Duel Match Stats/Reports - Martin vs Sampras & Sampras vs Forget, Queen's Club finals, 1994 & 1995

[Waspsting]

Todd Martin beat Pete Sampras 7-6(4), 7-6(4) in the Queen's Club final, 1994 on grass

It was Martin's only grass court title and Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski and Stefan Edberg were among those he beat in route to the final. Sampras was playing his first final at the event. He would go onto win the upcoming Wimbledon, beating Martin in the semis. Sampras had also beaten Martin in the Australian Open final earlier in the year

Martin won 87 points, Sampras 76

Both players serve-volleyed off all serves

(Note: I'm missing two Sampras service points - 1 won by Sampras, 1 by Martin
Missing points - Set 1, Game 8, Points 1 & 2)

Serve Stats
Martin...
- 1st serve percentage (49/77) 64%
- 1st serve points won (43/49) 88%
- 2nd serve points won (18/28) 64%
- Aces 15 (1 second serve), Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (36/77) 47%

Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (53/84) 63%
- 1st serve points won (45/53) 85%
- 2nd serve points won (14/31) 45%
- Unknown serve points (1/2) 50%
- Aces 14 (1 second serve), Service Winners 6
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (47/84) 56%

Serve Patterns
Martin served...
- to FH 39%
- to BH 60%
- to Body 1%

Sampras served....
- to FH 54%
- to BH 41%
- to Body 5%

Return Stats
Martin made...
- 33 (16 FH, 17 BH)
- 12 Winners (5 FH, 7 BH)
- 27 Errors, all forced...
- 27 Forced (12 FH, 15 BH)
- Return Rate (33/80) 41%

Sampras made...
- 39 (15 FH, 24 BH)
- 7 Winners (3 FH, 4 BH)
- 20 Errors, all forced...
- 20 Forced (4 FH, 16 BH)
- Return Rate (39/75) 52%

Break Points
Martin 0/2 (1 game)
Sampras 0/1

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Martin 28 (7 FH, 7 BH, 3 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 8 BHV, 2 OH)
Sampras 14 (4 FH, 5 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV, 2 OH)

Martin had 14 from serve-volley points
- 7 first 'volleys' (3 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 3 BHV)… 1 FHV and 1 BHV were stops
- 7 second volleys (5 BHV, 2 OH)

- 14 passes (7 FH, 7 BH)
- regular FHs - 1 inside-out (hit from mid court) and 1 lob
- FH returns - 1 cc, 2 inside-out and 2 inside-in
- BH returns - 4 cc, 1 dtl and 2 inside-in

Sampras had 5 from serve-volley points
- 2 first volleys (1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 2 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 OH)
- 1 third volley (1 BHV)

- 9 passes (4 FH, 5 BH)
- regular FH - 1 cc
- FH returns - 2 cc and 1 dtl
- regular BH - 1 cc
- BH returns - 2 cc and 2 dtl

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Martin 12
- 2 Unforced (1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 10 Forced (3 FH, 4 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)… with 1 BH at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 60

Sampras 18
- 1 Unforced (1 FHV)
- 17 Forced (1 FH, 10 BH, 1 FHV, 2 FH1/2V, 2 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 50

(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Martin was...
- 45/60 (75%) at net, including...
- 45/59 (76%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 28/34 (82%) off 1st serve and...
- 17/25 (68%) off 2nd serve

Sampras was...
- 39/60 (65%) at net, all serve-volleying, comprising...
- 26/34 (76%) off 1st serve and...
- 13/26 (50%) off 2nd serve

Match Report
This is the best match between two big servers on grass that I've seen. Such matches lend themselves to the serve shots dominance limiting scope for everything else. Not here - tremendous returning (especially from Martin) and great volleying are on show too

Both players serve-volley 100% of the time. There's no shortage of big serving - see unreturned serve rates of Martin 47% (15 aces, 1 service winner) and Sampras 56% (14 aces, 6 service winners). What about everything else?

