1 Response to ao00agassi_kafelnikov

1. Voo de Mar says:

   September 3, 2024 at 3:54 pm

   Points won by each set: [ 25-32, 30-23, 28-17, 42-40 ]
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   24 % Agassi – 28 of 116
   24 % Kafelnikov – 30 of 122

   Pivotal moment of that encounter between the two best players in the world at the time: 3-all in the 2nd set on Agassi’s serve, 16-stroke rally – only diagonal backhands (!) – Kafelnikov [2] made an error… It was their second meeting on Rod Laver Arena, Agassi [1] triumphed in straights five years before in the quarterfinals. The American went unbroken in the 4th set (at 4:2 he wasted 4 mini-match points in a 9-deuce game) & finished the event with the same type of ace as five years before when defeated Sampras in the final… # A few months earlier, Agassi defeated Kafelnikov in the US Open semifinal after almost identical match in terms of sets. “My legs started feeling heavy at the end of the third set. It’s amazing how he can recover from losing the first set and continue to raise his game,” Kafelnikov said. “That’s the aspect he improved the most.” That match ended a short period (a few months) of their dominance in tennis world when they met five times at the end of big tournaments, with Agassi winning four times in a row. The rest of the season belonged to Kuerten, Safin and Norman.

   Agassi’s route to his 45th title:
   1 Mariano Puerta 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
   2 Sjeng Schalken 7-5, 6-0, 6-3
   3 Mariano Zabaleta 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
   4 Mark Philippoussis 6-4, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3
   Q Hicham Arazi 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
   S Pete Sampras 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(0), 7-6(5), 6-1
   W Yevgeny Kafelnikov 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

   # Comparison of their two four-setters:
   US Open 1999 (SF): Agassi d. Kafelnikov 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3… 2 hours 11 minutes… Total points: 115-101
   Aus Open 2000 (F): Agassi d. Kafelnikov 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4… 2 hours 19 minutes… Total points: 125-113

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