2 Responses to rg86lendl_kriek

1. Voo de Mar says:

   September 16, 2025 at 3:46 pm

   Points won by each set: | 34-26, 26-9, 24-7 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   23 % Lendl – 14 of 60
   10 % Kriek – 7 of 66

   One of the coldest (13°C) and shortest (76 minutes) Grand Slam semifinals in history was co-created by two men from different continents who became American citizens – Kriek in 1982, Lendl a decade later… Lendl played the entire match in black warm-up pants and a short-sleeved sweater. Kriek began in a warm-up jacket, removed it at 1:4* in the 2nd set, and his game only deteriorated further. The opening two points gave no hint of the rout to come: Kriek won the first rally with a heavy smash, then followed with an ace. He still looked solid until 1:1 (30/15) in the 2nd set, when he played an excellent BH dropshot – then he pushed a routine backhand volley wide. From there he lost the last twelve games, and by the finish the Paris crowd was booing him. At one point he shouted, “I’m freezing!” Lendl proved an unsolvable puzzle for Kriek. The South African had defeated Connors and McEnroe several times but never managed even a set against Lendl in their ten career meetings – this was their ninth.

   Serve & volley: Lendl 1/1, Kriek 5/15

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   September 16, 2025 at 4:02 pm

   ☆ In the Open Era, Kriek remains the only South African to reach a Roland-Garros semifinal,
   a result that still stands above the best Paris performances of other prominent Afrikaners:

   Johan Kriek (SF – 1986)
   Wayne Ferreira (4R – 1996)
   Kevin Anderson (4R – several times)
   Kevin Curren (2R in 1992 – his only appearance!)

   In the pre-Open Era, Eric Sturgess reached the final twice (1947, 51) while Cliff Drysdale reached two semifinals in Paris (1965-66)

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