TENNIS : AUSTRALIAN OPEN : Top Men Hurting Going Into First Grand Slam Event of ’92

The MASH unit at the Australian Open is getting crowded, and the year’s first Grand Slam tournament doesn’t even start until today.

There’s Stefan Edberg with an aching arm, Pete Sampras with a strained shoulder, Michael Stich and Guy Forget with inflamed elbows, David Wheaton with a sore leg, Goran Ivanisevic with a foot blister and sprained ankle, and John McEnroe with a bruised ego after three consecutive losses in a tuneup event.

Rumor has it that defending champion Boris Becker is bothered by an ingrown toenail, but he’s keeping quiet about that and all other matters until play begins.

The women appear to be more sound, with defending champion Monica Seles recovered from a pain in the neck, three-time winner Steffi Graf over an ear infection, and no other major complaints among the top players.

Seles wore a brace and scarf for several days after suffering a stiff neck from an awkward sleeping position on her flight from Florida last week and aggravated it during practice a few days later.

But she practiced without pain all weekend, shed the scarf, and pronounced herself fit for her match against Akiko Kijimuta of Japan.