Cash Beats Lendl, Plays Edberg in Aussie Final

Eleventh-seeded Pat Cash of Australia upset top-seeded Ivan Lendl of Czechoslovakia, 7-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4, in a four-hour marathon today to advance to the final of the $1.65-million Australian Open tennis championships.

Cash’s victory sent him into Sunday’s title match against defending champion Stefan Edberg of Sweden, who earlier defeated unseeded Wally Masur of Australia, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6.

The loss meant that Lendl, ranked No. 1 in the world, still has not won a Grand Slam event on grass. Cash, who had never previously beaten Lendl, qualified for the first Grand Slam final of his career.

The victory came at the same Kooyong center court on which Cash helped Australia win the Davis Cup against Sweden last month.

Edberg, seeded fourth, used his strong serve to beat Masur in just under two hours.

Edberg took command of the match from the start, racing to a 4-0 lead in the first set. He also led, 4-1, in the second set before the Australian rallied briefly, breaking twice to get back to 4-4. Edberg, however, broke serve again and took the set, 6-4.