2 Responses to shanghai99norman_rios

1. Voo de Mar says:

   September 15, 2025 at 1:43 pm

   Points won by each set: | 19-28, 39-33, 52-46 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   28 % Norman – 34 of 120
   20 % Rios – 20 of 97

   Both, Rios [7] and Norman [23] reached no. 1 (Norman only in the ATP Race, June 2000 ☆) playing only one major final & retired in 2003 at age of 27; even though there’s barely a five month difference between them (Rios older), they faced each other just once, and never were elite players at the same time – that Shanghai final was a crossroad for them, marked a period when Norman was rising while Rios was losing his charm of regaining the number one spot… Norman began their Chinese final playing poorly as he was struggling with the gusty wind, and Rios collected the first four games. Afterwards in a was a dogfight, Norman led *4:0 in the 2nd set, later he had to save a break point to avoid losing a two-break cushion. The deciding set it was a testament to the resilience of the Swede and his excellent physical preparation – he played 58 points on serve in that set while Rios 40, but in the end Norman had enough energy to deliver powerful serves when it mattered the most. In the dramatic final stages, first he was a point away from 4:1 down, then from *4:5 (15/40) he withstood four match points showcasing brave attitude:
   – an overhead winner after a bounce
   – BH error (Rios had a winnable position)
   – service winner
   – ace (190 kph)
   Norman broke in the 11th game at 30, and served the championships out firmly. Rios’ second and last loss as he held a match point on the main-level; his previous had also occurred against a Swede (Enqvist at the US Open ’95).

   Norman’s route to his 7th title:
   1 Tuomas Ketola 6-1, 6-3
   2 Peter Wessels 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-6(3)
   Q Paradorn Srichaphan 7-6(4), 6-1
   S Michael Chang 0-6, 6-4, 6-2
   W Marcelo Rios 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 – 4 m.p.

   Serve & volley: Norman 0, Rios 1/1

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   September 15, 2025 at 7:24 pm

   ☆ The ATP race was “hot” only in the first year of its introduction, but thanks to that Norman may think about himself
   “I was officially the best player in the world in the first half of 2000”

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