TENNIS / AUSTRALIAN OPEN : Courier Adds Drama With Comeback

Just when tennis was being dismissed by critics and some of its own players as a bore, Jim Courier and Bryan Shelton provided a taste of how compelling the sport can be.

The two Americans offered an intriguing display of power tennis, with Shelton providing the perfect counterpunch to Courier’s strong serve and forehand.

Courier, seeking a third consecutive Australian Open title, rallied to avoid a first-round ouster Monday. He took five of the final six games to win, 4-6, 6-1, 6-7 (7-4), 6-2, 6-4, in a 4-hour 42-minute match.

Courier’s victory wasn’t pretty, but it was exciting. And it was an answer to those who complain men’s tennis has turned into a boring battle of big servers. In recent days, Ivan Lendl and Thomas Muster have said they would not pay to see today’s brand of tennis.

The crowd gasped as Courier and Shelton traded shots, then gestured to themselves with their rackets, sort of shadowboxing in the midday sun.

Early today, No. 8-seeded Petr Korda of the Czech Republic was upset by Thomas Enqvist of Sweden, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).

In other matches played early today, No. 4 Stefan Edberg, No. 9 Todd Martin, No. 10 Magnus Gustafsson, No. 12 Alexander Volkov and No. 13 Wayne Ferreira of South Africa all won.

On Monday, top-seeded Pete Sampras won easily, blasting 23 aces in a 6-4, 6-0, 7-6 (7-5) victory over Australian Joshua Eagle.

Also winning first-round matches Monday were No. 5 Goran Ivanisevic, who delighted several hundred flag-waving Croatian fans with a straight-set victory over Alex O’Brien, and No. 11 Marc Rosset of Switzerland, No. 14 Karel Novacek of the Czech Republic and No. 15 Lendl.

In the women’s draw, No. 1 Steffi Graf needed only 23 minutes Monday to win, 6-1, 2-0, over Kimberly Po, who retired with a strained stomach muscle.