Duel Match Stats/Reports - Rios vs Corretja, Monte Carlo & Rome finals, 1997

[Waspsting]

Marcelo Rios beat Alex Corretja 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in the Monte Carlo final, 1997 on clay

Both players were going for their first Masters final. They would meet again shortly after in the Rome final, with Corretja winning

Rios won 109 points, Corretja 87

Serve Stats
Rios...
- 1st serve percentage (49/103) 48%
- 1st serve points won (32/49) 65%
- 2nd serve points won (30/54) 56%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/103) 20%

Corretja...
- 1st serve percentage (44/93) 47%
- 1st serve points won (28/44) 64%
- 2nd serve points won (18/49) 37%
- Aces 2
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/93) 23%

Serve Patterns
Rios served...
- to FH 33%
- to BH 65%
- to Body 2%

Corretja served...
- to FH 24%
- to BH 70%
- to Body 6%

Return Stats
Rios made...
- 69 (20 FH, 49 BH), including 3 runaround FHs
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 19 Errors, comprising...
- 10 Unforced (1 FH, 9 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 9 Forced (6 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (69/90) 77%

Corretja made...
- 81 (35 FH, 46 BH), including 5 runaround FHs & 2 return-approaches
- 16 Errors, comprising...
- 10 Unforced (3 FH, 7 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 6 Forced (1 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (81/102) 79%

Break Points
Rios 7/15 (8 games)
Corretja 3/11 (7 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Rios 34 (11 FH, 9 BH, 5 FHV, 5 BHV, 3 OH, 1 BHOH)
Corretja 18 (10 FH, 6 BH, 2 BHV)

Rios' FHs - 1 dtl return, 1 dtl/inside-out, 7 inside-out, 1 inside-in and 1 running-down-drop-shot dtl pass at net
- BHs - 7 cc (2 passes), 1 dtl and 1 longline

- 4 from serve-volley points - 3 first volleys (1 FHV, 2 BHV) & 1 second volley (1 BHOH)

- 1 OH was on the bounce

Corretja's FHs - 2 cc (1 at net), 3 dtl (1 pass), 1 inside-out, 2 inside-in, 1 drop shot at net and 1 running-down-drop-shot cc pass at net
- BHs - 5 cc (3 passes - 1 net chord pop over) and 1 drop shot

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Rios 47
- 35 Unforced (9 FH, 20 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV, 3 OH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- 12 Forced (7 FH, 2 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHOH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.3

Corretja 51
- 35 Unforced (14 FH, 21 BH)
- 16 Forced (8 FH, 7 BH, 1 FHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.7

(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 are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Rios was...
- 24/39 (62%) at net, including...
- 4/5 (80%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves

Corretja was...
- 7/12 (58%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
---
- 1/2 return-approaching

Match Report
Commanding display from Rios, who controls play and has far better of it for most of match. Corretja is mostly relegated to counter-punching and hanging in, waiting for the hammer to fall

No weak points to Rios' showing. His BH play stands out (though not statistically). Uses to it to pin Corretja down and back and to attack from there. On other side, Corretja's BH stands out as weakest shot on show, apt to hit more weakly than any other shot and either give up errors or leave ready chances for Rios to advance from beat-down hitting to genuine attacking (that has come out in stats)

Match long stats are a bit deceptive and so, require some explanation

For starters, Rios serving 103 points to Cor's 93 is unusal, given how on top of things the former appears (and is) to be. That's all down to anamolous last game, where Rios serves out the match over 18 points. A strange game where he's rushing net and misses a number of OHs to prolong the game

Games with break points (Rios 8, Cor 7) looks pretty even too, like match where only real difference is who-plays-big-points better (as opposed to Rios being in charge).

That's largely about the last set, which is the only competitive one, with Cor stepping up to attack or counter-attack (rest of match, he's defending, counter-punching or not able to make routine returns). He has break points in 3 games (and Rios is taken to deuce once beside), while Rios is 1/1 break points for the set. For first two sets, Rios is comfortably in charge

First serve in (Rios 48%, Cor 47%) and first serve points won (Rios 65%, Cor 64%) are virtually equal, so only difference is second serve points won (Rios 56%, Cor 37%)

That is a huge difference, and more than accounts for result but is a bit deceptive too. It looks like Rios attacking returning against weak second serves or Cor's inability to do the same is difference between 2 players. Not untrue, but not a full picture either. At different parts of match, Rios thrives returning first serves too and other than third set, is never in undue trouble on first return points

Still, good job by Cor to match Rios on first serve points. Action being so much on Rios racquet lends itself to misperceptions and underestimating how often he falters playing his fancy attacking tennis (particularly as he wins the match readily). Those first serve figures are saying that things aren't as bad from Cor's point of view as they look

unreturned rates are similar (Rios 20%, Cor 23%) and unreturneds are dead equal at 21. In fact, so are breakdown of unreturneds in broad sense
- Forceful unreturneds - Rios 11 (5 aces), Cor 11 (2 aces)
- Unforceful unreturneds - both 10

double faults are small and not important, leaving court action to decide things. There -

