Johansson emerges from the shadows of fellow Swedes

Such was the ridiculous and misplaced hype surrounding Tim Henman at this year's Australian Open that large numbers of otherwise relatively sane people had convinced themselves that Britain would be led out by a grand-slam champion for their Davis Cup world group first-round match against Sweden in Birmingham a week on Friday.

Little did it cross anybody's mind it would be the Swedes who would claim the honour in the somewhat unlikely shape of Thomas Johansson.

As yesterday dawned here, grey and cloudy and a complete contrast to the fierce heat of Saturday, there were precious few who did not believe that Marat Safin would win his first Australian Open title, and his second grand slam. Johansson, it was agreed, had done wonderfully well by capitalising on a bottom half of the draw that had all but imploded by the fourth round. It would be a day the 26-year-old Swede would never forget, but then everybody would forget him: a beaten finalist.

Now his name is indelibly written in the pantheon of champions, joining his Swedish boyhood idols, Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander. And there was nothing the least bit fluky about his 3-6 6-4 6-4 7-6 victory.

It was not a great final, and Safin was but a pale replica of the player who had beaten Pete Sampras in the fourth round. But Johansson, who had never previously progressed beyond the last 32 in Melbourne in seven attempts, overcame first-set nerves to perform with immense resolution, interwoven with moments of considerable panache.

This is not a word readily associated with the Swede, either in his public or private life. His hobbies include fishing, and it remains far easier to imagine him by the riverbank than making celebrity appearances on television. His life may change considerably now but Monte Carlo, where he lives, is not bracing itself for a plethora of wild parties in the Johansson neighbourhood.

The nearest he came to courting controversy during the tournament was when he bemoaned the lack of interest in tennis in his own country, although a Swedish journalist did belatedly turn up for the final. But just the one.

Johansson also raised an eyebrow or two after his semi-final victory over Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic with the remark: "It's a great feeling to have in your body because you want it so bad, so you are shitting in your pants almost. But I like it."

It was this factor that worried his most ardent supporters before the final. It took Johansson more than four years to win his first title as a professional, and before yesterday he had appeared in only eight finals, winning six. This was a fairly meagre return for a player of his talent, accentuating the somewhat fragile nature of his mental approach, and the fact he has been overshadowed by, and a little in awe of, his fellow Swedes Thomas Enqvist and Magnus Norman.

All Swedish players have to live with the constant comparisons to Edberg , Wilander and Bjorn Borg, who between them won 24 grand-slam titles between 1974 and 1992. The weight of history proved too much for Enqvist here in 1999 when he lost the final to another Russian, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and for Norman, who was defeated in the 2000 French Open final by Gustavo Kuerten. But Johansson has trumped them both to become the first Swedish grand-slam champion since Edberg beat Sampras in the 1992 US Open final.

With so many of the leading players falling by the wayside in the first week, and with the defending champion Andre Agassi pulling out with a wrist injury before play began, this has hardly been a classic Australian Open on the men's side. Suffice it to say that no player seeded number 16, as Johansson was, had ever won a grand slam in the 135 previous tournaments in the open era. He will not care a fig.

Safin claimed the opening set by breaking Johansson's serve in the first and last games, though he also had to save six break points. Once the early nerves had been shaken off, Johansson's game burgeoned: he served consistently well, forcing Safin out wide on his forehand, whereas some of the Swede's returns, notably on the backhand, were of the Agassi school.

"I just couldn't find my game," said Safin, the 2000 US Open champion. "He was overpowering me from the baseline, which is very unusual for me. I had no chance to come back. Not even close."

Indeed, it was a thoroughly shapeless and disappointing display by Safin, who drew much publicity through his entourage of blondes but who desperately needs a regular coach by his side rather than a group of fair-weather friends.

Safin will hope to make amends at the French Open, a title Johansson admitted that he would never win. "But," he added, "I will have a chance at Wimbledon and the US Open." In all probability the Swede will not capture another grand-slam title, whereas Safin, if he gets his head together, ought to win many.

But this was Johansson's day of days. "I never thought I was ever going to be a grand-slam winner, but I played my best tennis here in every match."

JOHANSSON FACTS

Born: March 24,1975.

Lives: Monte Carlo.

Plays: Right-handed.

Height: 5ft 11in.

Weight: 11st 11lb.

Pro debut: 1994.

Titles won: Majors: Australian 2002.

ATP Tour: 6 Wins 207 Losses 163.