The vast majority of points was constructed with serve-and-volley actions, the last singles rubber in the Davis Cup finals played like this.
Points won by each set: | 39-42, 37-29, 27-17, 25-31, 30-19 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
37 % Stich – 56 of 149
30 % Stoltenberg – 45 of 147
It was quite surprising that Stoltenberg [44], who had a 1-5 record in his last events of the season, played on day 1 instead of two highest ranked Australians, Masur [21] and Woodforde [23] – they both were poor clay-courters though. Earlier that year Stich [2] & Stoltenberg faced each other for the first time (Australian Open) and Stich won in five sets; it could make an impact on the decision of the Australian veteran captain Neale Fraser to designate Stoltenberg, also the fact he’d helped in the semifinal vs India. Actually it was almost a very good choice because Stoltenberg led 2:0* in the 5th set. Even though the German wasn’t a five-set specialist, Stoltenberg left the court as a five-set victim again, winning just 2 of the final 14 points. On Sunday, Stich won much easier facing Fromberg, whom had defeated in their all three previous meetings, including two on clay.
GERMANY d. AUSTRALIA 4-1 in Exhibition Hall, Düßeldorf, Germany: Clay (Indoor)
Michael Stich (GER) d. Jason Stoltenberg (AUS) 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Richard Fromberg (AUS) d. Marc K. Goellner (GER) 3-6, 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-2, 9-7 – 5 m.p. [3, 2]
Patrik Kuhnen / Michael Stich (GER) d. Tood Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde (AUS) 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
Michael Stich (GER) d. Richard Fromberg (AUS) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Marc K. Goellner (GER) d. Jason Stoltenberg (AUS) 6-1, 6-7(2), 7-6(3)
Standing from left: Niki Pilic (captain), Marc-Kevin Goellner, Bernd Karbacher, Patrick Kuhnen, Michael Stich and Carl-Uwe Steeb
Germany’s route to the title: Russia 4-1, Czechia 4-1, Sweden 5-0, Australia 4-1
Points:
7 – Michael Stich
3.5 – Marc-Kevin Goellner
2 – Patrick Kuhnen
1 – Carl-Uwe Steeb
* Stich and Kuhnen weren’t regular doubles partners, that year they played four rubbers together though, winning them all
“stolt” and “from” mean ‘proud’ and ‘pious’ in Swedish, Danish and Norwegian while “berg” means ‘mountain’ in Old Norse, a predecessor of these 3 languages
The vast majority of points was constructed with serve-and-volley actions, the last singles rubber in the Davis Cup finals played like this.
Points won by each set: | 39-42, 37-29, 27-17, 25-31, 30-19 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
37 % Stich – 56 of 149
30 % Stoltenberg – 45 of 147
It was quite surprising that Stoltenberg [44], who had a 1-5 record in his last events of the season, played on day 1 instead of two highest ranked Australians, Masur [21] and Woodforde [23] – they both were poor clay-courters though. Earlier that year Stich [2] & Stoltenberg faced each other for the first time (Australian Open) and Stich won in five sets; it could make an impact on the decision of the Australian veteran captain Neale Fraser to designate Stoltenberg, also the fact he’d helped in the semifinal vs India. Actually it was almost a very good choice because Stoltenberg led 2:0* in the 5th set. Even though the German wasn’t a five-set specialist, Stoltenberg left the court as a five-set victim again, winning just 2 of the final 14 points. On Sunday, Stich won much easier facing Fromberg, whom had defeated in their all three previous meetings, including two on clay.
GERMANY d. AUSTRALIA 4-1 in Exhibition Hall, Düßeldorf, Germany: Clay (Indoor)
Michael Stich (GER) d. Jason Stoltenberg (AUS) 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Richard Fromberg (AUS) d. Marc K. Goellner (GER) 3-6, 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-2, 9-7 – 5 m.p. [3, 2]
Patrik Kuhnen / Michael Stich (GER) d. Tood Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde (AUS) 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
Michael Stich (GER) d. Richard Fromberg (AUS) 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Marc K. Goellner (GER) d. Jason Stoltenberg (AUS) 6-1, 6-7(2), 7-6(3)
Standing from left: Niki Pilic (captain), Marc-Kevin Goellner, Bernd Karbacher, Patrick Kuhnen, Michael Stich and Carl-Uwe Steeb
Germany’s route to the title: Russia 4-1, Czechia 4-1, Sweden 5-0, Australia 4-1
Points:
7 – Michael Stich
3.5 – Marc-Kevin Goellner
2 – Patrick Kuhnen
1 – Carl-Uwe Steeb
* Stich and Kuhnen weren’t regular doubles partners, that year they played four rubbers together though, winning them all
“stolt” and “from” mean ‘proud’ and ‘pious’ in Swedish, Danish and Norwegian while “berg” means ‘mountain’ in Old Norse, a predecessor of these 3 languages