1 Response to wb93edberg_rusedski

1. Voo de Mar says:

   October 25, 2021 at 3:40 am

   Points won by each set: | 43-41, 31-29, 40-43, 47-45 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   37 % Edberg – 59 of 157
   38 % Rusedski – 63 of 162

   Tie-breaks: 11/9, 7/9, 7/5… Only serve-and-volley actions for 3 hours 18 minutes on court no. 2 and the tightest 4-set win in Edberg’s stellar career (he’d defeated Noah a few years before in the Basel final after a similar scoreline: 7-6, 6-2, 6-7, 7-6). At the time it was a shocking struggle of the best grass-court player in the world (along with Boris Becker) against an unknown 19-year-old Canadian qualifier [155] who made his Grand Slam debut, but Rusedski built self-confidence upon that encounter, and claimed his maiden title in Newport a few weeks later having more luck in tie-breaks. Rusedski should have actually won the opener as he led *5:1 in the tie-break, later on had three set points (6:5*, 7:6 & 9:8) – two of them on serve and committed two double faults (!) even though had not served one up to that moment. In the 3rd set he escaped from 0/40 at 5-all and saved a match point with an ace at 5:6 in the tie-break, but in the 4th set tie-break nerves overcame him again – he trailed 0:4* yet had a simple backhand volley to make 5-all – missed badly and the Swede converted his second match point with a similarly easy volley, on his forehand side. Their only meeting; Edberg’s coach Tony Pickard will become Rusedski’s coach after Edberg’s retirement, helping him to reach no. 4 in 1997.

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