The returning from both men is excellent (against obviously excellent+ serving). Martin with 12 winners, Sampras 7 speaks to that, but it goes beyond just that. Most non-winner returns are at least low-ish... both players are faced with not-easy to difficult first volleys consistently

And the volleying? Again, excellent from both men (and against excellent returns). Sampras probably faces the slightly harder task and also fares less well (he's forced into 6 errors at net to Martin's 3). Martin makes his and is regularly able to find Sampras' BH off low-ish volleys (Sampras 10 BH pass errors, to 1 FH). No mucking around with putaway ball either (though there aren't many), they're putaway

Maybe the most staggering stat of all is the sum total 3 unforced errors all match. First point of the match Martin misses a routine first volley from about the service line. Late in the second set tiebreak, Sampras misses a near routine volley (its a bit lower than routine, but considerably more makeable than not - calling it easy would be a stretch). And earlier in the second set, Martin misses a similar volley. That's it. 3 UEs - and 2 of them are difficult by UE standards

And finally, the pass. This is not spectacularly good. No easy passes at all on offer - and to get one through, something spectacular would be needed given quality of volleys and how well both players cover the net once camped after first volley. Martin is apt to test Sampras on the volley a bit more, and puts relatively safe passes back in play. Sampras doesn't let up and his follow-up volleys are good ones. Sampras goes for winners. With next to no success, but I would overwhelmingly credit Martin's volleying rather than discredit Sampras' passing for this

So you have -
- tremendous serving
- tremendous returning (when possible) against highest level opposition
- tremendous volleying of consistency and penetration against high level opposition

While a match like this could naturally go either way, the result is the most fitting

- first serve in - near even, Martin +1%
- first serve won - negligible difference, with Martin 88% to Sampras' 85%
- second serve won - Martin's 64% is far more impressive than Sampras 45%

The key to it is Martin's damaging returns. 9/12 of his return winners are against second serves, as are most of the volley and half-volley error forcing returns. Unlike Pete, he's a balanced returner - deadly off both wings (probably more off the BH actually - and Pete knows it and serves 54% to FH), while Martin has a relatively safe place to serve in the Sampras BH. Note Pete hitting 4/24 BH returns for winners... such is the level of play that that constitutes 'safe'

To top it all, stats capture the match well. Convention of virtually always marking passing attempts - including returns - as forced errors can throw a haze over stats for all out serve-volley matches, with nothing to readily differentiate between more makeable shots and near impossible ones. There's not a single pass or return attempt in the match I would consider marking unforced

In 161 points (I'm missing 2) Todd Martin has 4 unforced errors and Sampras has 5 (including double faults and returns). John McEnroe had 5 in 125 points in his justly ballyhooed showing in the '84 Wimbledon final

 

[Waspsting]

Match Progression
Some tough games at the start of the match. 2 spanking return winners and a double fault puts Sampras down break point in his opening service game. He elicits a return error on that, and then saves another in which he needs a third volley to win the point

Next game, its Martin's turn. He misses a couple of low volleys, hits a splendid 1/2volley winner off a very hard return, is on receiving end of a pair of Sampras first serve return winners... but comes through with an unreturned serve on break point. And wraps up game with a second volley winner

Sampras is pushed to deuce a couple of games later too, in a game where he scarcely has anything other than low volleys to make. As well as a nifty FH lob winner from Martin, to go along with a BH cc return winner. Gets through it without facing break point

3 key points in the tiebreak. Sampras double faults on point 6, going for a big second serve down the 'T'. He hadn't tried anything that ambitious on second serve to this point, but his second serve had come in for a healthy amount of stick. 1 point later, Sampras anticipates to get a meaty pass off but Martin picks off the volley while half-backtracking from behind the service line - great play from both. Down set point but just one mini-break at 4-6, Sampras' wide first serve is swatted away FH cc for a winner

Second set is more serve dominated. No break points and just 1 game goes to deuce. In it, Martin hits 3 passing winners (2 of them returns, the other from mid-court), but Sampras has 2 aces and 2 service winners. Sampras serves even more attackingly in this set, with wider angles. Most of his high 6 service winners come in this period

Any questions about the effort Sampras was putting into the match should be answered by a diving attempt to reach a Martin volley. Rarely see Pete do stuff like that - and score was just 15-15 at the time. A Pete drop 1/2volley brings Martin to net, where he can't make a lob; the only non-serve-volley approach of the match

With Martin serving at 4-5, Pete has 30-30 and makes 2 good returns that leave him half-chances on the pass. Can't make them... very good difficult volley and 1/2volley by Martin though

So it goes to tiebreak again. 2 key points and 2 worth mentioning besides. The first is point 5, when a blistering FH return flagrantly forces a FH1/2V error to put Sampras behind. Martin hits a beautiful, touch stop BHV winner couple points later - his second such in the match. the second key point is point 8, where Sampras misses a slightly under-the-net first volley from about the service line; by the standards of this match, an easy shot. Match ends with Martin hitting a fine, back-pedalling smash

