Points won by each set: [ 20-30, 29-16, 33-22, 29-23 ]
Points won directly behind the serve:
35 % Lendl – 35 of 99
18 % Agassi – 19 of 103

Even though Lendl [1] was a triple defending champion, many fans could expect an upset due to two reasons:
– they’d played once, in similar conditions a year before when Agassi was completely inexperienced, yet he managed to win a set (semifinal in Stratton Mountain)
– the 18-year-old Agassi was in a tremendous form, entered the semifinal on 23-match winning streak (27 counting an exho event!), so it seemed that he’d join Wilander, Becker & Chang as the fourth prodigy to win a Grand Slam title in the 80s
The beginning of the match confirmed Agassi’s amazing talent, he totally outplayed Lendl from the baseline until 4:1* (30/0) – the Czechoslovak levelled, but lost the set in which he didn’t hit a rally winner (not counting two aces). Lendl showed his tactical complexity as the 2nd set kicked off, accelerating his 1st serves and running around his backhand side. In the initial years of his career Agassi had problems to win matches escaping from difficult situations – he saved a set point at 2:5* (15/40) in the 3rd set, after the most spectacular rally of the match, took the game but was easily broken immediately. In the 4th set they both were holding without any troubles, a tie-break seemed inevitable, but Agassi serving at 4:5 (40/0) didn’t chase Lendl’s forehand which landed on the baseline, quickly lost another four points and the match. One year later they’ll play another US Open semifinal, both looking actually the same (Lendl entire in white attire, Agassi with his white shirt & jeans shorts).

Serve & volley: Lendl 0, Agassi 0/4

# Comparison of their two US Open semfinals:
1988: Lendl d. Agassi 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4… 2 hours 32 minutes… Total points: 111-91 (breaks: 7-3)
1989: Lendl d. Agassi 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1… 2 hours 56 minutes… Total points: 128-106 (breaks: 5-2)