1 Response to rg84wilander_noah

1. Voo de Mar says:

   March 23, 2023 at 9:41 pm

   Stats without 5 games of the 2nd set (2:1* led Noah)

   Points won by each set: | 56-50, ~15-25, 23-33, 29-22, 33-23 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   6 % Wilander – 9 of ~150
   14 % Noah – 21 of ~150

   Highly anticipated match-up since the tournament inception – two finalists of the previous edition. The same court, the same umpire (Jacques Dorfmann), the same racquets, the same game-styles, but both players with shorter hair. Noah [5] was playing a crazy match furiously attacking to the net behind his both serves and as a receiver. Who knows, maybe he would have defeated Wilander [4] again in straights if he had won the 1st set tie-break. The Frenchman led *4:2 when Wilander managed to pass breaking his strings in the moment of hitting the ball on the backhand side. The Swede changed his equipment and got the last five points of the set in total. Another two sets it was Noah’s concert (seven games won in a row), he kept the supportive crowd at the edge of their seats with acrobatic play at the net and devastating power of overheads. He put too much effort into his game though, and paid the price at the beginning of the 4th set when he felt pain in his legs. Wilander was finally able to break for the first time after 2 hours 45 minutes, and controlled the rest of the match. Before it happened, Noah had had a break point at 2-all in the 4th set, he also squandered two break points trailing 2:3 in the decider. # It was the first of their three five-setters. In terms of the scoreline, very similar Noah’s defeat to the one he suffered two years before in the Davis Cup final.

   # Comparison of their three 5-setters:
   French Open ’84 (QF): Wilander d. Noah 7-6, 2-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3… 3 hours 35 minutes… Total points: ~150-150… Breaks: 3-3
   Key Biscayne ’87 (QF): Noah d. Wilander 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6… 3 hours 47 minutes… Total points: 166-167… Breaks: 5-5
   Davis Cup ’88 (SF): Wilander d. Noah 2-6, 13-11, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0… 4 hours 57 minutes… Total points: 185-174… Breaks: 7-5

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