Men's Semifinals as Simple as 1-2-3-4 : Wimbledon: It's Sampras-Becker, Edberg-Courier in first matchup of four top-seeded players since 1927.

Men’s Semifinals as Simple as 1-2-3-4 : Wimbledon: It’s Sampras-Becker, Edberg-Courier in first matchup of four top-seeded players since 1927.

By THOMAS BONK

July 2, 1993 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

WIMBLEDON, England — Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier and Boris Becker, the big four of men’s tennis, hit the grass courts today in the semifinals of Wimbledon, where they will make a little bit of tournament history.

It is the first time since 1927 that the four top-seeded players have reached the semifinals. In ‘27, the semifinalists were Rene Lacoste, Bill Tilden, Jean Borotra and Henri Cochet.

The matches today couldn’t be more even. Sampras and Becker are 3-3 against each other, Courier and Edberg are 4-4. All four semifinalists have been ranked No. 1, and all four are Grand Slam event winners.

“I think tennis is in a good state right now,” Becker said. “We are all completely different. I think that is very good.”

Becker, 25, takes his wispy reddish beard and severe haircut onto Centre Court to test his serve against Sampras, 21. Becker and Sampras went five sets to win their quarterfinals and both were tested.

Becker had to win the last two sets to eliminate German countryman Michael Stich, and Sampras overcame pain in his right shoulder to knock off defending champion Andre Agassi.

Sampras, who has tendinitis, had to cut down on the speed of his serves in the fifth set against Agassi.

“Just a little bit,” Sampras said. “I don’t think I’m serving quite as hard these last couple of weeks than, say, I was at another tournament.”

Becker noticed.

“I saw that he had some trouble with his shoulder,” Becker said. “He could not really serve in the fourth and fifth sets, but still he won . . . and it’s going to be another serve-and-volley battle on Friday.”

Only Edberg will play that way in his semifinal against Courier, who is convinced that the courts, left hard because of the dry weather, added to his natural inclination to play from the baseline. It is better for him to play an aggressive game from the back instead of coming to the net.

Courier, playing more serve and volley last year, lost to Andrei Olhovskiy in the third round.

“I think that I decided after I lost the match last year that that was not the best way for me to play,” Courier said.

“This year, I’ve been really lucky, I think, with the weather,” he said. “I think it’s been a big help to harden the courts and make them bounce up more the way that I’m used to.”

Edberg has reached the finals with the greatest of ease, losing only one set in five matches.

His draw has been most fortunate. He has beaten No. 155 Greg Rusedski, No. 29 Amos Mansdorf, No. 143 Chris Wilkinson, No. 117 Richard Matuszewski and No. 23 Cedric Pioline.

“What can you do?” Edberg said. “I won my matches like I’m supposed to do. If you have tough matches, you do it, but if you don’t, you still feel pretty good within yourself.”

In any event, Edberg has thrived, but he has not excelled at attracting much attention from the media.

“I’m still trying to find my name in the papers and it’s not easy,” he said. “I have to go to Fulham and buy some Swedish papers.”