Wilander, About to Be Married, Won’t Play in the Davis Cup Final
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Tennis star Mats Wilander, citing personal reasons, said Wednesday he will not play the Davis Cup final for defending champion Sweden against Australia in Melbourne Dec. 26-28.
Wilander, who is ranked third in the world, is to marry Sonia Mulholland Jan. 3 on the estate Summerveld near Durban, South Africa.
“I think it’s best for me and the team,” said Wilander, who announced his decision before an exhibition match with fellow-Swede Joakim Nystrom in Umea, north Sweden.
“I know I wouldn’t be able to concentrate 100% on the match. I hope most people understand and accept my decision.”
The 22-year-old Wilander returned only last week from a two-month break he decided to take to avoid burnout, reaching the Stockholm Open final in his comeback. He lost, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1, to countryman Stefan Edberg, his worst loss ever in a best-of-five-sets match.
A two-time French and Australian Open champion, Wilander also missed the Davis Cup semifinal against Czechoslovakia in Prague a month ago. But the Swedes, playing with Davis Cup rookies Kent Carlsson and Mikael Pernfors in addition to Edberg, still won 4-1 to secure a fourth straight trip to the final of the prestigious international tennis competition.
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