Points won by each set: | 35-37, 7-25, 39-36, 31-24, 33-19 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
31 % Martin – 45 of 142
34 % Rusedski – 49 of 144
Unusual 4R at majors in which two Top 10ers faced each other, and one of the most memorable comebacks in the tournament history. Martin [7] ultimately advanced to the final; it was an amazing event for him because he survived two thrillers on Arthur Ashe stadium before the last match of the US Open ’99. In the first round he was on his way to notch a routine straight set victory over a French journeyman Huet (known only for ousting Lendl at French Open ’93). After two hours Martin led 6-4, 6-3, 5:3* and had four match points (one on serve). It almost turned into his disaster; he was two points away from victory at 5:4* and 6:5 in the 4th set, also two points in the ensuing tie-break, had a mini-MP at 5-all in the decider and finally was almost eliminated at *5:6 (30-all) being two points away from one of the bitterest defeats in the US Open history… he won nine of the last eleven points though, converting the sixth match point with his 26th ace.
Against Rusedski, Martin found himself in ‘Huet’s position’: two-sets-to-love down and 2:4 (15/40) on serve. The American fought off the double mini-match point with very good serve-and-volley actions (both behind the second serves). Also with S&V, Martin won a point being two points away from defeat at *3:5 (30-all), then he broke back to win the tie-break 7/3 playing his best tennis. It was past midnight when Rusedski led 4:1* in the decider, Martin seemed to be more tired and his defeat inevitable, and then he somehow rejuvenated with the help of the home crowd, winning 20 of the last 21 points (18 in a row before double faulting!) – the first one after a smash when the ball stuck inside the throat of Rusedski’s racket! Two years before Rusedski lost similar match to Ivanisevic in the Vienna final. The Brit avenges the painful defeat already in Autumn ’99 as he defeats Martin 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 in Stuttgart saving four match points.
Martin is a five-set legend, coming back from 0-2 deficit nine times (more comebacks enjoyed only Boris Becker and Andy Murray),
and five times from 1-2, being on the verge of defeat many times. Below those nine victories…
US Open ’93: Jordi Burillo 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 US Open ’94: Guillaume Raoux 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(1)… saved 3 match points Aussie Open ’99: Fernando Meligeni 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 Wimbledon ’99: Hendrik Dreekmann 6-7(6), 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-4… *0:3 in 3rd set US Open ’99: Greg Rusedski 5-7, 0-6, 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4… *2:4 (15/40) in 3rd and *1:4 in 5th set Aussie Open ’00: Byron Black 5-7, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2, 8-6… saved 3 match points (aces record: 39) US Open ’00: Carlos Moya 6-7(3), 6-7(7), 6-1, 7-6(6), 6-2… saved 1 match point Wimbledon ’01: Jiri Novak 6-7(3), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 Aussie Open ’04: Antony Dupuis 4-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4), 6-3… saved 1 match point in 3rd set
…and those five: Wimbledon ’93: Goran Ivanisevic 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-0… *2:4 (0/40) in 4th set Wimbledon ’93: David Wheaton 6-4, 5-7, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3… 0:3* in 4th set Wimbledon ’94: Martin Damm 6-2, 6-7(1), 4-6, 6-3, 11-9 Wimbledon ’95: Derrick Rostagno 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4… 0:2* in 5th set Wimbledon ’03: Fernando Vicente 6-7(4), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-4
Points won by each set: | 35-37, 7-25, 39-36, 31-24, 33-19 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
31 % Martin – 45 of 142
34 % Rusedski – 49 of 144
Unusual 4R at majors in which two Top 10ers faced each other, and one of the most memorable comebacks in the tournament history. Martin [7] ultimately advanced to the final; it was an amazing event for him because he survived two thrillers on Arthur Ashe stadium before the last match of the US Open ’99. In the first round he was on his way to notch a routine straight set victory over a French journeyman Huet (known only for ousting Lendl at French Open ’93). After two hours Martin led 6-4, 6-3, 5:3* and had four match points (one on serve). It almost turned into his disaster; he was two points away from victory at 5:4* and 6:5 in the 4th set, also two points in the ensuing tie-break, had a mini-MP at 5-all in the decider and finally was almost eliminated at *5:6 (30-all) being two points away from one of the bitterest defeats in the US Open history… he won nine of the last eleven points though, converting the sixth match point with his 26th ace.
Against Rusedski, Martin found himself in ‘Huet’s position’: two-sets-to-love down and 2:4 (15/40) on serve. The American fought off the double mini-match point with very good serve-and-volley actions (both behind the second serves). Also with S&V, Martin won a point being two points away from defeat at *3:5 (30-all), then he broke back to win the tie-break 7/3 playing his best tennis. It was past midnight when Rusedski led 4:1* in the decider, Martin seemed to be more tired and his defeat inevitable, and then he somehow rejuvenated with the help of the home crowd, winning 20 of the last 21 points (18 in a row before double faulting!) – the first one after a smash when the ball stuck inside the throat of Rusedski’s racket! Two years before Rusedski lost similar match to Ivanisevic in the Vienna final. The Brit avenges the painful defeat already in Autumn ’99 as he defeats Martin 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 in Stuttgart saving four match points.
Martin is a five-set legend, coming back from 0-2 deficit nine times (more comebacks enjoyed only Boris Becker and Andy Murray),
and five times from 1-2, being on the verge of defeat many times. Below those nine victories…
US Open ’93: Jordi Burillo 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2
US Open ’94: Guillaume Raoux 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(1)… saved 3 match points
Aussie Open ’99: Fernando Meligeni 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1
Wimbledon ’99: Hendrik Dreekmann 6-7(6), 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2, 6-4… *0:3 in 3rd set
US Open ’99: Greg Rusedski 5-7, 0-6, 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4… *2:4 (15/40) in 3rd and *1:4 in 5th set
Aussie Open ’00: Byron Black 5-7, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2, 8-6… saved 3 match points (aces record: 39)
US Open ’00: Carlos Moya 6-7(3), 6-7(7), 6-1, 7-6(6), 6-2… saved 1 match point
Wimbledon ’01: Jiri Novak 6-7(3), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Aussie Open ’04: Antony Dupuis 4-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(4), 6-3… saved 1 match point in 3rd set
…and those five:
Wimbledon ’93: Goran Ivanisevic 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-0… *2:4 (0/40) in 4th set
Wimbledon ’93: David Wheaton 6-4, 5-7, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3… 0:3* in 4th set
Wimbledon ’94: Martin Damm 6-2, 6-7(1), 4-6, 6-3, 11-9
Wimbledon ’95: Derrick Rostagno 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4… 0:2* in 5th set
Wimbledon ’03: Fernando Vicente 6-7(4), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-4