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 period of their rivalry they’d created at the end of 1994, it was supposed answering to a question: who’s the best player in the world? Agassi had a very bad day in California and got almost defaulted at the beginning of the 2nd set for insults towards a lineswoman…
Two years later they entered the final from completely different positions: Sampras was still No. 1 in the world while Agassi was coming back from an awful 1997 season when he dropped outside the Top 100. At the beginning of the year Agassi stated that he would return to the top and it seemed a bit cocky, 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 treated 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
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 period of their rivalry they’d created at the end of 1994, it was supposed answering to a question: who’s the best player in the world? Agassi had a very bad day in California and got almost defaulted at the beginning of the 2nd set for insults towards a lineswoman…
Two years later they entered the final from completely different positions: Sampras was still No. 1 in the world while Agassi was coming back from an awful 1997 season when he dropped outside the Top 100. At the beginning of the year Agassi stated that he would return to the top and it seemed a bit cocky, 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 treated 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