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Chang Outlasts Weary Korda to Repeat Title

The patient, persistent style of top-seeded Michael Chang was too arduous yesterday for No. 2 Petr Korda, fatigued and unable to sustain his game of precise placement. As Korda’s energy and concentration waned, he committed 64 unforced errors, and Chang successfully defended his Legg Mason Tennis Classic title, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.

Ranked second in the world, Chang became the first repeat champion here since Andre Agassi won in 1990 and ’91. He now leads the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour in titles this year with five, one more than top-ranked Pete Sampras, and has a 6-2 career record against Korda.

Chang, who received a first-round bye, was almost eliminated in his first match. He survived two match points against Luis Herrera of Mexico and needed 10 match points of his own to win. But yesterday, his conservative, baseline style easily outlasted Korda, who relies on difficult, sharp-angled shots.

"You know he’s going to make great shots, so I had to play good, solid, aggressive tennis and keep my errors down," said Chang, who had 13 unforced errors. "He’s very talented and can hit winners from any part of the court, so you just have to take them and wait for your time."

In doubles, brothers Luke and Murphy Jensen won the title over Neville Godwin of South Africa and Fernon Wibier of France, 6-4, 6-4. The singles and doubles championship matches, which drew 7,465, were not sellouts. Although ticket sales were up 14 percent from last year, tournament officials said, no match filled the stadium, including Andre Agassi’s return to tennis after 2½ months off.

Tournament director Kari Mutscheller said the "disappointing" attendence may lead to a new schedule in 1998 — with one session each day beginning at 4 p.m. to avoid brutal heat that annually bakes the court, and the spectators. Traditionally, there have been a day session that begins at 11 a.m. and then an evening session.

Yesterday, Chang played his first day match of the week, albeit in much cooler temperatures than those felt in other afternoons, and benefited greatly from his conditioning, widely thought to be among the tour’s best. Korda faded in his fifth straight day match. He began to show signs of fatigue midway through the first set, and trainer Bill Norris attended to him often. Friday, Korda said he was close to quitting his quarterfinal match because of heat illness.

"If you don’t have legs, you can’t beat Michael Chang," said the 21st-ranked Korda, who won here in 1992 and was a finalist in 1991. "I was just tired and couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t even run. With what I went through this week, I had nothing. And Michael came in fresh."

Korda was shaky from the start. Though he won the first game, it took seven minutes and 16 points — Korda double-faulted four times. He finished with nine double faults. "When you don’t have any energy, you can’t serve," he said.

The first set was an hour-long battle of attrition that suited Chang, though it was one he lost. Korda expended valuable energy during the extended volleys and tense moments, leaving little for later. Games went to deuce six times, and Korda and Chang each faced several break points.

In the sixth game, Korda held double-break point over a frustrated Chang, who stared at his feet for a full five seconds after hitting a shot long. But Chang came back to hold serve in that game and to hold double-break point himself in the next, after Korda double-faulted for the sixth time. But Korda, as Chang had just done, came back to hold.

After Chang held for 4-4, he led the ninth game, 40-30, and seemed poised to take the first break of the match. But Korda was able to use what was the weakest part of his game yesterday to save himself. He served two straight aces to take the advantage and then held on a beautiful backhand down the line.

Korda broke Chang to win the set in the 12th game. Holding break point, Korda put a return shot into the net, sent the game to deuce and, arching his back in disgust, stared at the sky. Then, with the advantage, Korda hit a forehand into the corner Chang couldn’t return. But that was his final triumph of the day.

"I just gave effort for the first set," Korda said, "and I was better in the first set and, if I had energy, he’d have had a heck of a time to beat me."

As it turned out, Chang had little trouble from then on. Korda could not keep up. Of Chang’s five breaks, all came in the second and third sets — and all came on errors by Korda.

"I did the best I could; I just didn’t have it," said Korda, who played in his second final of the year and third in five visits to Washington. His appearance in the final will move him into the top 20 in today’s new rankings. "I knew it was over, because I had nothing left."

© Copyright 1997 The Washington Post Company

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