2 Responses to daviscup91forget_sampras

1. Voo de Mar says:

   November 21, 2024 at 1:45 pm

   Points won by each set: | 40-39, 24-32, 29-25, 31-27 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   37 % Forget – 48 of 129
   37 % Sampras – 44 of 118

   [7] Forget’s became [6] Sampras’ nightmare in the second half of the 1991 season – they met in three big finals, after two Mercedes Super 9 events (Cincinnati & Paris), they faced each other in the most prestigious team event; every time their match was super tight, yet the Frenchman collected all the most important points to notch 2-1, 3-2 and 3-1 wins respectively. In each of those matches, a tie-break helped Forget to win; in Lyon he trailed *5:6 in it when he fired an ace and took it 8/6. The Frenchman had to deal with big pressure on his serve as he was trying to close out sets 3 and 4; first at 5:3 he faced 15/40 and his second serve. Usually on carpet, he didn’t run to the net behind his second serves, but in that crucial moment he decided to do this in successive points – first Sampras was unable to return the serve, then he saw Forget’s ace. At 5:4 in the 4th set Forget escaped from 15/40 again, one of the points obtaining with a stunning backhand cross passing-shot. Forget converted his first match point with a forehand winner into an open court when the crowd already celebrated (Sampras dived to reach Forget’s backhand volley), then he fell into the arms of his teammates. Perhaps the most important moment for the final outcome came as he led 3:2 in the last set – Sampras created a break point, Forget saved it with an ace, but Sampras signalized he had not been ready, and the point was repeated despite Noah’s protests. Forget ultimately needed his second serve and a rally to fight the break point off. The 8 thousands of French spectators gathered in the Palais des Sports de Gerland were super loud during the weekend which made an impact on long breaks between the points. Forget explained: “I don’t think the American team realised how much Davis Cup meant to the French team and public. We have World Cup soccer, the Tour de France and Davis Cup, but in America, they have 10 different things more important than Davis Cup.” Sampras admitted the had not coped well with the hostile crowd, and disappointed especially on Friday because he was expected to beat Leconte. But how Tom Gorman couldn’t have elected him to the team if he had won an ATP title in the same venue just a few months earlier, playing flawless tennis? France waited 59 years for this title (in the 1932 final they defeated USA 3-2).

   FRANCE d. USA 3-1 in Gerland Sports Palace, Lyon, France: Carpet (Indoor)
   Andre Agassi (USA) d. Guy Forget (FRA) 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-1, 6-2
   Henri Leconte (FRA) d. Pete Sampras (USA) 6-4, 7-5, 6-4
   Guy Forget / Henri Leconte (FRA) d. Ken Flach / Robert Seguso (USA) 6-1, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
   Guy Forget (FRA) d. Pete Sampras (USA) 7-6(6), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
   Andre Agassi (USA) vs Henri Leconte (FRA) unp.

   

   From left: Henri Leconte, Olivier Delaitre (alt.), Farbcie Santoro, Guy Forget, Arnaud Boetsch & Yannick Noah (captain)
   

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   November 21, 2024 at 1:49 pm

   France’s route to the title: Israel 5-0, Australia 3-2, Yugoslavia 5-0, USA 3-1
   (the French team played in the playoffs of 1990, eliminating Great Britain 5-0)

   Points:
   7 – Guy Forget
   5 – Henri Leconte
   2.5 – Fabrice Santoro – he won the decisive rubber against Australia
   0.5 – Arnaud Boetsch

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