1 Response to madrid02novak_santoro

1. Voo de Mar says:

   May 17, 2025 at 11:54 am

   Points won by each set: | 29-19, 33-25 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   16 % Novak – 8 of 50
   16 % Santoro – 9 of 56

   It was a great opportunity for them both to reach one big final: 30-year-old Santoro [50] was playing his third Masters 1K semifinal while three years younger Novak [9] his fourth. Despite the ranking gap, the Czech wasn’t a clear favorite because he had lost his previous meeting against the Frenchman in the Dubai ’02 semifinal. In Madrid everything was working Novak’s way, he presented nearly perfect tennis until he led *5:2 (30-all) in the 2nd set – then he netted a volley from a winnable position, and lost two straight games. Serving for the second time to win the match, he kept composure and struck an ace at 40/15 celebrating the victory on his knees (picture photo). Unfortunately he withdrew from the final due to leg injury. 2002 it was definitely the best year in Novak’s career, certainly he couldn’t have been considered a favorite in the final against Agassi, but a few weeks later they met at ‘Masters’, and Novak won 7-5, 6-1 on a similar court thus in retrospect it seems he had a shot to be fulfilled with his career if the injury didn’t prevent him from entering the Madrid final.

   Serve & volley: Novak 0, Santoro 6/13

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