When the Swede Returned to New York as a Native
Stefan Edberg’s title defense was all about grit and character
For many years Stefan Edberg didn’t enjoy playing in New York. The mild-mannered and reticent Swede found all the commotion and crowd in the Big Apple too tough to handle. The discomfort reflected in his early results at Flushing Meadows, rather the lack of it.
In his first three appearances at the Flushing Meadows, the Swede failed to go past the fourth round. Edberg however, made it to the semi-finals in both 1986 — losing to Ivan Lendl, and in 1987 — beaten in four sets by compatriot Mats Wilander.
In 1990, the Swede carried a 22-match winning streak — one that included four straight titles including Wimbledon, into the US Open. The Västervik-born player was expectedly the favorite. However, he flattered to deceive, making an exit in the opening round itself, losing to Russian journeyman Alexander Volkov in straight sets.
In his first seven visits to the Big Apple, the Swede had failed to claim the coveted title. The advent of a new decade albeit marked a significant growth in Edberg’s career, in terms of results.
When the Swede did win his maiden US Open trophy (in 1991) it also marked the first occasion when he had won a Grand Slam title on a surface…
