2 Responses to ao02_safin_haas

1. Voo de Mar says:

   January 16, 2024 at 3:45 am

   That semifinal featured enormous number of net-cords behind the serves & unusual turnaround after a relatively short break due to rain…

   Points won directly behind the serve:
   33 % Safin – 48 of 144
   27 % Haas – 45 of 162

   It was highly entertaining match in the first three sets that lasted 2 hours 40 minutes. At the beginning of the 4th set, Safin [11] looked much more tired, yet the luck was on his side – he held to open and the rain came during a rally which he won. The match was suspended at 1:0* (15/0) & Safin raised his arms in a redemption gesture. The 40-minute rain delay delivered a brutal exemplification how it can affect both players. Safin came back on court fresh & eager, while his German [9] opponent completely lost the match temperature at the indoor conditions, turning himself into a deflated error machine. Even when he tried destroying his racquet in the 5th set, he failed… Safin had been lucky to hang in there before the rain-break, because in the 2nd set he trailed *1:3 struggling with pain in his thighs. He also trailed *0:3 in the 2nd set tie-break. Haas played four major semifinals in his career, that was his second, and the closest one to reach the final.

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   January 16, 2024 at 4:00 am

   Haas was the hottest player at the time, between Long Island ’01 and that semifinal against Safin,
   he had a 29-4 record (3 titles in 7 events), and considering him a future no. 1 at the time made sense

   Ultimately he’s the strongest contender to be called “the best player who never played at Masters”

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