SELES THUNDERS DOWN UNDER\Victory yields fourth Aussie title.

Byline: Christopher Clarey The New York Times

The record book will show that Monica Seles won the Australian Open in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1996. What the record book will not show is that Seles actually won it four times in a row.

The only reason for Seles' two-year absence from the Flinders Park honor roll was a knife attack in Hamburg, Germany in April 1993. The objective of that attack was to knock Seles out of the No. 1 spot in the rankings. It achieved that end and more, but it would ultimately not end Seles' run as a champion.

Her 6-4, 6-1 victory over Germany's Anke Huber in the Australian Open final today was her first Grand Slam title since her comeback. It was also her first Grand Slam title as a U.S. citizen.

Seles, the No. 1 seed, won by swinging freely and grunting freely from the baseline, just as she did before she was forced from the game. She won it by inexorably breaking down her more inexperienced opponent's game and exploiting her minor weaknesses, particularly her erratic forehand.

Huber, a German who was seeded eighth and playing in her first Grand Slam final, came out slugging and held her own through the first set. But she was unable to sustain that level of excellence long enough to seriously threaten Seles' ability to win her ninth Grand Slam title.

"I left this tournament in 1993 with unbelievable memories and the hardest thing for me when I was away was not being able to defend my title here," Seles told the crowd. "Since 1991, I played so well here. I love the tournament and Melbourne. It brings out great tennis in me. To be back here holding up this trophy again means a lot to me."

In four appearances at this tournament, Seles is 28-0. And though there were actually more banners supporting Huber hanging inside Centre Court, there was no question that this was a popular victory. After Huber's final forehand floated wide, the applause was long and warm. Seles put her hand to her racquet strings and applauded the crowd.

"Welcome back to the winner's circle in Grand Slam tournaments," said Geoff Pollard, the president of Tennis Australia just before he gave Seles the silver cup that goes to the victor.

Seles very nearly won the first Grand Slam tournament of her comeback, but she ultimately lost in three sets in last year's U.S. Open final to Steffi Graf. She did not play again in 1995, missing the end of the season with lingering tendinitis in her knee and an ankle injury.

But though she flew to Australia in less than peak condition, she shrugged off various aches and pains, including a very sore left shoulder in her narrow semifinal victory over Chanda Rubin.

Today, her serve still did not appear in top form, but she was more solid from the baseline than against Rubin.

Men's final: No matter what happens in the men's final later today, a drought is about to end.

The last time Boris Becker won a Grand Slam singles title was in this green, livable city in 1991. The last and only time Michael Chang won a Grand Slam event was in 1989 in Paris.

It will be a study in contrasts. The big man with the muscular serve versus the little man with the muscular legs. The bearded man who travels with his wife versus the bare-faced man who travels with his brother and brother's wife.

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Monica Seles throws her head back in the first set of her 6-4, 6-1 win over Anke Huber. Associated Press