1 Response to rotterdam02escude_henman

1. Voo de Mar says:

   December 24, 2025 at 4:32 pm

   Points won by each set: | 26-33, 39-43, 33-26 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   31 % Escude – 29 of 92
   23 % Henman – 25 of 108

   Initially [11] Henman’s forehand was working tremendously well, and he established his supremacy with a more calculated tennis, but Escude [22] raced to a *5:1 lead in the 2nd set. The two-break advantage evaporated quickly, it didn’t affect Escude’s good mood at all, also the fact he wasted a double set point at 6:5. In the tie-break he wasted a double set point again, but at 7-all Henman committed a double fault not risking his second serve, and Escude – with a smile on his face – finally won the set on his seventh opportunity with a big serve down the T. The upset Henman lost his serve at the beginning of the decider, trailed *2:4 (15/40), yet improved to 4-all (15/0) when Escude played a perfect BH return DTL, and broke to serve for the match. After two brilliant forehands, Henman had a break point, only to miss his forehand passing-shot as Escude attacked the net directly behind his second serve which was an optional strategy in the final. The defending champion finished the event with a classical serve-and-volley action (five strokes) – it was his third successive match when he was on the verge of defeat (!) – noone would repeat such a feat for another 12 years when Dimitrov triumphs in Acapulco. “I’d dearly love to win the tournament one day and the only way I’m going to do that is get into another final.” said Henman for whom it was a third Rotterdam final loss following the years 1999 and 2000. Escudé said: “I don’t know why but in the last three matches I’ve always started playing better from the middle of second sets.” Henman wouldn’t play another Rotterdam final, just like Escude, who as a two-time defending champion lost in the quarterfinals of 2003 to his countryman Grosjean, deciding to retire being two games away from victory (7-5, 6-7, 4-4).

   Escude’s route to his 3rd title:
   1 Juan C. Ferrero 5-7, 6-1, 6-0
   2 Tommy Robredo 6-1, 6-2
   Q Roger Federer 3-6, 7-6(8), 7-5
   S Sebastien Grosjean 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-5 – 3 m.p.
   W Tim Henman 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-4

   ☆ Escude two points away from losing the quarterfinal and the final, against Grosjean he saved a triple match point serving at 4:5 in the 3rd set

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