Summing up, as good a match as you'll see of the big game with big servers playing and great showing from both players. There's big serving galore, but both find room to return superbly and then tackle the tough volleys that result from it. Martin's just a bit more dangerous on the return and comes away with a well deserved win

Stats for pair's Aus Open final - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...-vs-martin-australian-open-final-1994.645417/

 

[Waspsting]

In 1995, Sampras beat Guy Forget 7-6(3), 7-6(6) in the final

It was Sampras' first title at the event and he would follow up by winning Wimbledon again. Forget had won 4 of the pairs 6 previous meetings and reached the final by successively beating defending champion Todd Martin, Goran Ivanisevic and Boris Becker in the previous three rounds. His win-loss record for the year at the end of the season would read 19-26

Sampras won 74 points, Forget 65

Both players serve-volleyed off all serves

Serve Stats
Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (39/68) 57%
- 1st serve points won (36/39) 92%
- 2nd serve points won (22/29) 76%
- Aces 21 (1 second serve), Service Winners 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (46/68) 68%

Forget...
- 1st serve percentage (42/71) 59%
- 1st serve points won (37/42) 88%
- 2nd serve points won (18/29) 62%
- Aces 15 (4 second serves), Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (40/71) 56%

Serve Patterns
Sampras served...
- to FH 28%
- to BH 59%
- to Body 13%

Forget served...
- to FH 38%
- to BH 50%
- to Body 12%

Return Stats
Sampras made...
- 28 (9 FH, 19 BH)
- 7 Winners (5 FH, 2 BH)
- 23 Errors, all forced...
- 23 Forced (8 FH, 15 BH)
- Return Rate (28/68) 41%

Forget made...
- 22 (6 FH, 16 BH), including 1 return-approach
- 22 Errors, all forced...
- 22 Forced (6 FH, 16 BH)
- Return Rate (22/68) 32%

Break Points
Sampras 0
Forget 0

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sampras 13 (7 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Forget 8 (2 FH, 3 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)

Sampras had 3 from serve-volley points
- 1 first 'volley' (1 FH at net)
- 2 second volleys (1 BHV, 1 OH)

- 10 passes (6 FH, 4 BH)
- FH returns - 3 cc and 2 inside-in
- regular FH - 1 cc
- BH returns - 1 cc and 1 dtl
- regular BHs - 1 cc and 1 dtl

Forget had 6 from serve-volley points
- 4 first 'volleys' (2 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- 2 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 BHV)

- FH passes - 1 cc/inside-in and 1 longline/inside-out

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sampras 17
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 FHV)… with 1 FH at net
- 15 Forced (2 FH, 7 BH, 4 BHV, 2 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 55

Forget 12
- 1 Unforced (1 FH)
- 11 Forced (1 FH, 7 BH, 1 FH1/2V, 1 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 60

(Note 1: All 1/2 volleys refer to such shots played at net. 1/2 volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke numbers)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Sampras was...
- 34/45 (76%) at net, including...
- 34/44 (77%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 14/17 (82%) off 1st serve and...
- 20/27 (74%) off 2nd serve
--
- 1/1 forced back/retreated

Forget was...
- 40/53 (75%) at net, including...
- 38/51 (75%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 24/29 (83%) off 1st serve and...
- 14/22 (64%) off 2nd serve
---
- 1/1 return-approaching

Match Report
Excessively serve dominated and only a slight exaggeration to be called a serve-botting lottery of a match. Within the context of so being, Sampras does play better and its most appropriate that he comes out with the win

Serve-bottiness
- Unreturned rates - Sampras 68%, Forget 56%
- 89/139 or 64% of all points end with unreturned serves or double faults
- Sampras with 24 aces/service winners... that's 1 every 3.5 serves. That'd make a good unreturned serve rate, let alone just unreturnable one
- 0 break points, 0 deuce games
- furthest returner gets is reaching 30 - 3 times in 24 service games
- Forget leads 0-15 3 times and extends it to 15-30 once. Sampras leads 0-15 twice and 15-30 once (the latter game independent of the first 2)

So what's going on with all these unreturned serves?

