One Response to sanjose96.98sampras.agassi

1. Voo de Mar says:

   March 1, 2016 at 7:31 pm

   Two almost identiacal Sybase Open finals (lasted 67 & 69 minutes respectively) between the two best players of the 90s, yet concluded with reverse outcomes. Their 1996 final prolonged an amazing rivalry they’d created in 1995, the rivalry that supposed answering to a question: who’s the best player in the world? Agassi had very bad day and got almost defaulted at the beginning of the 2nd set for insults towards a lineswoman…
   Two years later they enetered the final from completely different positions: Sampras was still No. 1 in the world while Agassi was comming back from an awful 1997 season when he dropped outside the Top 100. At the beginning of the year Agassi stated that he would come back to the top and it seemed a bit ridiculous, but as he easily defeated Sampras in the San Jose final collecting his first title since August ’96 (18-month break), his words must have been accepted with respect, even more three weeks later when he claimed another title in his next appearance (Scottsdale).

   Points won by each set: | 29-20, 35-27 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   40 % Sampras – 22 of 55
   23 % Agassi – 13 of 56

   Sampras’ route to his 37th title:
   1 Mark Ho 6-4, 6-3
   2 Frederico Marques 6-1, 6-3
   Q Greg Rusedski 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4
   S Jan Kroslak 7-6(6), 6-3
   W Andre Agassi 6-2, 6-3

   ======================================

   Points won by each set: | 32-23, 34-30 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   24 % Agassi – 13 of 53
   37 % Sampras – 25 of 66

   Agassi’s route to his 35th title:
   1 Alberto Martin 7-5, 6-2
   2 Gustavo Kuerten 6-3, 6-1
   Q Jan-Michael Gambill 7-5, 7-6(7)
   S Michael Chang 6-4, 7-6(4)
   W Pete Sampras 6-2, 6-4

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