AUSTRALIAN OPEN : Becker Survives 5-Set Struggle With Mecir, Reaches Quarterfinals

World No. 2 Boris Becker narrowly survived a thrilling five-set battle today with Miloslav Mecir of Czechoslovakia to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open tennis championships.

Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Becker dropped the first two sets against an inspired Mecir, the 16th seed, but staged a memorable comeback to win 4-6 6-7 6-4 6-1 6-1.

It was the fourth time since 1986 that the West German has come back to win from two sets down, keeping alive his hopes of overtaking Ivan Lendl as the world’s top-ranked player.

Becker will play three-time Australian champion Mats Wilander in the last eight. Wilander’s Swedish compatriot Stefan Edberg also progressed smoothly into the quarterfinals where he meets unseeded American David Wheaton, a winner over fifth seed Aaron Krickstein.

A relieved Becker admitted thoughts of his previous misfortunes at the Australian Open had flashed through his mind after he lost the second set tie-break.

“If I’m honest I thought about it in the tie-break,” he said. “Many things go through your mind. It’s a struggle against yourself. That’s the first battle you have to win.

“He had to run very much in the first two sets, and the longer it went the more tired he got.”

Mecir’s touch and accuracy unnerved Becker in the first set, but the second seed appeared to have the situation under control when he took a 5-2 lead in the second.

The Czechoslovak, a losing finalist to Lendl last year, promptly won the next three games in which he conceded only one point and forced a tie-break, only to lose the first four points.

Gradually, he again clawed his way back and took the tie-break 8-6 on his second set point.

Mecir then stole into a 3-1 lead in the third set.

Becker realized time was running out and suddenly produced his best form of the match to seize 11 of the next 13 games and square the match at two sets all.

An increasingly desperate Mecir, who prepared for the tournament by going fishing in New Zealand for a week to rest an injured ankle, entered the final set knowing he had beaten his opponent in their only other five-set match at the U.S. Open in 1986.

But this time he was powerless to stop the match from slipping through his fingers, and Becker rounded off a remarkable win after almost four hours on court.

For Mecir it was an all too painful reminder of Wimbledon in 1988 when he lost a two set and 3-1 lead in the semifinal to eventual champion Edberg.

Third seed Edberg gave the most impressive performance to beat fellow Swede Jonas Svensson 6-4 6-2 6-2.

“I thought I played very well right from the beginning,” said Edberg, particularly pleased with his volleying that left his opponent gasping in admiration.

“He was just too good,” Svensson said. “I think he’s shown everyone he’s right up there with Lendl and Becker. The way he played today, he will be very difficult to beat.”

Eighth seed Wilander overcame injured Finn Veli Paloheimo 7-5 6-4 6-0 while Wheaton also profited from a groin injury to Krickstein to pull off a surprise 7-6 6-4 6-3 victory.

Story, C2.