2 Responses to rg95chang_bruguera

1. Voo de Mar says:

   May 29, 2023 at 5:13 pm

   Points won by each set: | 38-36, 36-36, 40-35 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   18 % Chang – 21 of 113
   13 % Bruguera – 15 of 108

   A clash of two French Open champions: the former (1989) and the reigning one (1993-94). Chang [6] snapped Bruguera’s 19 match winning streak in Paris applying the basic strategy characteristic for the Spaniard: namely patiently keeping the ball in play with semi-lobs, waiting for shorter balls to penetrate the court with forehands. Chang, the clever tactician, was constantly serving from an extreme position on ad-court to exclude Bruguera’s better forehand side on return, and this attitude was successful. He took Bruguera out of his comfort zone, therefore the Spaniard began to mix the game up with dropshots and net-approaches. Despite many slow and long rallies, there were only three breaks in the first two sets. Chang fought off break points in his first two service games and broke at 2-all. In the 2nd no-deuce set, after an exchange of breaks, he was serving twice to stay in the set, and won two long rallies from 5-all onwards in the tie-break. In the 3rd set Bruguera [7] was serving at 5:4 but failed and played a disastrous tie-break losing it quickly 0/7.

   Serve & volley: Chang 2/2, Bruguera 0

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   Roland Garros in the 90s reminded of a pattern known from the 80s considering AO (you want to be a champ – you have to beat a double champ):
   – Aussie Open: Kriek gets titles 1981-82, loses QF in ’83 to Wilander who gets titles 1983-84 before losing final in ’85 to Edberg (two titles in a row)
   – French Open: Courier gets titles 1991-92, loses final in ’93 to Bruguera who gets titles 1993-94 before losing SF in ’95 to Chang

   According to this pattern Chang could have won two French Open titles in a row, but it didn’t happen as he lost to Muster following his victory over Bruguera.
   

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   June 8, 2023 at 10:20 pm

   Comparison of Bruguera‘s appearances in the biggest clay-court events when he was considered as the best on that surface:

   1993: Monte Carlo (champion) – Hamburg (x) – Rome (QF) – Roland Garros (champion)
   1994: Monte Carlo (runner-up) – Hamburg (x) – Rome (x) – Roland Garros (champion)
   1995: Monte Carlo (QF) – Hamburg (SF) – Rome (runner-up) – Roland Garros (SF)

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