1 Response to wb89becker_gunnarsson

1. Voo de Mar says:

   June 27, 2023 at 3:43 pm

   Points won by each set: | 39-31, 41-31, 34-29 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   34 % Becker – 37 of 107
   21 % Gunnarsson – 21 of 98

   Becker’s and Gunnarsson’s paths were crossed throughout the year 1989. They were supposed to meet in the Aussie Open quarterfinal, but Becker had suffered a sensational defeat to Svensson whom Gunnarsson ousted, achieving career-best result. Just before Wimbledon, Becker defeated Gunnarsson 6-2, 6-3 in an exhibition event in Wirral (peninsula close to Liverpool). Autumn ’89 brought their meeting in Stockholm which Gunnarsson won 6-3, 7-5, and it can be considered as Gunnarsson’s career-best Bo3 victory. Finally at the end of the year, they faced each other in doubles of the Davis Cup final (Becker won in five – it was their second doubles meeting that year, at Indian Wells also won Becker when they both had different partners than in the DC final).

   At Wimbledon, on court no. 1, Gunnarsson [56] played a good match given grass was his least favorite surface (he didn’t move forwards behind his second serves). The Swede led 4:1* (30-all) in the 1st set, he was a game away from winning sets 1 and 2 (the tie-break he lost 1/7), and had a break point at 2-all in the 3rd set (the longest, six-deuce game occurred then). Becker [2] triumphed at Wimbledon ’89 winning six matches in straight sets, the one against Gunnarsson was arguably the toughest among them.

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