"Kafelnikov's Dig at 'Choker'" ~ The Sun-Herald Jan 31 1999

Article by Linda Pearce

[ only excerpts mentioning Thomas Enqvist ]

They first met when both were 12 years old. Today, 12 years later, they will play for the third time in a final and the first in a grand slam.

When Yevgeny Kafelnikov watched a shaky Thomas Enqvist fail to serve out the third set and, therefore, his fourth-round match against Mark Philippoussis, he noted Enqvist's occasional tendency to tighten up in winning situations. Choke, as he not-so-delicately put it.

Kafelnikov awaits a possible repeat in the Australian Open men's final today.

However, Enqvist has a 4-2 lead in the head-to-head standings.

"There was a great example when he played Philippoussis, right here, he was serving for the match," said Kafelnikov. "Basically the deal was done, three straight sets. But you know, he played a loose game at 5-4 and gave a chance to come back. I mean, you don't need to do such things. I know if I stay in the match with him I will get my chances."

"He's playing the great shots at the wrong time, and it's important to play the right shot in the important time of the match," added Kafelnikov. But I'm sure he will learn that, the older he gets."

***

The grand slam experience, he said, was the chief difference between the two finalists.

Kafelnikov has been there before; Enqvist had never previously managed to pass the quarter-final stage of a major.

The 10^th seed insisted he would go in as the outsider against an in-form opponent, but promised a long match.

So Kafelnikov's second grand slam title, and his first shave in almost a fortnight, may be just hours away. He did not believe Enqvist's extra 24 hours' rest would be a factor, having always thrived on the workload that has regularly made him one of the most active players on the tour.