Yevgeny Kafelnikov, above, beat Thomas Enqvist 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) for the 1999 Australian Open title. (Reuters)

By Rohan Sullivan
Associated Press Writer
Sunday, January 31, 1999; 2:29 p.m. EST

MELBOURNE, Australia – The Ironman feels like Superman.

Less than six months ago, Yevgeny Kafelnikov didn't think he could win another major tournament. Now he's ready to jump tall buildings in a single bound.

"There's a lot of different things that happened to me, to just relieve pressure from my head,'' Kafelnikov said, after beating Thomas Enqvist 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) Sunday for the Australian Open title.

"When you combine these things you feel like you can jump over the China wall without having any difficulties. That's how I feel right now.''

The Russian, who nearly retired from tennis to win his second Grand Slam title, called his feat better the second time because it dispelled the notion he was a "one-Slam wonder.''

Kafelnikov is the hardest worker in tennis. He played 150 matches last year – 27 more than his nearest rival, Pat Rafter, and 68 more than top-ranked Pete Sampras, in 10th place. He has played more matches than anyone on the tour for four of the past five years.

But mid-1998, after being sidelined during the first month by an injury to his left knee from a skiing accident, Kafelnikov was disillusioned and had lost belief in his ability.

Before the U.S. Open in August, the 1996 French Open winner was asked if he had the hunger and drive to win more major titles and become No. 1.

"Not any more,'' Kafelnikov said. "It's way beyond my ability. For a little while I did believe I could get there, but ... it's in the past.''

Now it's different.

After reaching the quarterfinals or better in six of the 10 Slams he played between 1995 and 1997, he missed the Australian Open in 1998, then failed to get past the fourth round in the other three Slams.

In August, he dropped out of the top 10 rankings for four weeks, the longest period he had been out since 1995.

As life on court atrophied, there were big changes in his personal life.

Kafelnikov got married in July, his daughter was born in October, and in December, his grandfather died – the Russian dedicated his Australian win to him.

Then, Kafelnikov said he would start 1999 with Larry Stefanki, former coach for world No. 2 Marcelo Rios, as his coach.

"He's a grinder,'' Stefanki said of Kafelnikov after the Australian win. "He's got a tough Russian heart. If he had lost, I would have hung him.''

Kafelnikov began the Open overweight and sluggish, but he grew stronger during the tournament, especially by playing tough matches against Romania's Andrei Pavel and Australia's Jason Stoltenberg.

Kafelnikov shrugged off the suggestion a two-time Grand Slam winner doesn't need to play a 150-match schedule.

"I'm motivated,'' he said. "I'm ready to go again.''

The Ironman is steeled to win.