1 Response to dc06gonzalez_blake

1. Voo de Mar says:

   May 10, 2024 at 11:36 am

   Points won by each set: [ 41-42, 21-34, 43-41, 35-27, 67-61 ]
   Points won directly on serve:
   26 % Gonzalez – 53 of 198
   27 % Blake – 59 of 214

   Gonzalez [18] and Blake [8] juxtaposed, it’s a good exemplification how mentality is important in tennis. On the level of pure skilfulness, in my opinion they were equal – the serve & forehand basically the same, Blake was slightly better at the net, but Gonzalez edged on the backhand side. Gonzalez finished his career with two finals of the biggest events (Aussie Open ’07 and Olympics ’08), Blake with one (Masters ’06). The American should have finished their only grass-court match in two different sets:
   – in the 3rd set he wasted three break points at 3:1 (serve winner & two baseline winners), then he led 5:4 (30/0) committing a double fault
   – in the 5th set he led 4:1* (deuce) and 7:6 (deuce)
   Gonzalez fired four aces in the last game (!), the third of them at ‘deuce’ off his second serve! The bitter defeat without serious consequences though, Roddick defeated Massu & Gonzalez, the United States won it 3-2 (quarterfinal). # Three years later, Gonzalez survives another similar five-set thriller.

   Serve & volley: Gonzalez 6/6, Blake 5/16

   # Comparison of Feña’s two similar five-setters:
   Davis Cup ’06: Gonzalez d. Blake 6-7, 0-6, 7-6, 6-4, 10-8… 4 hours 20 minutes… Total points: 207-205… Breaks: 6-7… Winners: 78-57… Points away from defeat (2, 2)
   Aus Open ’09: Gonzalez d. Gasquet 3-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 12-10… 4 hours 5 minutes… Total points: 191-191… Breaks: 6-6… Winners: 80-82… Points away from defeat (1, 5)

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