First, and obviously, both guys serve bloody well - 1st and 2nd serve. can't be much better. Particularly good to double so infrequently serving so big. Sampras has 0, Guy just 3 - which is even more impressive when you consider he had 4 second serve aces

Second, Sampras somewhat takes it easy on return. Not a full effort to reach and get balls... but Forget serves very well, and its unlikely straining to make returns would have made too much difference. At least, he could have taken to guessing direction... whats the worst thing that could happen? He guesses wrong and ball goes through for ace... that was happening aplenty anyway. He doesn't take to guessing, just watches wide serves go by

Third, Forget is a bit overambitious with returns. Its as if he won't settle for anything short of a haymaker return to Sampras' feet. Note just 2 volley winners for Pete (+1 FH at net). He doesn't get enough easy volleys for us to judge how well he's playing them... because Forget won't give him any. Like he'd rather miss the return than do so. Don't think it was justified... return rate of 32% is by far the lowest I've seen

I think Forget errs in his serving patterns too. to FH 38%, BH 50%... of course, most serves don't come back regardless. But Sampras' BH is a lot less dangerous than FH. He hits 5 winners from only 9 returns made. Something around 25-30% to FH would be preferable

Interestingly, the dominance of each player varies across sets. In first set, Sampras has 18/33 @ 54% unreturned. In fact, Forget returns 7/9 to start the match. In second set, the figure is a whopping 28/35 @ 80%. Qualitatively, its clear too. While serving regularly strong in first set, he's absolutely bombing them down in the second. Would be curious to see how the power of his serve in second set would look next to Goran Ivanisevic's. In this match up, first set, Sampras and Forget seem to be serving equally of power. In second, Sampras shoots ahead and Forget's pace looks ordinary by comparison (it probably didn't change much)

For Forget, its the opposite. In first set, its 22/34 @ 65%. In second set, 18/37 @ 48%

When the serve comes back...
There isn't a key difference in play that would override serve, but if there was, it stems from Sampras' more powerful serve.

The few good returns Sampras can make go for winners. 7 of them in total. Forget also hits a number of good returns - if anything probably more than Pete - but they're 'just' very low, powerful balls to the shoelaces. Without exceptional low volleying, they'd win points. They don't because Sampras is superb in making half-volleys. He makes at least 7, possibly 1 or 2 more, and they're all balls that were hammered hard. One imagines the difference between Sampras' return winners and Forget's power returns to Sampras' feet was that Sampras' serve was stronger... and against equal serving, Forget would likely have returned just as well

So three fold credit to Pete - one for having stronger serve, two for hitting odd great returns, and three for making so many difficult half-volleys

Both players volley to the others BH (Pete with 7 BH FEs to 2 FH, Guy with 7 and 1). Both volley decently without beign outstanding. Certainly no easy misses, but not finishing points with volley or leavign hopeless passing prospects. This is an observation, not a critique... just noting that passing prospects were reasonable. Say a crazily good passer having a good day could have blasted through. As is, passing is fairly ordinary, almost always ending in routine forced passing errors. Room for improvement for both players on the pass

Interesting Points
First point of match is Sampras missing a routine 1st FH a net. Later, Forget lobs Pete, who slips on the baseline. Forget has time to see this and can finish point by putting ball in court, but misses a FH. Pete was going for a return-approach when he hits FH inside-in return winner. Forget pulls of the only return approach of the match off a firm return against first serve... as Pete misses BH1/2V. No easy shot, but he was making them regularly so probably Guy being at net helped

Tiebreaks
First set, Forget wins first when Sampras misses a dropping return. Not easy, but makeable volley. Sampras gets the mini-break back with a BH cc pass. The key point is number 7, as Pete whacks a powerful FH cc return winner that even a diving Forget can't touch. Couple of aces, Sampras hits another good return that Forget has to half-volley, and Sampras is up to making the pass

Guy's conservativeness with second serves costs him. He aims 3 second serves to the body. Sampras guides the first away dtl for a BH winner and has a shot on the pass after making the second too. Guy wins his first point against serve down set point, forcing a 1/2 volley, then running up to make a FH pass to prolong the set. At 6-6 though, his third second serve to the body is returned firmly but at comfortable height. Guy doesn't do much with the volley, and Sampras is up to firmly pushing the ball for BH dtl pass. 1 unreturned serve later, its match to Sampras

Summing up, returns put in play are a rare sight in this match and returners have all but 0 chances. Couple of good returns per tiebreak gives the match to Sampras
----
Two radically different matches

The first is an advertisement for big serve, big game match on grass can be high quality of play and produce a lively and great match
The second is an ad for big serve, big match on grass can reduce play to a shooting contest