Points won by each set: | 31-24, 14-25, 34-36, 38-36, 33-27 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
36 % Rafter – 53 of 144
37 % Hlasek – 57 of 154

An indoor serve-and-volley duel (albeit Hlasek staying back behind the 2nd serve most of the time) between two players with similar skills: both very athletic with good serves and solid net-play, but very average from the back of the court off both sides. The 8 years younger Rafter [21] was supposed to win it much easier against the veteran from Switzerland [75]. Rafter began the year with high hopes as a “new Pat Cash”, but he needed to wait another two years for his breakthrough…
In the 3rd set Rafter led 5:4* (30/0) when Hlasek delivered something unexpected – he won a rally diving to his backhand volley. The 4th set was close, but the Australian put himself in front all of the time, first he led 4:1, then in the tie-break *5:2 and 6:3 to take it 7/5 with an overhead following Hlasek’s poor lob. In the decider Rafter broke thrice, for the last time leading 5:3 after the longest game of the match (five deuces & five match points required). Rafter won his another two matches to be destroyed by Agassi in the fourth round.