1 Response to palermo88wilander_carlsson

1. Voo de Mar says:

   February 3, 2023 at 4:43 pm

   Points won by each set: | 29-14, 25-29, 38-30 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   14 % Wilander – 10 of 69
   5 % Carlsson – 5 of 96

   The last event in Wilander’s career when he had an aura of invincibility. As a triple Grand Slam champion that year (+ triumph at Key Biscayne) he secured the no. 1 spot at the end of the year already in September. It was rather fancy that he decided to make a trip to Sicily to play just one event on clay before the indoor season in which he had two priorities: to win Masters (never did it) and Davis Cup – failed on both occasions. In Palermo, it was tough to believe he wouldn’t get the title being in tremendous form and facing an average field, but he unexpectedly struggled against his countryman in the final, the clay-court specialist, despite defeating him three times before without much trouble. Wilander raced to a 6-1, 2:1* (40/15) lead when Carlsson [6] improved his game by attacking the net. The underdog led 4:3* (30/15) in the decider, but Wilander was able to play the most important points better one more time that year with his clever changes of pace (he played the entire final in defensive mode overusing backhand slices, but at the end, he accelerated his shots). In the last game, Carlsson had a double break point but the last four points belonged to the older Swede: Wilander was 24 at the time, Calrsson 20, it seemed that they would face each other a few times at the end stages of the French Open – nothing like this happened. Carlsson’s chronic left knee injury was too problematic and forced him to finish his career the following year; Wilander was exhausted after a few years of constant work to reach the pinnacle and since 1989 he was never the same until he ultimately finished his career in 1996.

   Wilander’s route to his 32nd title:
   1 Markus Zillner 6-3, 6-3
   2 Franco Davin 6-1, 7-6(4)
   Q Claudio Panatta 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
   S Guillermo Perez-Roldan 6-2, 6-2
   W Kent Carlsson 6-1, 3-6, 6-4

   Serve & volley: Wilander 2/5, Carlsson 1/2

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