Seles' sonic boom

Australian Open: Triumphant return for a former champion ends in cheers and tears as the American powers past Huber

WEEPING, wailing, walloping and winning - that was Monica Seles, retaking of one of her long lost colonies called Australia. No longer the minor who captivated Melbourne and won a third Australian Open three years ago, Moanin' Monica has resumed her life's work of seizing important countries and their major championships.

"Sometimes I wondered if I'd ever be back here," she told the 15,000 witnesses filling Flinders Park yesterday. "It's so good to be back. My memories are so good of Melbourne, and winning here. I've missed being here."

Her parents, Karoly and Esther, wept in the stands as she held the cup. "A very emotional moment for us all," Monica said, glistening with tears too.

A long time had passed, three years in fact, since she overcame Steffi Graf in three tough sets for her eighth major. At 19 she was the youngest to have amassed such a glittering collection. But time has not overtaken her, at 22, despite the Hamburg knife attack of April 1993.

Opposed by yet another German in another final, the rapidly rising No 9 Anke Huber, Seles gave a brilliant double-barrelled 78-minute show, 6-4 6-1, to run her unbeaten streak in Australia to 32-0 since she first came ashore in 1991. It was her fourth tournament after returning to the circuit last August, her third title, her 22nd match win against merely one defeat, the US Open final to Graf.

Noticeably (and admittedly) overweight by perhaps a stone, and not yet as quick as before, Seles responded with the old fury as the determined Huber assaulted her immediately with massive groundstrokes. Huber, a 21- year-old forehand-blasting blonde, closed the 1995 season superbly in New York, barely losing the WTA championship to Graf in five bruising sets.

Seles, scared by Chanda Rubin in the semis, two points from defeat as the bright young American served at 5-3, 30-15 in the third set, was wary from the outset despite a 6-0 lifetime record against Huber. On a cool, gloomy afternoon, Huber made it hot and gloomier for a while for Seles, scoring the first service break to 3-2.

Their running and gunning was sensational, the German matching Seles swat for swat, grunt for grunt. During extended rallies they pushed each other all over the enclosure, retrieving phenomenally and accelerating the shot velocity.

Seles gave away that fifth game with two double faults. She said her left shoulder hurt so much she couldn't practice serving. But she rebounded to break back in the next game that, consuming 15 minutes, 24 points and nine deuces, was the crux of the battle.

Huber strained mightily to get to 4-2, but Monica raised the ante vocally and violently - her gargling became urgent shrieks and wails - walloping even harder and closer to the lines. Six times Huber held game points. Seles resisted. Twice Huber brushed away break points with huge forehands.

"I think that's the longest game I ever played," Monica said. "I was thinking just that towards the end of the game. That's not a good thought to have while playing a game. But I knew it would decide quite a lot because if I didn't break Anke there I was in deep, deep trouble. It was so critical."

The third break point went to Monica after Huber made a shaky forehand error. She was at 3-3, and moving away, bending Huber, soon to link five games to 3-0 in the second set. Huber had an advantage on serve at 4-5, then was washed away in a flood of brutal backhands as Seles snatched 15 of 17 points.

"I was overwhelmed by then," Huber said. "I had chances earlier to get to 4-2, but Monica then didn't miss anything."

With her ninth major title, Seles has achieved half the career totals of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, despite missing 10 majors - three Wimbledons and French, two US and an Australian

"I would have liked Steffi [Graf] to be here. She played a lot of Slams when I wasn't there, but we'll play a lot in the future." Foot surgery kept Graf away.

"If in 1991 when I first came here somebody had said you will still be winning this title in 1996," said Seles, "I would have said it's unimaginable. I'm so happy."

But at her post-match press conference, she came apart. Someone asked if she would play in Germany again. Another if it would be good therapy to return to the scene of the crime. The subject has been broached before, but this time it provoked painful tears. The once and future queen departed the scene sobbing.