2 Responses to dc99kuerten_grosjean

1. Voo de Mar says:

   May 2, 2024 at 12:26 pm

   Points won by each set: | 32-23, 34-42, 45-44, 39-41, 58-55 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   26 % Kuerten – 59 of 225
   37 % Grosjean – 70 of 188

   The first rubber of a France vs Brazil tie held in Pau (July, quarterfinal: carpet indoors). Grosjean’s Davis Cup debut and the longest match of the year # – it lasted 4 hours 43 minutes! The young Frenchman (21 year-old) was a revelation of the season, achieving good results on every surface, thus the team captain Guy Forget designated him to play instead of French no. 1 at the time, Jerome Golmard, who didn’t stand the pressure in the first round as France defeated the Netherlands, losing to Krajicek a “won” match.
   Who knows, maybe the Kuerten- Grosjean meeting wouldn’t have been so long if the Brazilian had served out the 2nd set at 6:5 (Grosjean won the tie-break 7/4)? In the no-break 3rd set Kuerten [5] already led 4:0 in the tie-break before winning it 7/5. Grosjean [34] raced to a 4:1* (30/0) lead in the 4th set, Kuerten levelled, but at 4:5 he began to struggle with cramps. Nevertheless he fought off two set points and third straight tie-break was required, in which Grosjean obtained his last two points with overhead winners not having hit any before. The 7/5 tie-break for him, and from the 10th game of that set it seemed obvious that “if Kuerten doesn’t win in 4 he will lose in 5”. The beginning of the decider confirmed it, Grosjean led 2:0* (30-all), but his very energetic play was costly (before him, no other player of his size was serving so fast, hitting forehands so aggressively). The Frenchman deflated a bit, Kuerten overcame his cramps and a fourth consecutive set was very tight. Kuerten had a break point leading 3:2, then he had to save break points at 3-all and 4-all. Grosjean finally broke again, and led *7:6 (30/15) – Kuerten obtained another three points. Serving to stay in the match for the third time, Grosjean led 40/15, but one more time Kuerten was able to win successive points as a receiver, finishing the contest on match point number one, with a backhand down-the-line passing-shot… France won the tie 3-2 anyway, grabbing another three rubbers in straight sets, Pioline easily defeated Meligeni & Kuerten, who lost doubles to a renown pair Delaitre/Santoro.

   Serve & volley: Kuerten 5/9, Grosjean 5/12

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   May 2, 2024 at 1:48 pm

   # Longest matches of the 90s by each year:

   1990: Sampras d. Mayotte 7-6, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5, 12-10…. 4 hours 59 minutes (Aussie Open, 1R)
   1991: Becker d. Camporese 7-6, 7-6, 0-6, 4-6, 14-12… 5 hours 11 minutes (Aussie Open, 3R)
   1992: Camporese d. Mattar 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4… 5 hours 47 minutes (Davis Cup, QF)
   1993: Krajicek d. T.Martin 6-7, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4… 5 hours 11 minutes (US Open, 3R)
   1994: Muster d. Stich 6-4, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 12-10… 5 hours 24 minutes (Davis Cup, 1R)
   1995: Dosedel d. Mutis 6-7, 7-5, 5-7, 7-6, 8-6… 4 hours 46 minutes (Roland Garros, 1R)
   1996: Boetsch d. Kulti 7-6, 2-6, 4-6, 7-6, 10-8… 4 hours 48 minutes (Davis Cup, F)
   1997: Roux d. Stark 1-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2, 13-11… 4 hours 33 minutes (Aussie Open, 1R)
   1998: Corretja d. Gumy 6-1, 5-7, 6-7, 7-5, 9-7…. 5 hours 31 minutes (Roland Garros, 3R)
   1999: Kuerten d. Grosjean 6-2, 6-7, 7-6, 6-7, 9-7… 4 hours 43 minutes (Davis Cup, QF)

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