Korda celebrates revival with Australian Open win

30-year-old Czech earns first major victory, will probably move up to No. 2 in next rankings

Web posted February 2, 1998

Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Nothing about the Australian Open final sparkled except the eyes of Petr Korda as he completed an emotional journey from tennis oblivion back toward the pinnacle of the sport with his first Grand Slam victory.

The 30-year-old Korda, near retirement from relentless pain a few years ago, celebrated his revival today by falling to his knees in prayer, cartwheeling across court and climbing into the stands to hug his wife and daughter after a 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 romp over wooden, error-prone Marcelo Rios.

Korda played solidly, if unspectacularly, but that's all he had to do against the Chilean, who could barely keep the ball on court and could never pressure Korda.

Korda produced 32 winners, mostly off his forehand, compared to Rios' mere seven.

Korda, who will reach a careerhigh No. 2 in the next rankings, is the first Czech man to win the Australian title since his idol, Ivan Lendl, in 1989 and 1990. In his family home in the Czech Republic, Korda still has a poster autographed by Lendl. Only one other Czech man, Jan Kodes, ever won a Grand Slam title.

Korda also is the oldest Grand Slam winner since Andres Gomez, a few months older, captured the French Open in 1990.

Rios, who will reach a careerhigh No. 5 in the next rankings, was the first South American to reach the Australian final since Guillermo Vilas won in 1978 and 1979, and the first Chilean in a Grand Slam final since Luis Ayala was runnerup in the French Open in 1958 and 1960.