1 Response to mc97rios_corretja

1. Voo de Mar says:

   December 21, 2020 at 1:50 am

   Points won by each set: [ 34-27, 32-24, 43-36 ]
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   20 % Rios – 21 of 103
   21 % Corretja – 20 of 93

   # The first of their two Mercedes Super 9 finals of 1997, both those finals were unexpected; admittedly at the time Rios [10] and Corretja [14] were considered as clay-court specialists, but both belonged to a broad group of players capable of doing serious damage on clay; Muster already lost his “King of Clay” status of the years 1995-96 and it opened new possibilities for many players. Both finals had almost the same progress (Rios began both leading 2:0*), but the victor was different: Rios was more consistent in Monte Carlo, Corretja more on a faster court in Rome. In Monte Carlo the Spaniard played his best in the 3rd set, forcing Rios to hold 4 out of 5 times at ‘deuces’, with break points involved in three games, including the last, longest game of the match when Rios intertwined brilliant ground-strokes with a doubtful play at the net (he hit 8 overheads and 5 volleys in that game!). “It’s a mob scene there,” said Rios’s coach, Larry Stefanki about Rios’ growing popularity in Chile. “It’s a mob scene, and the kid hasn’t won a major. If he does, he’ll probably walk on water, but I told him until he does, it doesn’t matter.”

   Rios’s route to his 5th title:
   2 Andrea Gaudenzi 6-2, 6-2
   3 Albert Costa 7-6(3), 6-4
   Q Magnus Larsson 6-2, 6-1
   S Carlos Moya 6-4, 7-6(5)
   W Alex Corretja 6-4, 6-3, 6-3

   Serve & volley: Rios 5/5, Corretja 0/1

   # Comparison of their two ‘Mercedes Super 9’ finals of 1997:
   M.C.: Rios d. Corretja 6-4, 6-3, 6-3… 2 hours 14 minutes… Total points: 109-87… Breaks 7:3
   Rome: Corretja d. Rios 7-5, 7-5, 6-3… 2 hours 20 minutes… Total points: 112-92… Breaks 7:4

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