Stefan Edberg's Greatest Matches

I collected Edberg tapes out of necessity. Since I discovered him late in his career, it was through the good grace of other fans that I obtained tapes of his matches and thereby relived the thrills of his greatest victories.

Years after Stefan's retirement in 1996, I dusted off the tapes one day and watched the 1991 US Open matches. I was instantly hooked again. In retrospect, one can better appreciate the circumstances and the artistry of tennis in those times, and the beauty of Edberg's special blend of tennis, seen today, is as enthralling as ever. Perhaps more so now, as his style is unlikely to be replicated ever, due to the dominance of powerplay in today's pro-tennis.

Another thing that sets Stefan's best matches apart is the drama they presented. Even at the peak of his game, Stefan was not one who blew his opponent off the court. Perhaps because his willowy figure looked deceptively fragile, or perhaps because his game hinged on such fine precision, you sense that he was always vulnerable, that his finely tuned game could go out at any moment. And he often was vulnerable, such as when he, out of exhaustion, lost to Michael Chang in the 1989 French Open final. Or when he lost to Ivan Lendl in the 1991 Australian Open after squandering multiple match points. But there is unimaginable exhilaration when he did pull it off, as he did in the 1988 Wimbledon semi-final and then final, and, against all odds, in his 1992 epic US Open five-setters. I especially enjoy the moments when he had to play clutch points, when he calmly stared down defeat, sometimes in spite of a partisan crowd, as in the 1986 Australian Open final and the 1991/1992 US Opens.

Alison Muscatine of the Washington Post said it best: "There is nothing more beautiful or more breathtaking than Stefan Edberg's tennis game when he is on. Every stroke is poetic, every movement lyrical." You have to see it to appreciate it.

I suppose it's wistful thinking, but I always thought that there should be a market, albeit a selective one, for a DVD of "Stefan Edberg's Greatest Matches." If such a DVD were to exist, I would include in it some of Edberg's finest matches that I have had the fortune and pleasure of seeing on tape, as described below.

• Early-career:
  • 1985 Australian Open Stefan Edberg d. Ivan Lendl; 6-7, 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 9-7; semifinal; grass. Steve Flink includes this match as one of the greatest of the twentieth century (see here).
    Then only 19 and not as lanky as in later years, Stefan was a flaxen-haired, cuddly teenager, a David against the Goliah in men's tennis of those days, the intimidating Ivan Lendl. As you can see from the score, Stefan played very close to Lendl from the start,and could have won in straight set, except that he seemed careless at key points. I read that Stefan used to hang his head when things didn't go his way, but this match spoke otherwise. He was quiet and reserved, in contrast to the loquacious Lendl, who repeatedly challenged the young Australian umpire. Both men slipped on court repeatedly, with Lendl milking each fall with dramatic, lengthy stay on the ground, appearing to be writhing in pain.
    The match, a great thrill and a breakthrough for young Stefan, has many great moments. But I find one particular moment especially endearing, as it speaks volumes to Stefan's character.
    In the 7th game of the fourth set, Stefan was serving at 0-15. He was one break down in the game, with the match at 6-7, 7-5, 6-1 in his favor. Lendl had just called an injury break, and, throughout the match, had interrupted action by challenging line calls repeatedly. He was carrying on a feud with the umpire, a young Australian.
    On this point, Lendl was returning on the ad court. Stefan, sporting a jaunty shirt with a touch of red, his longish blond hair flapping in the wind, wielded a serve that landed deftly on the T, right down the middle. Lendl stared, caught the ball, and did not move for a minute. He finally put the ball down on the baseline before moving on to the deuce court. Stefan readied for the next serve. But Ivan began to mouth something to the umpire, apparently challenging that there was no call on a serve that he thought had faulted. The conversation was barely audible on my tape, but the young umpire could be heard to say "let's play" repeatedly, while Lendl, his hands on his hip, could be heard saying "I didn't ask to play, I ..." The dispute went on in public view for minutes, while Stefan waited patiently on the other side of the court. The crowd in the packed stadium grew impatient.
    Lendl finally settled down. With his next serve, what did Stefan do? As if to express his disapproval of the constant complaints of his garrulous opponent, Stefan spinned off another ace, this time from the opposite side, that landed in the exact same pinpoint spot, to show Ivan that that the last serve was no fluke. The crowd let out a hearty cheer, with whistles to follow. Lendl moved mutely to the other side.
    Stefan went on to win that game, but lost the set after a rain delay. He would go on to win the fifth set to clinch his victory, to the delight of the Australian crowd.
    In the 12th game of the last set and receiving at 6-5, Stefan had match points twice and failed to convert either. The match went on to 7-7, then 8-7. In the final game, Lendl was serving at 30-0, when a rally ended with one of Ivan's signature fierce overhead smash that bounced high up, seemingly into the stands. At the far end of his side of the court, Stefan somehow managed to strike the ball back after it bounced, and the ball past Ivan cleanly to land on the side line. Two points later, Stefan had his third match point. By now, the crowd was solidly behind the younger man, and Stefan did not disappoint them. With an excellent return which he did not overhit, he struck the ball past Lendl's reach. In the stands, a smiling Tony Pickard clapped and shook hands with someone. Annette was not in sight (she was with Wilander at that time.) The crowd gave the players a standing ovation. Stefan trailed Ivan as the two men trotted off the court, Lendl glum-faced and Stefan smiling his shy smile. A man, a tournament official, expressed his congratulations by patting young Stefan on his Shoulder.
    One other notable thing about this match: toward the end of it, Stefan, who had numerous shirt changes throughout the match, sported an outfit that was identical to Lendl's, a faux pas of sort, I imagine - I have never seen anything like that! It seems that both men were sponsored by Adidas at the time.

