2 Responses to iw98rios_korda

1. Voo de Mar says:

   March 16, 2025 at 9:58 am

   Points won by each set: | 39-31, 28-15 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   32 % Rios – 17 of 53
   21 % Korda – 13 of 60

   In hindsight it’s not a casual Mercedes Super 9 quarterfinal, that match had serious consequences for them both. Korda [2] was in a form of his life at the time, he was the main favorite to win Indian Wells ’98 because he had captured titles in his two previous hardcourt appearances outdoors (Doha, Australian Open), and outplayed Rios [7] twice in the past few months (Stuttgart ’97, AO ’98). If he had defeated Rios third time in succession, he’d have been a huge favorite in another two matches which meant his probable advancement to number 1 in the world (he needed to win the title). Rios [7] had other ideas, and benefiting from errors of his opponent, he jumped to 5:1* (30-all); Korda improved to 4:5* (40/15), but Rios won four points in a row, and built a 5:1 lead again in the 2nd set – this time Korda hadn’t arguments to come back. At the beginning of March ’98 no one expected Rios would become the best player in the world one month later, but he won the Sunshine double on hardcourts being previously mainly associated with claycourts; players ahead of him in the ranking didn’t play particularly well in those two events, and the Chilean achieved an amazing feat. # He was the first of a few players who took advantage of Sampras getting old (the American dominated the circuit in the years 1993-97, losing the top spot a few times to Courier, Agassi and Muster in the meantime). Korda’s quick loss wasn’t accidental, another event at Key Biscayne confirmed that he reached his physical limits triumphing in Melbourne.

   Serve & volley: Rios 2/3, Korda 4/4

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   March 16, 2025 at 10:20 am

   # Interregnum in men’s tennis lasted between March ’98 and November ’01;
   it was a period when several players reached the top for the first time, not being able to keep this position for a long time:

   March ’98 – Rios
   March ’99 – Moya
   May ’99 – Kafelnikov
   July ’99 – Rafter
   November ’00 – Safin
   December ’00 – Kuerten
   November ’01 – Hewitt

   Korda (5 events in ’98), Rusedski (1 event ’98) and Krajicek (1 event ’99) had their reasonable chances to reach the top as well

   Hewitt held the position of the best player for the entire 2002 year, then Ferrero and Roddick had their moments of glory before Federer became “a new Sampras”

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