Chang Storms Back, Brings Davis Cup Finals to the U.S. : Tennis: Trailing two sets to one when play was postponed, he uses brotherly advice to dominate Austrian.

The Danube is blue again. The city of Freud is depressed. In a 94-minute Requiem with Stringed Instrument that was worthy of Mozart, American Michael Chang destroyed the hopes of Austria with a come-from-behind triumph over Horst Skoff to carry the United States into its first Davis Cup final since 1984.

After trailing two sets to one when play was called because of darkness Sunday, Chang returned Monday to sweep aside the hard-hitting Austrian in the remaining two sets, 3-6, 6-7 (7-4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

The victory, coming on the heels of teammate Andre Agassi’s loss in straight sets Sunday to Austrian star Thomas Muster, gave the Americans a 3-2 victory.

Dominant on Sunday with a strong forehand, Skoff had few opportunities Monday despite the backing of a crowd of 17,000.

“It was a different Michael Chang and a different Horst Skoff out there today,” said Tom Gorman, savoring his first chance to appear in the Davis Cup final since he became captain of the U.S. team five years ago. “I feel terrific. I feel fabulous.”

Chang, who said he telephoned his brother in California for advice before play resumed Monday, confused Skoff with an accurate kick-serve to the Austrian’s backhand.

Resurrecting the tactic he used against Ivan Lendl to pull off a stunning come-from-behind victory in the fourth round of the 1989 French Open, Chang moved close to the service line to intimidate his opponent and jumped on Skoff’s second serve for several winners. He also directed a relentless attack against Skoff’s weak backhand, drilling winners down the line when the Austrian attempted to run around the ball to hit forehands.

In the end, all four Americans played a role in the U.S. victory. Agassi and Chang beat Skoff in singles matches. Doubles specialists Jim Pugh and Rick Leach beat the Austrian team of Muster and Alex Antonitsch.

In the final, the United States will play host to Australia at St. Petersburg, Fla., Nov. 30-Dec. 2.

Monday’s victory enhanced Chang’s reputation as a tough player to beat in matches that go five sets. The 18-year-old has won the last seven five-setters he has played, including that 1989 match against Lendl when Chang had to overcome cramps late in the match. Chang’s last loss in five sets was in the 1987 U.S. Open against Nduka Odizor of Nigeria.

But one point before he finished off Skoff with a crisp cross-court service return for a winner, Chang suffered leg cramps, more from the tension than from the court-side temperature of 58 degrees.

Had the match gone on, even for one more game, Chang said he was not sure he could have finished.

“It would have been difficult to go on because of the intensity of the crowd and the cold,” he said. “I started to tighten up a lot . . . If I had lost that game I don’t know what would have happened.”

Chang said a call to his brother, Carl, early Monday morning helped him devise an effective strategy against Skoff.

“He talked to me about when I was losing points, when I was getting in trouble,” Chang said. “I applied it today and it worked well.”

Asked to compare his victory here to the one two years ago against Lendl in Paris, Chang smiled.

“Usually when you win a match that dramatic, usually the crowd roars. Here you win the match and everybody is quiet. I was a little awed.”

Earlier in the day, normally reticent Viennese stopped Americans on the street to predict an Austrian triumph.

“You will see that Austria is not just a little point on the map,” said travel agent Karl Horna, 27, in one such encounter. “It is a big tennis country.”

Perhaps feeling the weight of these failed national ambitions, particularly after teammate and rival Muster had won both his singles matches, Skoff was subdued when he talked to reporters after his defeat.

“Michael beat me in the most important match in my tennis life,” he said. “I have lost not only for me. I’ve lost for Austria.”