    Even more amazing is that it turned out that Stefan was playing with mono. According to an article "STEFAN EDBERG: BEST OF THE SWEDES?" by Roger M. Williams in "Australian Tennis", March 1986: "All these heroics, it turned out, were performed in the face of developing mononucleosis, which Edberg's lean, lithe body had been harboring for several weeks."

  • 1987 Australian Open final vs. Pat Cash: one of those hard-fought five-set wins that I cherish. Cash was the Australian national hero and Stefan was trying to defend his AO title. Stefan's early two-set lead dwindled to nothing in the Australian sun, and it was through a sheer display of wills that a very young Edberg (aged 21) managed to pull off a victory in the end. This match is a preview of his many knock-down drag-out epics to come.
  • 1987 Super Seiko final: I had no idea that this was such a high quality match. As I watched this battle on tape, I was glued to my seat, just as the sold-out Japanese crowd did at the time that this match was played in a splendid Tokyo arena. Lendl and Edberg were then the #1 and #2 ranked players, and both were favorites of the Japanese crowd. This match, along with Stefan's 1991 USO match against Chang, is a supreme example of how engaging tennis can be when a defensive player (Lendl or Chang) is pitted against an offensive player, when both players are on their game. In this Tokyo match, a young 21-year old Stefan was the underdog against the then invincible Ivan Lendl. Ivan's formidable inside-out forehand and powerful ground strokes required a spectacular display of Stefan's net play for Edberg to secure a narrow victory. Stefan also played some great cross-court shots (backhand and running forehand), and got some help from a few line calls that irked Lendl.
    But what's really precious about this tape is the special camera angle that the Japanese TV film crew employed. A camera was mounted in the center of the net to give the viewers a close-up look of the players (mostly Stefan) as they approach the net. Especially spectacular is one point in the last set where Stefan, at net, was drilled by Ivan three times. Three times the ball went at full force right at Edberg's body, and each time he volleyed back in lightning-fast reflex. The athleticism of Edberg, shown at that rarely seen angle, is simply breathtaking. This tape is among my most prized possessions.
  • 1988 Wimbledon semi-final against Miloslav Mecir -- then known as the "Swedes killer" for his tendency to befuddle Swedish players, especially Mats Wilander. Stefan was down and out by two sets and came back from the brink of defeat, The match point was a "play of the day" highlight, and a closeup shot of the shy smile flashed by a radiant young Stefan (at 22 year old) as he turned around to see Mecir unexpectedly dump the last ball into the net is priceless.
  • 1988 Wimbledon final: A delightful match of Stefan upsetting favorite three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker. Along with his 1991 USO final, this is a match where Stefan's game was on throughout, and the radiance of his being exudes an aura of invincibility. Stefan wore his hairs long then, and was not as lean as in later years. To Edberg fans, this was a true feast for the eyes. The full post-match ceremony coverage in front of an adoring London crowd is a true bonus.
  • 1989 Wimbledon semi-final against John McEnroe. It was the first time that these two net-play virtuosos finally met on grass. Stefan, aged 23, was in his prime. John, a Wimbledon crowd favorite and by then a parent of two young children, was on a successful comeback trail. Keenly aware of the formidable task at hand, a very tense Stefan barely held McEnroe at bay on the strength of his serve and the firmness and precision of his volleys. This is a masterpiece of two serve-and-volley all-time-greats.
    Rex Bellamy of the London Times summed up the match nicely:
