1 Response to uo98siemerink_rusedski

1. Voo de Mar says:

   May 3, 2024 at 3:11 pm

   Points won by each set: | 25-30, 40-34, 41-48, 40-29, 35-25 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   32 % Siemerink – 59 of 182
   28 % Rusedski – 47 of 165

   The 3-hour 22-minute serve-and-volley affair under the floodlights on Stadium 1. Rusedski [6] – the US Open ’97 runner-up – entered the third round having won two consecutive five-setters after saving match points (against Ulihrach & Ferreira), and he saved three advantage match points against Siemerink in the last game, so he was mathematically # ten points away from winning three MP-down matches as the only man in history in a Grand Slam event!
   Due to tough matches in the first two rounds, Rusedski was not fresh from the start, yet he managed to win the opener trailing *2:4 and the 3rd set saving break points in four different games, which is very unusual. As he finally lost his serve at 1-all in the 4th, there was the longest game of the match – the Dutchman [21] saved two break points to hold after 7 ‘deuces’ for a 3:1 lead. Rusedski was running out gas with every game since then, but he hanged in there thanks to his great serve (the best on the tour at the time). He led 4:3* in the decider, there was 4-all (30-all) in the following game, so he was six points away from winning another dramatic match. Siemerink broke though, with his best tennis on that day – he got all his four points with winners (three passing-shots and volley on break point). In the last game the Dutchman perhaps felt the pressure of facing the ‘MP-down savior’, and he missed three relatively easy volleys on match points. Then on the fourth match point, instead of playing his classical serve-and-volley action, he decided to produce a powerful serve down the T, and it was his fastest serve of the day which turned into an ace! Siemerink’s lone advancement to the US Open’s fourth round. Rusedski wins a five-set match saving a match point on return in his another appearance in the Davis Cup vs India!

   Rusedski’s four consecutive five-setters in 1998:
   US Open: Wayne Ferreira 4-6, 7-6(2), 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-4 – 2 m.p.
   US Open: Bohdan Ulihrach 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 – 1 m.p.
   US Open: Jan Siemerink 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 2-6, 4-6
   Davis Cup: Leander Paes 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 11-9 – 1 m.p.

   # Feliciano Lopez is nine points away from winning three MP-down matches at the Australian Open 2015
   (defeats Kudla & Mannarino in the first two rounds, loses to Raonic in 4R having saved MP in the 4th set)

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