1 Response to munich95_ivanisevic_kafelnikov

1. Voo de Mar says:

   October 19, 2021 at 12:39 am

   Points won by each set: | 44-42, 30-36, 28-17, 32-29 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   44 % Ivanisevic – 62 of 138
   31 % Kafelnikov – 38 of 120

   # 43 aces – a new record in a 4-setter at the time (but a few months earlier Philippoussis struck 44 aces in 3 sets!) and what’s quite intriguing the previous record occurred after the same scoreline!
   Ivanisevic [10] saved a set point at *6:7 in the 9/7 tie-break (an ace out-wide). Even though he was serving like a machine overall (15, 7, 10, 11 respectively in aces), there was a small malfunction and from the first game of 2nd set to the first game of 3rd set within six service games he was broken three times facing break points in five games. He led *2:0 in the 2nd set and came back from *0:2 in the 3rd set – since then he was continuing amazing service performance, yet at 5:4 in the 4th set he faced a triple break point – he fought off the first two BPs quickly, but on the 3rd BP he survived an amazing 34-stroke rally, mainly based on backhand-to-backhand conservative shots. How did he convert his first match point? An ace down the T – the Russian didn’t react.

   # Comparison of 4-set records in aces (at the time):
   Aussie Open ’91: Shelton d. Cane 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4… 2 hours 30 minutes… Total points: 137-126 (aces: 40-7)… Points on serve: 139-124
   Munich ’95: Ivanisevic d. Kafelnikov 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4… 2 hours 19 minutes… Total points: 134-124 (aces: 43-9)… Points on serve: 138-120

   Ivanisevic served 42 aces in 4-setters twice, both at Wimbledon (Vacek ’98, Roddick ’01), his personal best it’s 46 aces (5 sets against Magnus Norman at Wimbledon ’97) while the 4-set record in aces belongs to John Isner (when he lost to Feliciano Lopez at Wimbledon ’14), who hit 52 aces in 155 points on serve… also Ivanisevic’s compatriot Ivo Karlovic served more aces in 4-setters, twice (46 when lost, 47 when won). Shelton serving 40 aces against Cane, significantly improved Curren’s achievement – he fired 33 aces at Wimbledon ’83 vs Connors.

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