    "This contest between the inscrutable Swede and the scrutably artistic anti-hero was mostly conducted in terse, strong terms. But there were sporadic rallies in which both men deftly explored the possibilities for finesse, usually in the forecourt. One says ``usually'' because Edberg in particular also played some teasing lobs. McEnroe entertained us with a rich variety of volleys: some like arrows, others like feathers. What a glorious touch he has. The personalities were interesting, too. One saw Edberg as a composed, elegant gunfighter and McEnroe as the type who emerges wild-eyed from back-street bars, looking for trouble and well able to deal with it. Edberg was tall, erect, willowy: McEnroe, on the other hand, looked rather rumpled and fidgety, as if he had dressed in a hurry.
    McEnroe often looked slightly the more flexible in his control of the racket head and the technical diversity he commanded. But Edberg kept pounding away, volleying to the corners, and slamming every door McEnroe tried to open. Edberg's emotional response to the ebb and flow of the match was seldom evident: except for his shuffling hop of pleasure whenever he had done something clever. McEnroe is not the kind to give even that much indication that he is happy. His feelings became clear only in a gloomy way: when he had fallen short in his ceaseless pursuit of perfection. In his time, he has been closer than most men to attaining that unattainable goal."
  • 1990 Wimbledon final: famous five-setter against Becker. Stefan, looking leaner and very tense, played unbelievable tennis in the first two sets, only to lose steam in the next two. A lob in the fifth set salvaged the match and elicited an emotional reaction from Stefan as the world seldom saw. Especially memorable is the affection shown by Boris at the end of the match. Boris climbed over the net to Stefan and gave him a hug. Stefan's shy smile as he embraced Becker is unforgettable.
• Mid-career:
  • Three 1991 US Open matches – Stefan at his finest, fittest, and the most handsome.
    • His fourth round match against Michael Chang: This, in my opinion, was Stefan's best match, a virtuoso performance. It was not as one-sided as his final victory. And it was a rare night match. Stefan played and looked sensational.
      Both players were on, hitting clean shots that landed inches from the lines. Several prolonged exchanges, with both players running side-to-side, had the crowd jumping up and down on the stands.
      I especially admire the calm and control displayed by Stefan at crunch points, including overcoming a break point at the end of the match. Michael Chang had beaten John McEnroe in the previous round, and was finally getting the support that he deserved from the New York crowd. Supposedly Michael was asked, after the match, if he had ever played so well and still lost. Stefan won in straight-sets: 7-6, 7-5, 6-3, but it was an extremely close match that was often breathbreaking. Both players struck the ball cleanly and shots were hit with pin-point accuracy. An incredible and unforgettable match.
      Highlights:
      • Several points when both players ran back and forth many time, side to side.
      • Stefan hit a drop shot at the net and bounced around a little (“using some body English”).
      • Stefan knelt at the net, willing a net ball to bounce over to the other side, which it did, after bouncing on the net twice. Michael Chang picked up the ball and, in mock disgust, gently tossed it at Stefan, who looked up in surprise and then with a shy smile. The ball did hit Edberg too.
    • Semi-final against Ivan Lendl – straight-set win: After a tentative start, Stefan continued his fine form and won effortlessly. Not a match as entertaining as the previous match, as Ivan was not playing at his best.
      Highlights:
      • A behind-the-back, winning shot by each player. Ivan pulled the stunt first, and, several games later, Stefan returned the favor and broke into a wide grin as he did – the crowd went wild. Ivan then said loudly: “I guess anyone can make that shot these days”, to the cheers of the crowd.
      • At the end of the match, a fantastic looking Stefan, hardly sweaty, happily autographed for the crowd.
    • The final – a sweet victory, a straight-set win over Courier: Edberg considers this his best match ever. Stefan put on a superb display of tennis, with great poise and confidence that overcame a stadium (25,000 people) full of audience mostly rooting for his American opponent. A tour de force played with supreme aplomb, spellbinding grace, and mesmorizing beauty.
