1 Response to ao96chang_agassi

1. Voo de Mar says:

   February 20, 2021 at 4:11 pm

   Points won by each set: | 30-15, 44-42, 49-38 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   30 % Chang – 25 of 82
   13 % Agassi – 18 of 136 (!)

   Agassi [2] was deflated after three five-setters (Etlis, Bjorkman, Courier) while Chang [5] advanced to the semifinal not dropping a set. Many years later, Agassi wrote in his book “Open” that he didn’t find motivation to defeat Chang, because he knew that after another tough win, he would have no chance against Becker in the final, and didn’t want to lose to the German because didn’t like him…
   In the first 40 minutes Agassi was playing in a 70-80% mode, he was reluctant to run and his 1st serve had a speed of his standard 2nd serve. When he trailed 1-6, 0:3* he decided to step up and the match was pretty balanced until the 3rd set tie-break in which Agassi won the first point with a forehand winner, then lost seven points in a row. Quite interesting that Agassi held at *3:5 in the 2nd set after 11 deuces (saved three set points in the game). In the 3rd set he was serving much better, led 4:1*, then saved a mini-match point at 4-all. # Nine months later, Chang easily defeats Agassi in a Slam semifinal again (in both matches the mid-set was the longest).

   # Comparison of their ’96 major semifinals:
   Aus Open: Chang d. Agassi 6-1, 6-4, 7-6… 2 hours 8 minutes… Total points: 123-95 (aces: 13-3)
   US Open: Chang d. Agassi 6-3, 6-2, 6-2… 2 hours 2 minutes… Total points: 99-76 (aces: 16-4)

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