TENNIS / PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP : Wheaton Serves Up a Surprise

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. â€”  Nine of the 10 top-ranked men entered this year’s $2.55-million International Players Championships. None will be in Sunday’s final.

The last to lose was top-ranked Stefan Edberg, who double-faulted on break point twice Friday against unseeded David Wheaton in a 6-3, 6-4 semifinal surprise.

“This is the biggest tennis moment in my life, for sure,� Wheaton said. “Beating the No. 1 player in the world--there’s something about that. He’s the best on the planet.�

After losing his opening match in his previous four tournaments this year, Wheaton will play this tournament’s first all-American final since 1985. His opponent will be Jim Courier, who needed only 68 minutes to beat Richey Reneberg, 6-4, 6-3.

The 21-year-old Wheaton is ranked 46th. Courier is ranked 18th.

Wheaton is ranked 46th. Courier is ranked 18th and Reneberg 33rd.

Edberg and Wheaton attributed this week’s frequent upsets to the weather.

“The conditions have a lot to do with it,� Wheaton said. “It’s windier here than anywhere, I think. There’s a good amount of rain. The humidity, the heat--they tend to even things out.�

Still, Wheaton is the first unseeded player to reach the tournament final since 1985. He has won only one previous pro title.

The former Stanford star beat Edberg at his own game--serve and volley. He also had eight aces to none for Edberg.

“You can’t expect to win if you hit two double faults a game and he hits two aces,� Edberg said. “That doesn’t work out too well.�

Wheaton broke Edberg’s serve three times, and the Swede double-faulted in each of those games. Double faults on break point gave Wheaton a 4-2 lead in the first set and a 5-4 lead in the second.

“That was pretty much the story of the match,� Wheaton said. “I didn’t have to win the points, which obviously makes things so much easier. When Stefan double-faults, you give a big sigh of relief.