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Mikael Pernfors (b. July 16 1963, in Malmö,
Sweden) is a former professional tennis player
from Sweden. He is best remembered for reaching
the men's singles final at the French Open in
1986.

Although he played a topspin-heavy baseline game
with a two-handed backhand, like his countrymen
Björn Borg and Mats Wilander, the 5-foot-8
Pernfors lacked their consistency and relied on a
crowd-pleasing game full of variety, liberally
employing the drop shot and the topspin lob.

Before turning professional, Pernfors played
tennis for the University of Georgia in the United
States and became the first player since Dennis
Ralston two decades earlier to win back-to-back
National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA
singles titles in 1984 and 1985. 

In 1986 Pernfors reached his first (and only)
Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam singles final at
the French Open. He defeated Boris Becker in the
quarter-finals and Henri Leconte in the
semi-finals. In the final he lost in straight sets
to World No. 1 Ivan Lendl 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Pernfors played for Sweden in the final of the
Davis Cup in 1986. He won one singles rubber
against Paul McNamee in straight sets and lost the
other to Pat Cash in five sets – after winning
the first two – as Australia beat Sweden 3-2.
The following year at Wimbledon
Championships|Wimbledon he again lost a two-set
lead, falling to Jimmy Connors 1-6, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4,
6-2 after having led 6-1, 6-1,
4-1.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/wimbled
on_history/3742093.stm

In 1988, Pernfors won his first top-level singles
title at Los Angeles, California, defeating Andre
Agassi in the final. His second came just a month
later in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In the fourth round of the Australian Open in
1990, Pernfors faced John McEnroe during an
infamous match in which McEnroe became the first
player to be disqualified under a new Code of
Conduct that had recently been introduced in
tennis. McEnroe was apparently unaware that under
the new rules three code violations would result
in disqualification (instead of the previous
four), and Pernfors won the match by default after
McEnroe attempted to intimidate a lineswoman,
smashed a racket, and then verbally abused the
umpire.

Injuries limited Pernfors' performances on the
tour in the first few years of the 1990s. He came
back strongly in 1993 to win the most significant
title of his career at the Canada Masters|Canadian
Open (part of the Tennis Masters Series), where he
defeated Todd Martin in the final 2-6, 6-2, 7-5.

Pernfors was the recipient of the Association of
Tennis Professionals|ATP Tour's Most Improved
Player award in 1986, and its Comeback Player of
the Year award in 1993.

Pernfors retired from the professional tour in
1996 after a career in which he won three
top-level singles and one doubles title. His
career-high singles ranking was World No. 10 in
1986. His career prize-money earnings totalled
US$1,363,793.

Since retiring from the tour, Pernfors has been a
regular competitor in seniors events.


== External link ==
*http://www.atptennis.com/en/players/playerprofile
s/default2.asp?playersearch=Mikael+Pernfors+
Official ATP Profile