AO Press Release, August 25, 2018

Home-town hero Pat Cash had the whole of Kooyong behind him in the men’s final of Australian Open 1987, but fell short against Swedish legend Stefan Edberg.

Edberg won the classic five-setter 6-3 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-3 in what was the last Australian Open final played on grass.

The Swede started strongly, but Cash, spurred on by his parochial supporters, showed his trademark grit to take the match to five sets.

Cash went on to win Wimbledon later that year, one of Australia’s greatest tennis moments.

It wouldn’t be the last time Cash would play a five-set final at the Australian Open against a Swede; a year later he would meet Mats Wilander in the first final at Melbourne Park in 1988.

This match and many more AO Classics can be seen on the Australian Open YouTube Channel.