1 Response to wb84connors_lendl_

1. Voo de Mar says:

   July 7, 2022 at 7:36 pm

   Points won by each set: | 39-41, 28-21, 51-48, 26-14 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   23 % Connors – 29 of 123
   26 % Lendl – 39 of 145

   Very specific circumstances and unique situation there was an overwhelming favorite in a match of ranking neighbors (Lendl – 2, Connors – 3). The fresh maiden-Slam champion Lendl, who lost the first eight meetings with Connors, wins 21 consecutive games against the American in 1984 – he begins the streak winning the last game of their Masters ’83 semifinal (6-3, 6-4), then leads 6-0 1-0 in Rotterdam, where their match is halted and never finished, then produces a “double bagel” at Forest Hills, and takes the first game of their semifinal at Wimbledon! As Connors finally snapped the humiliation streak, everything came back to “normal”. The 32-year-old American lost the tie-break 4/7 but it was obvious that he couldn’t be destroyed on grass where he was able to get more points directly behind the serve and his attacking the net with beloved flat ground-strokes was much easier. Nevertheless, 24-year-old Lendl had a game point to lead 4:1 in the 3rd set, later on he had two mini-set points at 4:3 (Connors withstood it with an ace and serve-and-volley action behind his 2nd serve). The crucial game of the match occurred when the 4th set kicked off. There was 30-all when Lendl stopped playing because he thought the linesman called his ball ‘out’ – it was done by someone from the crowd. Connors hit a backhand winner in response. Both players laughing exchanged opinions about the strange point at the net, and Lendl somehow lost his focus afterwards. Connors played his last three service games constantly attacking the net and triumphed in a very similar style to their US Open final from the year before #

   Serve & volley: Connors 11/26, Lendl 5/19

   # Comparison of their two similar 4-setters:
   US Open 1983 (F): Connors d. Lendl 6-3, 6-7, 7-5, 6-0… 3 hours 13 minutes… Total points: 144-126 (aces: 6-17)
   Wimbledon 1984 (SF): Connors d. Lendl 6-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-1… 2 hours 57 minutes… Total points: 144-124 (aces: 6-19)

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