AUSTRALIAN OPEN : Exhausted Becker Wins ‘Great Match’

Boris Becker was stretched to the limit by Italy’s Omar Camporese before triumphing 14-12 today in a nerve-tingling final set to win the longest match in Australian Open history 7-6, 7-6, 0-6, 4-6, 14-12.

Starting in the afternoon heat and finishing five hours, 11 minutes later under lights, the third-round match provided more than five hours of pulsating tennis that Becker, winner of three Wimbledon titles, rated as one of the top five matches of his career.

“What a match, that’s all I can say,” said Becker, relieved at avoiding another nightmare in Melbourne. “It was a great match for both players, but I guess I had one more shot than him at the end--it can’t get any closer.”

Camporese saved three match points at 11-10 in the final set and played wonderful tennis for most of the match.

“To lose such a match must be a terrible feeling,” Becker said.

Becker, the world No. 2, had looked in great form in the first two sets against Camporese but his form suddenly left him.

He became leaden-footed, his serve-volley game fired only in fits and starts and he committed a flurry of unforced errors.

The final set was a titanic struggle lasting more than two hours. Tiebreakers are not played in the final set of a Grand Slam event, and there is no time limit.

Six thousand fans, most of them cheering wildly for Becker throughout the match, were joined by players who left their lounge to see this match up close.

For 20 games, neither player cracked, each holding service to make the score 10-10 as the court lights came on and the sun slipped lower in the pale blue sky.

The pair exchanged five successive breaks of serve before Becker, at 13-12, earned his fourth match point with an ace on his second serve and clinched the match with another ace.

Earlier results, Section C.