Courier Wins Battle of Comeback Kids

Jim Courier, trying to regain the form that made him the world’s No. 1 player in 1992, beat Thomas Enqvist, his practice partner, 6-4, 6-4, Sunday to win the Infiniti Open at UCLA’s Los Angeles Tennis Center.

Courier, the sixth seed, didn’t drop a set in five matches in winning his second title of the year.

Enqvist, of Sweden, lost for only the second time in 13 career finals. His other loss in a final also came at Los Angeles, in 1995 against Michael Stich.

Courier was in control for much of the match. He stumbled briefly after taking a 3-1 lead in the first set, allowing Enqvist to tie the set, 3-3, on a netted backhand.

But Courier broke back in the seventh game, when Enqvist failed to convert two game points and double-faulted to trail, 4-3.

Courier served two of the next three games at love to close out the set on Enqvist’s long forehand.

The players traded breaks early in the second set. Courier tied the set, 4-4, on a lucky net cord and he broke Enqvist at love to go up, 5-4.

Courier served for the match, going up 40-love to set up his first match point. He netted a forehand to briefly prolong the match before Enqvist sent a backhand long on the second match point.

Enqvist, the second seed and world’s eighth-ranked player, is working on his own comeback. He was playing in his first tournament since May when he tore two tendons in his left foot when he tripped over his racket bag, forcing him to skip the French Open and Wimbledon.

Courier earned $43,000 and should move up a few spots from his current ranking of 29th when the ATP Tour rankings come out today.