OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 10.30am.
AUSTRALIAN veteran John Fitzgerald beat five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg 7-5, 6-3 to take the R240000 MTN Champions title at the University of Pretoria on Sunday.
Fitzgerald’s victory marked his first Champions Tour singles title, his previous best being a final berth in Saudi Arabia a few years back, when he lost to Johan Kriek. Fitzy got his tournament, his 10th MTN Champions, off to a cracking start with an upset victory over top-seed Henri Leconte in the first round. He also took the doubles title with Kevin Curren, beating Borg and Mats Wilander 7-5 7-5.
Borg was gracious in defeat: “He played better than me — really solid. He served well and didn’t make too many mistakes. I was the one who made all the mistakes.”
Fitzgerald was on top of the match from the first serve, but still managed to concede serve in the fifth game with a double fault. But he didn’t let that affect his game, and broke back in the next game with the help of a little luck, when a drop shot landed on the tape, just managing to fall over the net. Then followed three set points gallantly fought by Borg, but a mistake on a backhand return saw the Australian a set ahead.
Fitzgerald wasted no time in the second set, breaking Borg’s serve in the second game. There were no more breaking opportunities offered and Fitzgerald wrapped up the match in style, holding the Swede to love in the final game.