masters78mcenroe_ashe_

By | Published December 22, 2020 | Full size is 555 × 389 pixels

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2 Responses to masters78mcenroe_ashe_

  1. Voo de Mar says:
    December 22, 2020 at 1:04 am
    Points won by each set: | 40-42, 33-24, 36-39 |
    Points won directly behind the serve:
    34 % McEnroe – 42 of 123
    37 % Ashe – 34 of 91

    The 19-year-old McEnroe has been the youngest ‘Masters’ champion since that triumph. His 35-year-old opponent, participated in the event due to withdrawal of five higher ranked players (Borg – 2, Vilas – 3, Gerulaitis – 5, Tanner – 11, Orantes – 12). The tournament held at the beginning of 1979 – it was the last year of Ashe’s career. After Masters ’78 (10-14th January ’79) he was competing in two other finals (Philadelphia, Memphis – lost both to Connors). Even though Ashe had professionally stopped playing in July ’79 (suffered a heart attack then), he finished the year as No. 7 in the world (record: 30-15). McEnroe committed three double faults in a row having a triple set point in the 1st set (!), he also wasted a fourth set point missing an overhead; in the 3rd set he trailed *1:4, afterwards he quickly saved a double match point on serve in the 10th game. Facing the first match point, Ashe played a return winner, but on the second one, McEnroe’s sliced serve was too hot to handle…

    McEnroe’s route to his 5th title:
    rr. Arthur Ashe 6-3, 6-1
    rr. Jimmy Connors 7-5, 3-0 ret.
    rr. Harold Solomon 6-3, 6-2
    S Eddie Dibbs 6-1, 6-4
    W Arthur Ashe 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-5 – 2 m.p.

    McEnroe’s first win over Connors after 4 defeats, Connors withdrew from the Ashe match which put the veteran in the semis (no alternate at the time)
  2. Voo de Mar says:
    November 20, 2023 at 7:43 am
    The most American ‘Masters’ in its history; in McEnroe’s group there were four players representing the United States while in the other group two from the US, and a Mexican, Ramirez strongly associated with the US… Europe was represented by Barrazzutti, who failed to win a match
    The only instance in history that a 3rd place match took place (Gottfried d. Dibbs)

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