1 Response to mc96costa_rios

1. Voo de Mar says:

   April 18, 2023 at 12:04 pm

   Points won by each set: | 37-31, 29-34, 30-23 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   15 % Costa – 16 of 105
   18 % Rios – 15 of 79

   A meeting of 21-year-old players, at the time it seemed they would play many more matches of this magnitude. It didn’t happen, but they both are fulfilled to some degree: Rios became the best player in the world two years later while Costa triumphed at Roland Garros 2002 – he was one of the main favorites to the title already in 1996. During that meeting in Monaco, Rios [13] showed bigger array of shots while Costa was more consistent. The Spaniard raced to a 4:0* lead after 20 minutes despite Rios winning 15 points (all games he lost by a two-point margin). Costa was on his way to notch a straight set victory, but made a terrible mistake at 2-all in the 2nd set when he thought Rios responded with a double bounce – nevertheless Costa had an open court to put away his forehand volley, but missed, and it irritated him. In the 3rd set he got a crucial break at 3:2, and served the match out at ‘love’ with three winners. # Two years later Costa advances to a Mercedes Super 9 final after an identical scoreline.

   Serve & volley: Costa 0, Rios 1/3

   # Comparison of Costa’s big semifinals with the same scoreline:
   Monte Carlo ’96: Costa d. Rios 6-3, 4-6, 6-3… 1 hour 46 minutes… Total points: 96-88… Breaks: 5-3
   Rome ’98: Costa d. Berasategui 6-3, 4-6, 6-3… 1 hour 49 minutes… Total points: 96-84… Breaks: 4-2

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