Courier on Top of the World Down Under

Jim Courier, moving to within a notch of the No. 1 ranking, beat Stefan Edberg to become the first American winner of the Australian Open in 10 years.

Courier drove a final backhand return past Edberg to win Sunday, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

“This tastes just as sweet,” said Courier, 21, comparing his Australian title with his French Open championship. “It’s a little bit different because I’ve done it before. But it’s no less significant.”

The victory marked another milestone in Courier’s rise from No. 25 a year ago. He ended 1991 with the No. 2 ranking and can take No. 1 away from Edberg within the next few months. No American has been No. 1 since John McEnroe in 1985.

Edberg, who missed the last two months of 1991 because of wrist and knee injuries, played far below his near-perfect form in the U.S. Open. Edberg double-faulted for the third and fourth time in the third set on the last two points, and never again raised the quality of his game.

“I didn’t have the timing today,” Edberg said. “I didn’t play the big points as well. It wasn’t my day today. He played a good, solid match, and took advantage of the opportunities I gave him.”

The absence from tennis, he said, “was bound to catch up with me sooner or later.”

Courier, of Dade City, Fla., who reached the final without meeting a seeded player, pounded two-fisted backhands and short, punchy forehands with enough force to keep Edberg, a two-time Australian champion, either pinned on the baseline or off-balance at the net.

Courier’s backhand was his most important stroke, accounting for 28 winners. Edberg’s backhand, meanwhile, lacked authority and accuracy, perhaps weakened by the forearm strain he suffered before the tournament.

Edberg seemed oddly edgy most of the match, complaining about the “softness” of the balls and a couple of line calls. Despite the loud support of Swedish fans with faces painted the blue and yellow colors of their flag, Edberg couldn’t summon the strength he showed in New York.

Courier broke Edberg for the first time to 4-2 in the first set when Edberg double-faulted for the first of seven times in the match, then hit a weak volley into the net on a strong backhand return at break point.

Courier fought off a break point at 5-3, 30-40 when Edberg netted three backhands in a row.

Edberg evened the match in the second set, breaking Courier to 2-0 with a beautiful lob that landed on the baseline for the last point.

Courier shrugged off that loss, and a break in the first game of the third set, to pounce on Edberg’s serve and break back at 1-1.

But the best was yet to come for Courier, who controlled the rallies and waited for Edberg to double-fault himself out of the third set and the fourth. Edberg double-faulted to start the sixth game of the fourth set, fell behind 0-40, then lost the game when another brisk backhand return sped past him.

The last American to win the Australian was Johan Kriek in 1982. Kriek, a U.S. immigrant, won the previous year as a South African. The last American native to win was Brian Teacher in 1980.

Courier will represent the United States at the Olympics this summer, but he wasn’t asked to play the first round of Davis Cup in Hawaii.

Courier said he won’t put any pressure on himself in the race for No. 1.

“If the best I can do is be No. 2 in the world, well, that’s not too bad,” he said. “If I do become No. 1, that’ll be a great day.”