Vincent, Italy.