Cash-Edberg clash to open final

Press, 26 December 1986, Page 22

Cash-Edberg clash to open final

NZPA-AAP Melbourne Pat Cash takes on the reigning Australian Open champion, Stefan Edberg, today, in what is certain to be a power-packed opening to the Davis Cup final against Sweden at Kooyong.

Cash and a fellow Victorian, Paul McNamee, were named as Australia’s singles players yesterday. The Swedish captain, Hans Olsson, has selected Edberg and the French Open runner-up, Mikael Pemfors, as his singles players. In the second singles match today Pernfors will play McNamee. At the pair’s only meeting McNamee was beaten by the dark-haired Swede, 63, 7-6, in Paris earlier this year. In the doubles tomorrow, Edberg will partner Anders Jarryd against Cash and the South Australian, John Fitzgerald. Edberg and Jarryd won the world doubles title in London last week. In the reverse singles

on Sunday Pemfors will meet Cash while Edberg will face McNamee. The Australian captain, Neale Fraser, said he had decided on the singles berths overnight and told the players yesterday morning shortly before the draw. * Mr Fraser said he had hardly watched the Swedes practise and did not know enough about them to comment on their form. Cash said he felt “fine” about meeting Edberg in the first match. “I’ve been practising with the other players on serve and volley all week and that’s what he’ll be playing,” Cash said. He said he had prepared well over the last month and was as fit as he had ever been.

McNamee said his match with Pernfors would be "very difficult”. “He’s a very good player and obviously he is playing well. He did the job for them in the semifinal and he’ll be very competitive.” McNamee said the key to the side’s preparation was that Mr Fraser had managed to instil rivalry into the team while at the same time maintaining harmony. Mr Olsson said he felt Cash would have to win both his singles matches for Australia to win the tie. Mr Olsson said he was happy with the draw because with Edberg playing the first singles, today and the last match on Sunday ,it meant he would have the longest rest.