1 Response to uo92courier_agassi

1. Voo de Mar says:

   January 30, 2024 at 11:10 am

   Points won by each set: [ 38-32, 44-43, 31-20, 40-36 ]
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   32 % Courier – 44 of 134
   21 % Agassi – 32 of 150

   Exceptionally long match (the longest 4-setter for them both) given the scoreline and the fact Agassi used to play fast between the points #
   That night session quarterfinal seemed like a “premature final” of two 22-year-old Americans, because Courier [1] had won Aussie Open and Roland Garros in 1992 while Agassi [9] was a fresh Wimbledon champion, and they both were playing on their best surface. Courier needed 9 break points to get the first break for a 3:1 lead in the opener. He lost the 2nd set despite many chances: he led 4:2*, then blew four mini-set points at 5-all and a *6:3 lead in the tie-break. Agassi saved all three set points attacking the net, but he should have lost the breaker because at 3:6 he was lobbed, and responded far behind the baseline with a decent backhand leaving an open court – Courier missed his FH-volley though! After losing such a remarkable set Courier should have been upset, yet Agassi couldn’t take the momentum – the 2nd set cost him too much energy. The much better physically prepared Courier went to a 5:0* lead when he actually didn’t try at all on Agassi’s serve, sending all his returns a few meters beyond the lines. Agassi had a game point to get a 3:0 lead in the 4th set, then at 4:3 he squandered a triple mini-set point (first he made a forehand error, the following two break points Courier fought off with 2nd serve-ace and powerful 1st serve which turned to be unreturned).

   # Their three longest 4-setters:
   US Open ’92: Courier d. Agassi 6-3, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4… 3 hours 47 minutes
   Davis Cup ’92: Courier d. Kulti 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 7-5… 3 hours 41 minutes
   Davis Cup ’97: Courier d. Kuerten 6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6… 3 hours 40 minutes

   US Open ’92: Agassi l. Courier 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 4-6… 3 hours 47 minutes
   US Open ’01: Agassi l. Sampras 7-6, 6-7, 6-7, 6-7… 3 hours 32 minutes
   US Open ’06: Agassi d. Pavel 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 6-2… 3 hours 30 minutes

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