1 Response to rg91courier_edberg

1. Voo de Mar says:

   March 29, 2024 at 6:13 pm

   Points won by each set: | 34-24, 14-29, 32-24, 40-37 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   13 % Courier – 16 of 122
   25 % Edberg – 29 of 112

   One of the most important matches in [9] Courier’s career. It was his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, he had lost his previous match to Edberg – the best player in the world at the time – in five sets at the Aussie Open ’91. It seems that the American was extremely focused in the opener because after winning it, he began the 2nd set playing terribly, and Edberg quickly raced to a 4:0 lead. Courier obtained the crucial breaks at 2:1 and 3-all in the following two sets. The last one was quite lucky – his mishit backhand return turned into a lob winner. In the last game of the match at ‘deuce’ Edberg played a defensive lob which was called ‘out’. The Swede had some issues to accept this decision, even after the umpire checked the mark. Courier converted his second match point with a forehand winner and didn’t hide his joy. This match set the tone for the rest of their rivalry. Courier would defeat Edberg four times in four-setters within two years (comparison of all those encounters here). The pattern was the same regardless of the surface: Edberg couldn’t deal with Courier’s heavy topspins off both wings during baseline rallies being unable to play chip-and-charge while applying serve-and-volley he was making more errors than against other players. Nonetheless he destroyed Courier in the US Open ’91 final, playing perhaps the best match of his life.

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