wb00sampras_gambill

Points won by each set: | 27-25, 45-46, 36-33, 30-25 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
44 % Sampras – 59 of 132
36 % Gambill – 49 of 135

Arguably Sampras’ [3] toughest 4-set victory at Wimbledon (17-3 record in four-setters). Gambill [56] was predisposed to achieve the best result at Slams either in Melbourne or New York, but it happened in London. In 2000 he was serving great, in the fourth round he fired his career-high 34 aces against Enqvist, and in the quarterfinal his serve was very efficient again. He was also successfully applying serve-and-volley tactics, something rather unusual for him. Sampras on the other hand, was physically struggling, hobbling, his movement was limited in the fortnight; he admitted that could play only at 80% of his abilities. Gambill saved a set point at *4:5 in the 2nd set and there was 4-all in each set he lost. The closest to win one of those “6-4” sets he was in the 3rd: he had two break points at 3:2 and a few game points to lead 5:4 (Sampras played his best forehand passing-shot at one of them).

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