      The highlight of the match was in the last game of the second set. Arthur Ashe wrote in a New York Times column thus:
      "Edberg had been in the so-called 'zone' (when an athlete can do no wrong) since the fourth round, when he dispatched Michael Chang in straight sets. In this mind-set, he believed he could do anything at any time. He tried shots that usually qualify as risky, and they worked.
      Edberg started the match serving down the middle to crowd Courier. Several serves were so well-placed that Courier's return was more self-defense than forehand or backhand. Courier tried moving his return position up, back, to the left, to the right. Nothing worked. There was one opening at 4-4, 15-30, Edberg serving in the second set. Called for a first-serve foot-fault, Edberg spun in a second serve to Courier's two-handed backhand, which he nailed cross-court. From knee-high level, Edberg deftly side-spun a backhand volley just inside Courier's forehand sideline for a clean winner. Courier just smiled the smile of resignation.
      On the next point, Edberg was again called for a first-serve foot-fault. Again, he won the point at the net on the second volley. It was Courier's last stand. He didn't win another game."
      And a sweet bonus: At the end of the match, Edberg ran into the stands to embrace a radiant Annette, then his fiancee, and to receive a fatherly tousling of his hairs by Coach Tony Pickard. I watch this tape regularly, especially around holidays.
  • 1992 USOpen.
    While not playing at his best, Stefan was at his most admirable in three legendary back-to-back five-setters in each of which he came back from the brink of defeat. Down a break in the final set, Stefan prevailed over, in succession, Krajicek, Lendl, and, in a 5-hour and 30-minutes match, Michael Chang. Just seeing Edberg keep his poise and calmly serve out the final game after an incredibly trying match is a treat. Unforgettable display of sportsmanship, will, and occasional brilliance. And I melt everytime when the tape showed Stefan, after the marathon battle with Chang was finally over, mouthing "I will" to an ATP trainer who was probably offering some medical advice (such as "drink fluid".)
• Career-end:
  • Edberg vs. Chang, Roland Garros, 1996.
    In the last year on tour, Stefan rewarded an adoring French Open crowd with an unexpected third-round upset victory. Chang was not playing at his best, while the spectators, fully aware of the two men's previous encounter in the center court, gave Edberg their hearty support. In a postmatch interview, Stefan was asked if he was "feeling like 20 again today," to which he said," Yes, I was, again, even sort of 18, 19, I think. It was a wonderful feeling being out there today. I played some of the best tennis I've done for a very, very long time. You know, to beat Michael here, you need to play very well. He's a tough competitor."
    This was one match whose broadcast I watched live, and my shout of joy at the end of the match was probably heard all the way around the world.
  • 1996 USO matches:
    In his last US Open, Stefan had full-crowd support when he opened the tournament with an upset over then Wimbledon Champion Richard Krajicek, then went on to win three more matches before he was stopped by Goran Ivanisevic in the quarterfinals.
  • Edberg vs. Muster, Vienna, 1996, a little known match that had high drama for those in the know. Stefan, at the very end of his tour career and stricken with a flu, defeated Thomas Muster on his home turf yet once more, to maintain an unblemished head-to-head 10:0 record against the Austrian. This was a hard-fought three setter that showed great will and a lot of heart. As one of the last matches that Edberg had to offer, Stefan was classy to the end.

As a parting note: If you have tapes of Edberg's other great matches, especially his five-set wins, including an early Davis-Cup victory over Mecir and his 1991 Australian Open battle against Jim Courier, please write to me at mlliu@charter.net.).

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