Points won directly behind the serve:
26 % Hewitt – 39 of 147
26 % Agassi – 29 of 110
Arguably the best ‘ATP 250’ final in history featuring amazing tension in terms of the scoreline throughout. It was a high-quality encounter of two great competitors: the 21-year-old Hewitt – the best player in the world & almost 11 years older Agassi, still in his prime. Hewitt manufactured magnificent performance hitting 62 winners (Agassi 31) to save five mini-match points & two match points in the 2-hour 57-minute duel (!):
1st set:
# Agassi breaks at 2-all after an 8-deuce game (needed 9 break points) 2nd set:
# at 4-all Hewitt saves a mini-match point with an ace down the T
# in the tie-break he trails *2:5 hitting the centre line on second serve, then saves a match point at *5:6 with a forehand winner after a 15-stroke rally 3rd set:
# Agassi leads *3:1 (30/15), then squanders four mini-match points at 4:3 – FH error, two FH winners of Hewitt, & his service winner (6 deuces)
# Agassi has his second match point at 5:4 – Hewitt serves an ace down the T
# in the tie-break the crucial is a point which gives Hewitt a 5:3* lead – during a rally the Australian plays his first dropshot of the match, Agassi chases it to be lobbed after Hewitt’s volley & responds with a tweener only to see Hewitt’s stoic BH-stop-volley; the crowd gives them a standing ovation right afterwards
Hewitt’s route to 13th title:
1 Michael Llodra 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
2 Paradorn Srichaphan 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(6) – 4 m.p.
Q Todd Martin 6-3, 7-5
S Jan-Michael Gambill 7-5, 6-4
W Andre Agassi 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(4) – 2 m.p. [1, 1]
Hewitt accomplished unprecedented feat winning the title despite being one point from defeat in three different sets! In the 3rd set of his second round match, he trailed *2:5 (0/30) vs Srichaphan, saved a match point in another game on return & survived a *3:6 deficit in the tie-break! Hewitt, who got a winner’s check for $51,500, said after the final: “This was definitely one of the best matches I’ve played. I didn’t serve great, but I served well at the right times under pressure, against the best returner in the world.“
Points won directly behind the serve:
26 % Hewitt – 39 of 147
26 % Agassi – 29 of 110
Arguably the best ‘ATP 250’ final in history featuring amazing tension in terms of the scoreline throughout. It was a high-quality encounter of two great competitors: the 21-year-old Hewitt – the best player in the world & almost 11 years older Agassi, still in his prime. Hewitt manufactured magnificent performance hitting 62 winners (Agassi 31) to save five mini-match points & two match points in the 2-hour 57-minute duel (!):
1st set:
# Agassi breaks at 2-all after an 8-deuce game (needed 9 break points)
2nd set:
# at 4-all Hewitt saves a mini-match point with an ace down the T
# in the tie-break he trails *2:5 hitting the centre line on second serve, then saves a match point at *5:6 with a forehand winner after a 15-stroke rally
3rd set:
# Agassi leads *3:1 (30/15), then squanders four mini-match points at 4:3 – FH error, two FH winners of Hewitt, & his service winner (6 deuces)
# Agassi has his second match point at 5:4 – Hewitt serves an ace down the T
# in the tie-break the crucial is a point which gives Hewitt a 5:3* lead – during a rally the Australian plays his first dropshot of the match, Agassi chases it to be lobbed after Hewitt’s volley & responds with a tweener only to see Hewitt’s stoic BH-stop-volley; the crowd gives them a standing ovation right afterwards
Hewitt’s route to 13th title:
1 Michael Llodra 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
2 Paradorn Srichaphan 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(6) – 4 m.p.
Q Todd Martin 6-3, 7-5
S Jan-Michael Gambill 7-5, 6-4
W Andre Agassi 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(4) – 2 m.p. [1, 1]
Hewitt accomplished unprecedented feat winning the title despite being one point from defeat in three different sets! In the 3rd set of his second round match, he trailed *2:5 (0/30) vs Srichaphan, saved a match point in another game on return & survived a *3:6 deficit in the tie-break! Hewitt, who got a winner’s check for $51,500, said after the final: “This was definitely one of the best matches I’ve played. I didn’t serve great, but I served well at the right times under pressure, against the best returner in the world.“