1 Response to wb89becker_chamberlin

1. Voo de Mar says:

   December 20, 2023 at 2:19 pm

   Points won by each set: | 25-12, 29-14, 28-15 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   50 % Becker – 32 of 63
   15 % Chamberlin – 9 of 60

   In the 80s, Wimbledon was a major in which lower ranked players had the best opportunity to reach the quarterfinals taking advantage of their serve-and-volley style because it was a time of specialization, and S/Vers had an advantage of baseliners on grass. In 1989 there were two unexpected surnames in the last eight, two Americans: Chamberlin [91] and Goldie [48] – they reached their lone major quarterfinals, Goldie played a competitive 3-setter against Lendl, Chamberlin was destroyed by Becker [2] though.
   Chamberlin became a professional player at the age of 24 after finishing the University of Arizona, and enjoyed two good years (1989-90) on the tour. At Wimbledon ’89 he became a beneficiary of amazingly favourable draw: he ousted four players ranked outside the Top 100! The match on Court no. 1 against Becker, he began in a good style, held at love his first service game, and had a double break point at 1:3. It turned into a totally one-sided affair at 2:3* in the 2nd set – Becker won the last nine games, being so relaxed that squandered the first two match points with double faults, and almost committed third straight double fault – his powerful second serve landed on the line forcing a forehand error.
   At Key Biscayne ’90, Chamberlin was close to get the most valuable victory of his life (in hindsight), but wasted five match points, and lost 6-2, 6-7, 1-6 to Sampras. An injury forced him to retire in 1991 at the age of 29.

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