1 Response to mc90chesnokov_muster

1. Voo de Mar says:

   September 22, 2020 at 11:43 pm

   Points won by each set: [ 44-42, 33-27, 37-27 ]
   Points won directly on serve:
   12 % Chesnokov – 13 of 104
   9 % Muster – 10 of 106

   None of the best three players at the time (Lendl – withdrawal from the entire ’90 clay-court season, Becker, Edberg) placed himself in the semifinals, Americans (Chang, Agassi) who were dangerous on clay skipped the event, and it opened a possibility for an unexpected final of two grinders. The first two sets – of that 2-hour 40-minute battle – were punishing, they both were heavily breathing after gruelling rallies. Muster [30] could feel those lost ‘5-7 3-6’ sets like standard ‘6-7 5-7’ sets. Optically nothing separated them, simply Chesnokov [20] was more efficient at the end of those sets: in the 1st he led *5:3, lost two games not winning a point, and saved a break point at 5-all; in the 2nd set he fought off a triple break point at 3-all – in both sets the Soviet player won the last few games after several deuces. Muster began the 3rd set a bit discouraged; he changed his tactics, attacking the net constantly behind his forehands, but Chesnokov with his more solid backhand defended well, and controlled the set throughout, clinching the title on his 5th match point. Muster said: “I tried everything. I tried to come in, I hit angle shots. He never missed. It was one of those days. Even when he hit off the frame, it came over the net and landed in.” A few weeks later they meet in the Rome final, Muster takes his revenge 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.

   Chesnokov’s route to his 5th title:
   1 Goran Prpic 7-5, 6-3
   2 Tomas Carbonell 4-1 ret.
   3 Jaime Yzaga 6-2, 6-1
   Q Marc Rosset 6-3, 6-2
   S Emilio Sanchez 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(2)
   W Thomas Muster 7-5, 6-3, 6-3

   # In the 2-hour 22-minute semifinal, Chesnokov led 5:3* in 3rd set vs Sanchez, then trailed 5:6 (15-all)

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