Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 25, 1992 TAG: 9201250306
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA LENGTH: Medium
SELES BREEZES TO TITLE
Monica Seles destroyed Mary Joe Fernandez's chip-and-charge strategy with a fusillade of laser-perfect shots on the lines today to win a second straight Australian Open and fifth Grand Slam tennis title.Seles clouted the ball with such depth and precision in a 6-2, 6-3 rout that Fernandez had no chance to use the new attacking style she showed in a semifinal victory over Gabriela Sabatini.
Pinned to the baseline most of the match, Fernandez, runner-up two years ago to Steffi Graf, simply could not match the power and consistency of the relentless Seles.
"She creates shots from nowhere," Fernandez, 20, said. "When she's at her best, it's very tough to play against her. She's definitely beatable, but you have to play almost the perfect match to beat her. That's not easy.
"The best part of her game is her tenacity. Under no circumstances does she play tentatively. I think that's what wins her most of her matches."
Seles, fierce on the court, nonchalant off, said, "When I needed good shots, they were there. I did what I always do."
This was one of the most lopsided of championship matches for Seles, 18, who followed her Australian title last year with her second win in the French Open and first in the U.S. Open. The only Grand Slam title she hasn't won in the past year was Wimbledon, which she missed because of shin splints.
A winner of 13 of the 19 straight finals she has made, Seles broke Fernandez's serve all four times in the first set and twice in the second before Fernandez finally held to 4-2 in the second set.
Seles' only deficiency was on her own serves, a part of her game she's been working on in practice. She began the match with a double fault and was broken for the first time to 4-1 with a double fault on the final point.
Fernandez had plenty of chances but couldn't break through. She finally cashed in on her ninth game point and sixth break point in that fifth game of the first set.
Seles slugged 23 winners from the baseline to Fernandez's eight and made only 21 unforced errors to Fernandez's 32. Fernandez had nine winners to Seles' one at the net but couldn't go to the net often enough to make that edge pay off.
In the last two years here, Seles is 14-0 in matches.