miami00agassi_henman

Points won by each set: [ 39-34, 20-33, 55-50 ]
Points won directly behind the serve:
26 % Agassi – 26 of 97
29 % Henman – 39 of 134

The most dramatic deciding 3rd set in Agassi’s career. After winning the opener being three points away from losing it, the American [1] was dominated by Henman’s aggressive game-style for an hour. The Brit [10] won 11 out of 15 games to lead 5:3* (15/0) in the 3rd set; then Agassi’s backhand clipped the baseline, and he got a ribreak in the following game (Henman’s fourth consecutive service game he faced BP). In the deciding tie-break Henman squandered 4 match points (6:5, 8:7, 9:8 & 10:9), the third one was on his serve – committed a double fault. He made a mistake on opponent’s second match point attacking Agassi’s backhand with his casual BH-slice; throughout the match Agassi was passing Henman with ease on his backhand side, and repeated it again with a cross-court pass. “I thought he played really well,” Agassi said. “He fought hard and kept the match real competitive when I thought it could have got away from him – believe it or not – early in the second set, and the third, as well. He played real well on some big points when he was down, and then didn’t quite play as well when he had the big points to put the match away.”

# Comparison of Agassi’s two most dramatic 3-set wins (both against Brits, in both won fewer points):
Key Biscayne 2000 (QF): Agassi d. Henman 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (four MPs saved)… 2 hours 37 minutes… Total points: 114-117
Washington 2001 (QF): Agassi d. Rusedski 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 (two MPs saved)… 2 hours 25 minutes… Total points: 109-116

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