On this day: Stefan Edberg won his first Major title at the 1985 Australian Open
On 9 December 1985, Stefan Edberg defeated compatriot Mats Wilander in the Australian Open final to claim the first of his six Grand Slam singles titles. The championship match in Melbourne remains the only all-Swedish Major final in history.
Background
The 1985 Australian Open was the 74th edition of the tournament and the last time the event was held as the final Major of the season. The tournament was played on grass courts at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne, Australia between 25 November and 9 December (the date of the rain-delayed Monday men's final).
The men's singles draw featured 96 players and 16 seeds, who received first round byes. Edberg, aged 19, was the No. 5 seed at the event, while 21-year-old Wilander was seeded third.
Edberg turned professional in 1983 after becoming the only player in the Open Era to win all four junior Grand Slam titles in the same year. Prior to the 1985 Australian Open, his best senior Major result was reaching the quarterfinals in his second appearance in Melbourne the previous year.
Wilander beat Edberg in four sets in that last eight clash en route to winning the 1984 Australian Open. The Swede had also triumphed at the 1983 Australian Open, as well as at the French Open in 1982 and 1985.
How Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander reached the final
Edberg saw off two unseeded Americans in the second and third rounds, respectively. He beat Bud Schultz in straight sets before downing Matt Anger in a tight four-setter.
Edberg then recovered from 2-0 down to edge Australian Wally Masur in five sets in the fourth round. The 19-year-old followed that with a 6-0, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Dutchman Michiel Schapers in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, Edberg battled past World No. 1 Ivan Lendl 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 9-7 in an epic contest played over two days due to a rain interruption.
Defending champion Wilander enjoyed a more straightforward path to the Australian Open final, although he started off by winning in four close sets against South African qualifier Gary Muller in the second round.
The No. 3 seed then defeated two unseeded American players, Leif Shiras and Tim Wilkinson, in straight sets in the third and fourth rounds. In the last eight, Wilander overcame sixth seed Johan Kriek 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.
The 21-year-old followed that up by seeing off unseeded Yugoslavian Slobodan Zivojinovic 7-5, 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals to reach the title match, with the loss of just a single set.
The 1985 Australian Open final
The 1985 Australian Open men's championship match between Edberg and Wilander was the sixth clash between the pair. Wilander had won four of the previous five encounters, including the past three meetings.
The final was contested on Monday after the event's schedule had been affected by rain delays.
Edberg broke Wilander in the 10th game of the opening set on his way to winning it 6-4. He then broke the No. 3 seed in the third game of the second set, which he took 6-3, to secure a two-sets-to-love advantage.
In the third set, the young Swede broke Wilander's serve twice more - in the third and ninth games - en route to winning 6-3 and sealing his maiden Major title.
Edberg expressed his joy after concluding his remarkable Australian Open run, as reported by The New York Times.
"This has been one of my greatest tournments ever,'' Edberg said. ''I've never been so happy in my life.''
Speaking after the final, Wilander offered warm congratulations to his compatriot.
"If there's somebody I don't mind very much to lose to, it's Stefan," Wilander said. "He's a very good friend."
Edberg won a second Australian Open title in 1987, while Wilander went on to claim his third Melbourne crown in 1988.