ao06kiefer_grosjean

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2 Responses to ao06kiefer_grosjean

  1. Voo de Mar says:
    Points won by each set: | 32-23, 11-26, 36-32, 34-45, 47-43 |
    Points won behind the serve:
    20 % Kiefer – 34 of 164
    26 % Grosjean – 43 of 165

    That quarterfinal lasted 4 hours 48 minutes – the longest match at the Australian Open 2006 (fifth longest in its history at the time). It’s worth mentioning that the entire duel was played in punishing temperature of over 30 degrees °C, which highly contributed to the slow pace of the match. Kiefer reached his only major semifinal on the fifth attempt (the previous Grand Slam quarter-final had played at the US Open 2000).

    …in the 3rd set the German already led *3:0 (40/15), then he was serving at 5:4 (deuce)
    …in the 4th set Grosjean led 4:1* and had a set point in the 12th game before winning the tie-break 7/1
    …in the 5th set the Frenchman led twice with a break: 2:0* (30-all) and *4:3 (15-all)
    Kiefer took a toilet break at 1-set apiece… and way too long medical time-out at 2-sets apiece (left ankle, it lasted 12 minutes!). As he led 6:5* (deuce) in the decider, Grosjean was involved in a four-minute argue with Carlos Bernardes and supervisor Mike Morrissey. The Frenchman couldn’t agree with the loss of a point because (according to him) there was a hindrance to properly play a stroke (after a long rally Kiefer threw his racquet and Grosjean made a volley error). Grosjean had two game points to level at 7-all: on the first occasion he missed an easy forehand – this shot had been working tremendously well for him throughout the encounter. Kiefer’s extra determination finally paid off, and he achieved at the age of 29 something what seemed within his grasp already seven years before. In 1999 he was playing his best tennis, being very consistent throughout the year, yet somehow the biggest events brought only disappointments as he was defeated in 3R-1R-2R-3R at majors respectively.
  2. Voo de Mar says:
    One of the last defeats in Grosjean’s career, it’s also a dramatic encounter against Kiefer.
    It happened in Lyon ’09 and the one year older German won 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 saving two match points in the 2nd set.

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