Davis Cup : Pernfors Surprises McNamee

Mikael Pernfors, who had played only four previous matches on grass, scored a surprise 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 victory over more experienced Australian Paul McNamee Friday and lifted Sweden into a 1-1 tie on the opening day of the Davis Cup final.

Pat Cash gave Australia its victory by outlasting Stefan Edberg, Sweden’s No. 1 player, 13-11, 13-11, 6-4.

Pernfors, who played tennis at the University of Georgia, stunned a sellout crowd of 11,000 with his 91-minute demolition of 32-year-old McNamee.

The victory by the 23-year-old two-time NCAA champion created the situation where the team to win the Cup would have to take today’s doubles and one of Sunday’s reverse singles.

Sweden has reigned as champion for two years. Australia defeated the Swedes in the 1983 Cup final on these Kooyong grass courts.

Australia’s main hope is the 21-year-old Cash, a former Wimbledon and U.S. Open semifinalist. He will team with John Fitzgerald against Edberg and Anders Jarryd in the doubles and then face French Open runner-up Pernfors in the opening singles Sunday.

Cash, the inspiration behind Australia’s 1983 win, had to overcome a terrible start to defeat Edberg, the Australian Open champion, in 3 hours 45 minutes.

“I was thinking about positive things, my good serve, and not the double faults,” Cash said.

“I felt very relaxed today, I’ve been preparing for it for a month.”

Edberg led, 5-1, in the first set, but Cash clawed his way back, winning both of the first two sets with service aces.

Cash said he felt far more pressure playing the match than when he played the semifinals of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 1984.

He said it was harder to play for his country than himself.

“There is tremendous pressure out there,” he said.