TENNIS ROUNDUP : Courier Has Look of No. 1 in Beating Becker for Title

Jim Courier, making the most of a powerful forehand and an outdoor court, won the U.S. Hardcourts title at Indianapolis on Sunday, beating Boris Becker, 7-5, 6-3, for his first victory over the German player.

Courier, who officially reclaims the No. 1 ranking in the world today, had lost six matches to Becker, the last five indoors.

“I think I have good chances against him on any surface and outdoors particularly, a better chance,” Courier said. “So I went in feeling pretty positive.”

Becker was playing in a title match for the first time since he defeated Sergi Bruguera on Feb. 14 in Milan, Italy. He had won this tournament twice and was in the final for the fourth time.

“The difference in our past matches have also been very narrow,” Becker said. “He is stronger on a hardcourt.”

There was only one service break in each set. The match included only 11 break points, with Courier saving all four against him.

Courier didn’t lose a set and lost only two of his 46 service games during the tournament.

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Steffi Graf, forced to three sets for the first time in the tournament, beat Jennifer Capriati, 6-1, 0-6, 6-3, to win the Canadian Open at Toronto.

Graf traded her overpowering forehand with Capriati’s two-fisted backhand and in the third set, and then broke Capriati’s serve in the opening game to change the course of the match.

The five-time Wimbledon champion dominated the first set, breaking Capriati’s serve twice and unloading forehand winners and backhand slices on the way to her second Canadian Open title.

“In the first set I don’t think I could have played much better,” Graf said.

Graf’s serve collapsed in the second set as Capriati broke her three times and dominated a baseline game with her consistent backhand.

Capriati wilted in the third set, however, double-faulting in the first game to give Graf a service break and the opening she needed.

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Andrei Medvedev battled back as he had all week, taking advantage of 42 unforced errors by Petr Korda for a 7-5, 6-4 victory to win the Volvo International at New Haven, Conn.

Medvedev was down, 5-3, in the first set against Korda and facing double set point with Korda serving at 40-15. Medvedev then won 17 of the next 21 points, breaking Korda twice, to win the first set.