1 Response to hamburg97medvedev_mantilla

1. Voo de Mar says:

   March 3, 2024 at 5:32 pm

   Points won by each set: [ 26-9, 39-36, 29-19 ]
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   21 % Medvedev – 16 of 74
   10 % Mantilla – 9 of 84

   Medvedev’s [38] last title at the age of just 23. He was already bald and not as dangerous on clay as in years 1993-95, nevertheless, his triumph didn’t surprise because he had won that event twice before, and en route to the third Hamburg final he ousted two very good clay-court opponents (Bruguera, Kafelnikov). For the 23-year-old Mantilla [15] it was his career-best at the time. He lost to Medvedev their first meeting a couple of weeks before in Monte Carlo (2-6 4-6) and began the final being nervous. He was shockingly trailing 0-6 *0:4 when hit his first winner (BH dropshot), then at (30/40) in the same game he surprised Medvedev with a very good second kick-serve, and avoided a double bagel. Thanks to Medvedev’s casual errors, the Spaniard improved from *1:5 (15-all) to break point at 4:5, but it was the end of his hopes on that day. The form of the Ukrainian was really impressive, he struck 47 winners – 50% of the points he obtained in the final! Medvedev dropped just six games, like two years before in the 13-minute shorter final, in the years 1994-97 he won 18 of 19 matches in Hamburg, the only loss occurred in the second round of ’96 to Jordi Burillo, 3-6 4-6.

   Medvedev’s route to his 11th & last title:
   1 Mark Knowles 7-5, 4-6, 6-0
   2 Richard Krajicek 6-1, 6-1
   3 Jacobo Diaz 6-3, 6-3
   Q Sergi Bruguera 6-4, 7-6(3)
   S Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3, 6-1
   W Felix Mantilla 6-0, 6-4, 6-2

   They both won their second round matches after the same, rather unusual (6-1 6-1) scoreline – Mantilla defeated the defending champion Carretero

   Serve & volley: Medvedev 0/1, Mantilla 0

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