For many modern-day greats of men’s tennis, including the likes of Roger Federer and Andy Murray, two of the finest players to have ever played the sport are Stefan Edberg and Ivan Lendl.
From the mid 1980s through to the early ‘90s, Edberg and Lendl formed one of the fiercest rivalries in men’s tennis. The duo faced each other 27 times during this period, with Edberg holding a narrow 14-13 advantage in their career head-to-head.
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The Edberg-Lendl rivalry had the hallmark of a classic right from the get-go. They won a match each in their first two encounters, before Lendl nudged ahead with a gritty, five-set victory in the quarter-finals of the 1985 World Championship Tennis Finals.
However, their first truly iconic match happened a few weeks later in the semi-finals of the 1985 Australian Open. Back then, the first Grand Slam of the year was played on grass courts and that edition of the tournament was held at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne.
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Heading into that match, Lendl was the favourite for most. He had won his first Major title at the US Open a few months earlier and was ranked No 1 in the world.
Edberg, on the other hand, was a rising star and in 1983 had become the first (and only player in the Open Era to date) to win all four Junior Grand Slam titles in the same year. His best result in a Major at the pro circuit till then was a quarter-final run at the 1984 Australian Open.
Edberg was all of 19 heading into the 1985 Australian Open semi-final against Lendl but the Swede put in an unforgettable performance to take the tennis world by storm.
Edberg used his famous serve-and-volley tactic from the start but just three games into the match, play was interrupted due to rain and the players were forced to go off. Once they were back, Lendl held his nerve and closed out the opener in a tie-breaker.
But his up-and-coming opponent showed he was ready for a fight and took a lead in the match by winning the next two sets. Just when it seemed like Edberg would run away with the match, though, Lendl showed his class by squaring things up and taking the fourth set after another rain delay.
However, the best was yet to come. With all to play for in the decider, both plays raised their game several notches and delivered a classic battle for all those watching. They both liked to rush to the net and that led to a number of stunning winners from each of them.
Edberg eventually landed the knockout punch by breaking late in the fifth set to win the match 6–7(3), 7–5, 6–1, 4–6, 9–7. Lendl, though, wasn’t exactly gracious in defeat and termed the tournament “second class” after the match ended.
“I don’t call this a major championship,’’ Lendl was quoted as saying by The New York Times after the match. ‘’I put it in the second class. I’m not happy, but I did my best and there is no more you can do. I told myself not to roll over. I wanted him to earn it.’’
Edberg continued his brilliant form in the final as well to beat Mats Wilander in straight sets and claim his first Grand Slam title. His victory over Lendl in the semi-final, however, remains the more memorable match of that tournament.
Watch highlights of the 1985 Australian Open semi-final between Stefan Edberg and Ivan Lendl here: