2 Responses to ostrava98agassi_kroslak

1. Voo de Mar says:

   November 11, 2023 at 5:12 pm

   Stats without six games (70% made in total); number of aces, double faults & break points valid for the entire contest

   Points won by each set: | 42-32, 19-28, 35-29 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   31 % Agassi – 26 of 83
   32 % Kroslak – 33 of 102

   Kroslak [153, qualifier], the third best Slovakian player born in the 70s (behind Kucera & Hrbaty) played arguably his career-best tournament. Admittedly he had claimed two ATP titles before, but in minor tournaments with poor field (Tel Aviv ’95, Shanghai ’97); in the Silesian Czechia, he defeated three elite players (Ivanisevic, Medvedev, Enqvist), and almost to the end of the final, he was playing on equal terms against the second best player of the 90s. At 3:1* for Agassi [6] in the opener, occurred the potentially longest game in his career as he broke after 13 deuces converting his 8th break point (it lasted 16 minutes). At 1-all in the decider, Kroslak had a break point and missed a BH-volley from a winnable position. The Slovak found himself at 3-all (deuce twice), in the following game he led 40/15 on serve, but lost second straight game “4:6”. Serving for the title, Agassi delivered a bunch of big serves to hold at “love”. # Agassi’s second final won after this scoreline.

   Agassi’s route to his 39th title:
   1 Kenneth Carlsen 6-4, 6-4
   2 Magnus Norman 6-2, 7-5
   Q Thomas Johansson 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-4
   S Wayne Black 7-6(2), 6-3
   W Jan Kroslak 6-2, 3-6, 6-3

   # In the quarterfinal Agassi experienced his best comeback in the “best of three” format as he rallied from 0:4 in the 3rd set.
   “In the last six games of the final set I played some of my best tennis this year,” Agassi said after. “I think I was pretty lucky, too”.

   Serve & volley: Agassi 1/2, Kroslak 1/2

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   November 11, 2023 at 5:33 pm

   # Comparison of Agassi’s finals with the same scoreline:
   Scottsdale ’93: Agassi d. Ondruska 6-2, 3-6, 6-3… 2 hours 22 minutes… Total points: 96-89… Breaks: 8-6
   Ostrava ’98: Agassi d. Kroslak 6-2, 3-6, 6-3… 1 hour 41 minutes… Total points: 96-89… Breaks: 3-1

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