Points won by each set: [ 24-30, 32-23, 29-18, 17-27, 49-45 ]
Points won directly behind the serve:
32 % Rusedski – 46 of 143
22 % Kuerten – 34 of 151

This is what I like about that period in history – only the second round of a major and the best player in the world (Kuerten) wasn’t a clear favorite facing a 66th ranked opponent (Rusedski) to whom had lost 3 out of their 4 previous meetings. More than a year before they were at the same level more or less, Rusedski significantly dropped in 2000 because he was struggling with injuries in the second part of the season… Express match, it’s really incredible that with that scoreline they didn’t reach the 3-hour mark. The final stage of the last set was crazy: serving at 4:5 (30-all) Rusedski had problem with a tape on his left hand but managed to win two points in a row at the net and had a break point in the following game – Kuerten hit the baseline with his forehand, then served an ace 10 cm wide (!), but the umpire Moreno didn’t overrule (the linesman couldn’t see the ball due to Rusedski’s position). At 5:6 (30/15) Rusedski committed two straight double faults, but saved the match point with a serve out-wide (173 km/h), he broke in the following game, but lost his serve too, from 7:6 (30-all)… 7-all and in the blink of an eye Kuerten led 40/0, then made four consecutive ugly errors, and another one (trying to lob) on break point. Rusedski won the last 9 points of the match in total… Not too many aces given their service abilities because Rusedski was trying to keep a high 1st serve percentage (70%) while Kuerten feeling his superiority on the baseline, didn’t need many free points.