Angry McEnroe vs. Courier in Seniors Rio Final

John McEnroe will face Jim Courier in an All-American final at the $150,000 Rio Champions Cup as both players emerged Saturday as the winners of each respective round-robin group.

McEnroe advanced to the Sunday final by defeating Brazil's Jaime Oncins 7-6 (5), 6-3 to post a perfect 3-0 record in the "Maracana" Group. Courier, however, was defeated Saturday by Mark Philippoussis of Australia 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 11-9 (Champions Tie-Breaker), but advanced to the final by winning a head-to-head tie-break with Pat Cash, who also posted 2-1 round-robin record in the "Corovado" Group, but lost to Courier on Thursday.

McEnroe, who turned 50 years old on February 16, advanced into his third straight Outback Champions Series tournament final with his victory Saturday. Last month, he reached the final of the Champions Cup Boston -- the opening event of the season -- where he lost to Pete Sampras in the final. In his final Outback Champions Series of the 2008 season last October, McEnroe won the title in Surprise, Ariz., defeating Todd Martin in the final.

Against Oncins, McEnroe displayed the same serve and volley finesse that he exhibited in his first two round-robin match victories against Mikael Pernfors and Jimmy Arias, but for the first time during his trip to Rio, he also exhibited his famed temper. The three-time Wimbledon champion received two code violations in the first set and another early in the second set before finding his balance and closing out the straight-set victory.

"The match was only this close because of the chair umpire," said McEnroe after the victory. "If it wasn't for the chair umpire, it would have been much easier."

The Courier and Philippousis match was a showcase of holding serve as neither player lost serve in the match. Philippousis emerged victorious by the narrow 11-9 score in the Champions Tie-breaker, played in lieu of a third set.

Courier said after the loss that he is not only hungry to win the title in Rio, but avenging his loss to McEnroe earlier this year in Boston in a match marred by Courier suffering a back injury in the later stages of the first set.

"I am out for revenge in the final," said Courier. "My back stopped me in Boston (against McEnroe) but I'll be ready to take him out this time."

Cash and Arias will play in the third-place match that precedes Sunday's McEnroe-Courier championship final. Arias moved into the third place match by defeating Pernfors 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday to finish with a 2-1 round-robin record. Cash advanced by defeating Fernando Meligeni of Brazil 6-3, 6-4 to also finish 2-1.