2 Responses to olymp88mecir_mayotte

1. Voo de Mar says:

   March 23, 2024 at 4:52 pm

   Stats without the first six games of the 3rd set, and the entire 4th set, so 23 of 35 games (65%)

   Points won by each set: | 30-38, 30-25, X, X |

   The first tennis Olympic event of the Open Era, and the first time with tennis officially at the Olympics since 1924 (in 1968 and 1984 tennis was an exhibition sport)! In the 2-hour 38-minute South Korean final, met two players whose careers were entirely connected to the 80s. Mayotte [10] was much better in the opener, he created break points in [12] Mecir’s first two service games. The Czechoslovak led 3:2* when the American took the next four games. The following three sets it was an overwhelming advantage of Mecir. He maintained his first serve-in at very high percentage, and as a superior baseliner, he kept Mayotte away from attacking the net with excellent depth and accuracy of his ground-strokes. Between first games of sets nos. 3 and 4, Mecir won 28 out of 30 points on serve! In three successive sets he respectively dropped just 8, 3 and 7 points as a server, breaking Mayotte twice almost in each set (in the 3rd set Mecir led 5:3*, 40/15… the only break in that set came at 2-all). Mecir converted his first match point when Mayotte netted a backhand volley, then Mecir celebrated the victory more emotional than usual throwing his racquet high into the air. “I don’t know how I feel now,” the 24-year-old Mecir said in the press conference. “Mostly, I feel I am sitting here answering questions from journalists. My emotions are difficult to say. I have to spend some time with friends, to go out and celebrate, and then maybe I feel more.” Mayotte stated: “It’s strange because here, the emphasis is on medals instead of 100 percent on winning. So there is consolation in getting to the medal group. The ceremony was fantastic, it’s such a different way of doing things.” The bronze medals obtained the semifinal losers, Stefan Edberg and Brad Gilbert (the 3rd place match will be introduced in 1996). A few months later the first edition of the Hopman Cup takes place, and Mecir captures it too, partnering Helena Sukova (Mecir won only mixed-doubles matches).

   Mecir’s (CZE) route to the first Gold medal of the Open Era (his 10th title):
   1 Eric Jelen (GER) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2, 7-6(6)
   2 Jeremy Bates (GB) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
   3 Guy Forget (FRA) 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5
   Q Michiel Schapers (NED) 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-4
   S Stefan Edberg (SWE) 3-6, 6-0, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
   W Tim Mayotte (USA) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2

   En route to the title Mecir defeated six serve-and-volleyers!

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   March 23, 2024 at 5:09 pm

   It’s an open question what is Mecir’s most significant title. Just in theory his Olympic gold medal, but a year earlier he triumphed at Key Biscayne, in the first of three editions when it was called “fifth Grand Slam” as navigating through seven ‘best of five’ matches was required in order to raise the trophy. In Seoul, Mecir had to win six matches of this type. Seoul ’88, it was the first tennis edition at the Olympics in the Open Era, therefore many top players skipped the event. Below comparison of the Top 20 players who participated in the first four editions (no ranking points awarded):

   Seoul 88: seven
   Barcelona ’92: ten
   Atlanta ’96: eight
   Sydney ’00: thirteen

   From Atlanta onwards, only the final was played ‘the best of five’, Tokyo ’20 witnessed the first edition with the ‘best of three’ final,
   so I value the Seoul and Barcelona gold medals virtually the most.

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