TENNIS ROUNDUP : Edberg Beats Chang, Passes Lendl for No. 1 Ranking

Stefan Edberg defeated Michael Chang on Friday--and with the victory earned the No. 1 ranking in the world.

Edberg defeated Chang, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, to move to the semifinals of the $1.3-million ATP championship at Mason, Ohio. The victory also moved Edberg past Ivan Lendl for the top spot in the ATP computer rankings.

“Not everyone is going to be No. 1 in the rankings,” Edberg, 24, said. “You need to play good tennis. I’ve done that this year. (Being No.1) is something that I’ve wanted to do. The last couple of years I thought I had a chance. Now I’ve done it.”

Edberg, the Wimbledon champion, passed Lendl to become the eighth No. 1 since the computer ratings began in 1973. Lendl, who didn’t play in the tournament, has been No. 1 for most of the last seven years, except for a brief period when another Swede, Mats Wilander, was on top.

Edberg said that he was aware that he could take over the top spot this week. He also said that he was aware of what came with it.

“Life is still going to go on,” he said. “I will try to stay up there as long as I can. My main goal now is to play well at the (U.S.) Open.”

Edberg said he would celebrate by taking a four-day vacation next week. His only commitment before the U.S. Open, Aug. 27-Sept. 9 at Flushing Meadow, N.Y., is an exhibition the week before the final Grand Slam event.

His quarterfinal victory over the Chang wasn’t easy, though. Chang had to fight to hold serve to start the third set, then built a 3-1 lead before Edberg won the next four games to take command.

In today’s semifinals, Edberg will meet Andres Gomez, who is ranked fifth in the world. Gomez defeated Jim Courier, 6-1, 6-4, in another quarterfinal.

Defending champion Brad Gilbert held off Jakob Hlasek, 2-6, 6-1, 7-5, to earn a spot in the semifinals against Scott Davis. The unseeded Davis held off 15th-seeded Richard Fromberg, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8).

Sixth-seeded Susan Sloane upset fourth-seeded Dinky Van Rensburg of South Africa, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, to move into the semifinals of a $150,000 women’s tournament at Albuquerque, N.M.

Sloane will be joined by second-seeded Laura Gildemeister of Peru, who rebounded from an 0-6 loss in the first set to beat Anne Minter of Australia, 0-6, 6-3, 6-2. Third-seeded Anne Smith beat South Africa’s Amanda Coetzer, 6-2, 6-1.

The Raleigh Edge advanced to the championship match of Team-Tennis with a 27-16 victory over the Miami Beach Breakers in the Eastern Division finals at Raleigh, N.C. Raleigh will play the Los Angeles Strings for the title Sunday night at the Forum.