Points won by each set: | 39-32, 31-23, 21-29, 34-21 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
42 % Sampras – 50 of 119
38 % Martin – 43 of 111

Sampras [1] was a big favorite as a defending champion and the best player in the world for more than a year, but Martin [9] couldn’t be written off, because three weeks earlier on grass at Queen’s Club, he’d defeated his one year younger compatriot 7-6, 7-6 in the final. Sampras’ route to the Wimbledon semifinal looked like a piece of cake comparing to Martin’s (four complicated five-setters). Because of that an upset seemed plausible only under one condition – Martin had to win in straight sets. As he lost the opener, the atmosphere on Centre Court cooled down, nevertheless Martin showed bravery winning the 3rd set (Sampras’ only set lost in the fortnight) and fighting in the 4th set (squandered five break points in the last game of the match). Three times in important moments, Sampras fired two consecutive aces.