It is a full six weeks before the start of the 2010 Grand Slam tennis season with the start of the Australian Open in mid-January. Many may have forgotten that the Australian Open used to be played in December, sometimes over the Christmas holidays that keep away many of the world’s best players. This week, WorldTennisMagazine.com will provide excerpts from the book ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.TennisHistoryBook.com) that detail Australian Open events that happened this week.
ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY – December 8
1984 – Chris Evert Lloyd defeats Helena Sukova 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 to win the Australian Open women’s singles title. Evert Lloyd’s title is her 16th major singles title, her second Australian title and continues her streak of winning at least one major title every year since 1973. Says Evert Lloyd, “I felt I was struggling throughout the first set. But as soon as I got a break up in the second set, I felt more comfortable.” Says the 19-year-old Sukova, playing in her first major singles final, ”Chrissie just started to pass me so much better. She just hit so many passing shots down the line or just a couple of inches away from the line.’
1985 – Stefan Edberg upsets No. 1 seed Ivan Lendl 6-7, 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 9-7 in the semifinals of the Australian Open in Melbourne, advancing the 19-year-old Swede into a major final for the first time in his career. Following the loss, Lendl rips the Australian Open for its lack-luster status, continuing the trend of tournament criticism all week due mainly to the rough conditions of the grass courts at the Kooyong Tennis Club. “I don’t call this a major championship,” says Lendl. “I put it in the second class.” The match is resumed after rain interrupts play the previous day with Edberg leading 2-1.
