1990 Men's Singles

In 1990, the fireworks weren’t confined to Australia Day, umpire Gerry Armstrong and chief supervisor Ken Farrar putting a rocket under John McEnroe in his fourth round match, disqualifying him for unsportsmanlike conduct under the new three strikes you’re out rule. The ‘Super Brat’, tied up 1-6 6-4 5-7 4-2 with Mikael Pernfors at the time, was the first man to be booted out of the Australian Open in tournament history and the first man in the Open era to be shown the door for misconduct at a Grand Slam. The men’s final was something of a fizzer by comparison. Pitting world No.1 Ivan Lendl, complete with trademark legionnaires’ cap, and world No.3 Stefan Edberg, it had the makings of a classic. Lendl led their head-to-head 9-6 but Edberg had won their only other AO meeting back in 1985 and also their most recent clash at the 1989 year-end Masters in New York. The contest was shaping up well, poised at a set apiece 4-6 7-6 when Edberg, trailing 2-5 in the third, retired with a torn abdominal muscle. The women’s final was even more low-key. Steffi Graf, in hot pursuit of her third-consecutive Australian Open title, secured it with ease against Grand Slam final first-timer Mary Joe Fernandez, 6-2 6-4.

Finals