DAVIS CUP : Sweden Falters Again; Italy Shows Strength

Sweden, surprisingly beaten by Italy in the first round of the Davis Cup last year, faced the possibility of another early exit after falling behind 2-0 to Yugoslavia as the 1991 world group series started today.

The towering Goran Ivanisevic, the 19-year-old ranked seventh in the world, put Yugoslavia ahead with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Jonas Svensson as their tie began in Zagreb.

Then the Swedes, who reached seven successive finals and won the Cup three times in the 1980s, suffered a more serious blow when world No. 2 Stefan Edberg was crushed 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 by Goran Prpic in the second singles.

That left Sweden needing to win all three remaining matches to advance. Edberg and Peter Lundgren were expected to play the two Gorans in Saturday’s doubles.

Italy, meanwhile, held powerful Germany to 1-1 despite the return of new world No. 1 Boris Becker to the Cup after a year off. Becker, top-ranked since capturing the Australian Open title Sunday, gave Germany a 1-0 lead with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Paolo Cane.

But Omar Camporese, who extended Becker to 14-12 in the deciding fifth set during the Australian Open, pulled Italy back by beating Michael Stitch 7-6, 6-1, 6-3.

In other series, Czechoslovakia led Austria 1-0 as Petr Korda scored a 6-3, 3-6, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Horst Skoff, and Spain won the first match against world group newcomers Canada as Sergi Bruguera beat Andrew Sznajder 6-4, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1.

In Perth, the Australians opened a 2-0 lead over Belgium, and the only surprise was that Richard Fromberg dropped a set to Philip Dewulf.