2 Responses to lyon95ferreira_sampras

1. Voo de Mar says:

   November 2, 2022 at 4:42 am

   The South African became only the second player in the ATP history to win five matches en route to the title 2-1 in sets. All six cases thus far:

   1991 – Thomas Muster (Florence)
   1995 – Wayne Ferreira (Lyon)
   1996 – Mark Philippoussis (Toulouse)
   1997 – Nicolas Kiefer (Toulouse)
   2002 – Greg Rusedski (Auckland)
   2004 – Martin Verkerk (Amersfoort)
   

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   April 4, 2024 at 7:32 am

   Points won by each set: [ 38-36, 38-39, 45-36 ]
   Points won directly on serve:
   23 % Ferreira – 26 of 112
   35 % Sampras – 42 of 120

   Sampras – undoubtedly the best player of the 90s, who had positive H2H records against multiple major champions (Lendl, Edberg, Becker, Agassi, Courier), couldn’t find a way to beat three less stable players on a regular basis – in Summer 1999 he was 2:6 vs Krajicek (ended up 4-6), and 4:5 vs Stich & Ferreira (against the latter it ended at 7-6). Lyon ’95 initiated a streak of four consecutive defeats to Ferreira (similar case with Krajicek). After skipping the ’94 edition, Sampras [2] returned to the event he had conquered in years 1991-93. Having won 19 successive matches in Lyon he was a heavy favorite against the South African [13]. Began the final leading 3:0* (deuce), but once Ferreira entered the scoreboard, he was playing amazingly off his forehand to the end of the contest. The deciding moment came as he led 2:1* in the 3rd set – nine deuces, and he converted his fourth break point chance with a stunning backhand passing-shot. Sampras saved a match point at 2:5 and created two break points in the following game – Ferreira fought them off at the net… One thing is particularly bizarre: Ferreira defeated Kafelnikov & Sampras in back-to-back matches to get his title, and he beat in back-to-back matches the same players after almost the same scorelines a few weeks later in Frankfurt! In both cities Ferreira was five points away from beating Sampras in straight sets (5-all, *40/30 in Lyon & 4:3*, 40/0 in Frankfurt) and a couple of points away from losing to the Russian in straight sets! #

   Ferreira’s route to his 11th title:
   1 Jerome Golmard 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
   2 Martin Damm 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-1
   Q David Prinosil 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
   S Yevgeny Kafelnikov 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-3
   W Pete Sampras 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3

   # Comparison of Ferreira’s Autumn ’95 ‘copy-cat’ matches:
   Lyon: Ferreira d. Sampras 7-6, 5-7, 6-3… 2 hours 14 minutes… Total points: 121-111
   F’urt: Ferreira d. Sampras 7-6, 4-6, 6-3… 1 hour 48 minutes… Total points: 98-86

   Lyon: Ferreira d. Kafelnikov 1-6, 7-6, 6-3… 1 hour 45 minutes… Total points: 87-93… 4 pts away
   F’urt: Ferreira d. Kafelnikov 3-6, 7-6, 6-1… 1 hour 45 minutes… Total points: 95-82… 2 pts away

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