1 Response to rg93bruguera_medvedev

1. Voo de Mar says:

   October 26, 2023 at 3:16 pm

   Points won by each set: | 24-8, 36-29, 31-19 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   20 % Bruguera – 13 of 65
   14 % Medvedev – 12 of 82

   A rare case in latter stages of majors that a favorite was destroyed. Medvedev was just a moderate favorite based on their H2H which he led 3:0 (including a “best of five” meeting a few months before); ranking-wise [11 vs 12] and given the experience in the second week of a Slam they were actually at the same level (both quarterfinal debutantes). The Ukrainian couldn’t find his rhythm from the back of the court in the opener thus he decided to attack the net more frequently than usual in another two sets. In the 2nd set this strategy was quite successful, there was 4-all (30-all) but facing a set point, Medvedev made a terrible smash error (the only point he lost attacking the net behind the serve). This error basically cost him *0:3 (15/40) in the 3rd set (a streak of five games lost in a row, seven games at the beginning). Bruguera was playing freely throughout, enough said that backhand slice wasn’t his basic stroke, nonetheless among 11 passing-shot winners, as many as 5 came off the backhand side when he used only one hand! He played only one deuce on serve in twelve service games. The following year the pattern between them is repeated: Medvedev defeats Bruguera in a “best of five” final, then has no chance on Centre Court in Paris (this time in the quarterfinal).

   Serve & volley: Bruguera 0, Medvedev 6/7

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