McEnroe is up to old tricks

He rallies to win first series title

It's all over but the shouting from John McEnroe, who entertained with talent and tantrums while beating Aaron Krickstein. (Dominic Chavez/Globe Staff)

The tennis was not beside the point.

John McEnroe defeated Aaron Krickstein, 5-7, 6-3, 10-5 (tiebreaker), yesterday at Agganis Arena to win the Champions Cup Boston, and the 49-year-old McEnroe had to get past Jim Courier and Pete Sampras to reach the title match.

The Outback Champions Series stars may be oldtimers, or seniors, or the over-30 set, but whatever the players are called, the competition is keen, particularly when McEnroe walks on the court.

"If you told me a couple of days ago, that I would win this . . . " McEnroe started. "I mean when I looked at my group, I was feeling like there was a good chance I wouldn't even get out of my group. I'd have to beat Jim or Pete just to make it to the last day."

To win his first Champions Series title in his fourth match in four days - including his first-ever victory over Sampras, who later withdrew with a back injury - McEnroe had to come back from a first-set loss against Krickstein to win the second set and the Champion tiebreak (first to 10 by at least 2).

"Today, it was one of those things where you beat two great guys [Sampras and Courier] but then you realize you're going to have to go out and just find a whole new mental outlook, because otherwise you're not going to win this match, because I could see [Krickstein] was playing really well," said McEnroe.

The match was like old times for McEnroe, with a tantrum here and berating of the umpire there, McEnroe using every stall tactic he could to claw his way back into the match after dropping the first set.

It's hard to find player more entertaining to watch than McEnroe, whether he's using his touch with a tennis racket, or throwing tantrums that drive his opponents nuts and prompt spectators to boo and cheer in equal numbers.

"I got off to a good start," said the 40-year-old Krickstein, who won nine career singles titles on the ATP Tour.

Then he ran into McEnroe's resolve.

"In the second set, he was serving first, and it's always an advantage to be ahead a game," Krickstein said. "For someone his age to move as well as he does is remarkable. You won't find anyone today playing like that. It's kind of fun to play. He hits shots that you don't see in today's game. He can do so much with the ball and has so much talent."

As for the stalling and the umpire-bashing, Krickstein shrugged. "You know going in what you're up against," he said. "If they totally went by the rules, he'd be DQ'd in the first set. It does wear on you a bit, but it is what it is. It's not going to change."

McEnroe darted around the court like a youngster in the second set, running down many cross-court shots and showing off his serve-and-volley skills, not with power but with precision, often using an approach volley deep into Krickstein's court to set up an overhead smash on a weak return.

The only glitch came in the ninth game. McEnroe led, 5-3, but then dropped a couple of points when he couldn't handle Krickstein's return of serve. A complaint to a ballboy turned into a rant at the umpire, a long enough pause for McEnroe to get a code violation warning - and a rest.

Krickstein forced break point with a backhand cross-court volley, but then hit a forehand from the baseline wide.

McEnroe then spent a few minutes getting a new racket, bouncing his hand off the strings, then bouncing one racket onto another to test the string tension. He netted a forehand to give Krickstein the advantage, but then finished off a volley exchange with a remarkable save on Krickstein's lob, backpedaling and then stepping around the ball to hit a backhand that dropped inside the line.

Krickstein netted another forehand, and McEnroe claimed the game with an ace.

McEnroe picked up speed in the tiebreak, building a collection of points on an overhead smash, deep groundstrokes, and a strong serve that Krickstein had trouble returning.

McEnroe's first Champions Series title probably means little to the man who won 17 major titles (singles, doubles, and mixed doubles) in his career on the professional tour, including four US Opens and three Wimbledon singles titles, but beating three big names in four days means everything.

He has worked hard in the last year to recover from a bad back, and said he felt able to move easily only about a month ago.

"It's gratifying," he said, "to show that even at this age, if you put the time into it, it can pay off."

Barbara Matson can be reached at matson@globe.com.