- Winners - Rios 34, Cor 18
- Errors Forced - Rios 16, Cor 12
- UEs - both 35

 

[Waspsting]

Clearly, Rios' winners and aggression is the big difference. Related, he's at net 39 times (winning 62%) to just 12 for Cor (wins 58%)

Breakdown of UEs -
- Neutral - Rios 17, Cor 22
- Attacking - Rios 7, Cor 6
- Winner Attempts - Rios 11, Cor 7

Staple rally is BH longline exchanges, with Rios leading. He steps in to play his shots, hits hard and deep. Cor's pushed back and hits back not-strongly. Its Rios beating-down, Cor resisting type action. BH UEs are similar - Rios 20, Cor 21 - so however much Rios' is in charge, he's not too far ahead in actually winning points

Neutral UE advantage to Rios is a tad deceptive in that higher lot of Cor's are beaten out of him (not particularly good shot tolerance from him either), while Rios is more apt to miss a routine shot

From the BH longline staple, Rios picks and chooses moments to go attackingly wide BH cc (usually just to get Cor running, not winner attempts), a sound way to attack given Cor's shot tolerance not being great, but relative to stationary hitting, Cor's quite solid on the move and slide. Or even dtl/inside-out. Doesn't necessarily choose the weakest balls to change directions to and holds shot to late. No telling which way Rios will go until he does

BH winners are similar too (Rios 9, Cor 6), but here, Rios has much bigger advantage. He's got 5 baseline-to-baseline cc winners (usually, set up by serve, not from rally construction), while Cor's winners are passes (and Rios has more than enough compensation for those with all his success at net - he's got 14 winners there to Cor's 2) and the baseline-to-baseline ones are all over brief period in last set. For most of match, BH battles consist or Rios leading and beating down Cor and switching up to attacking from there to good effect. Cor's left to hope Rios misses, which happens fair amount too

FH numbers are much better from both
- Rios 11 winners, 9 UEs
- Cor 10 winners, 14 UEs

7 of Rios' winners are inside-out, his preferred finisher - set up by serves or a random choice from rallies, not necessarily to weakest balls. But like the BH, he's just as capable of pulling ball inside-in for another beat-down, pressuring shot. Cor hits much better off FH, but still trails on power and depth (even compared to Rios' BH, let alone FH). Moves over at times to protect his BH, usually going inside-out, which brings Rios' FH into play. Given how varied and unpredictable Rios' directions are from stationary rallies, he's quite orthodox when moved over to FH side, and goes cc, more neutrally than hard hittingly at such times. As low UEs indicate, doesn't miss much though

10s a good number of winners for Cor and he goes all directions with it (1 cc, 2 dtl, 1 inside-out, 2 inside-in). Needs to get those shots just so, because power isn't overwhelming. And usually, does. His BH makes up bulk of his 7 winner attempt UEs when he switches gears to counter-attacking in third set

With UEs identical (though of different types), FH winners near identical (though in different ways) and BHs not too far - bulk of different between 2 is at net. With Rios almost always dictating, his scope to come in vastly more.

On volley/OH, Rios has 14 winners, Cor 2
On pass, Rios 3, Cor 5

Essentially, not too much in it from the back, with Rios controlling and Cor being controlled - and sensible of Rios to utilize control to come forward and finish. That's biggest difference in play

Hidden and crucial hand in all this is the return. Rios attacks 2nd returns, taking them early, hitting deep, hard and/or wide to get set himself up nicely for rallies. Corretja, doesn't

Match Progression
Rios commands the first set, despite very low 10/29 first serves in. Cor's inability to return helps and Rios has 11 unreturned serves or 38% (for rest of match, its 14%)

Rios by contrast has no problems returning and once rallies begin, targets Cor's BH, mostly with his BH longline. As he gets more comfortable, he goes more wide cc to get Cor running and uses FH inside-out to finish points. Cor occasionally moves over to hit FH inside-in or out, which is better than his soft BHs, but he's far back enough that its not particularly effective

2 notable acts of sportsmanship in the set. Rios doesn't even consult the chair in conceding an ace that had been called out. Serving at 3-5 deuce, Cor unprompted checks a mark for Rios ball that had been called out and plays the point over

Rios breaks to start the match, with a couple of good returns and outlasting/outhitting Cor for errors. Good game from Cor to break back for 2-2, but Rios hits back right away with another break

2 trade tough holds in games 8-9, Rios saving break point with a line BHV winner and Cor saves 2 game after before Rios serves out

Second set is Rios' most dominant of play. He hits harder, initiates moving-around-play, goes close to lines, goes deep, comes in to finish or goes for winners from the back.... its entirely his game they're playing. Cor's ability handle power isn't too good and hard hitting, deep play draws errors from him sooner or later - let alone all the other stuff Rios pulls

Rios breaks to open again and extends to 3-1. Last 5 games are all breaks. Some memorable shots in there - a lovely, low BHV winner from Cor gets him his first break, a terrific BH cc winner from Rios awhile later and on set/break point, a running BH cc pass winner from Rios finishes it

Third set is different. Rios remains harder hitter, but Cor takes to counter-hitting and attacking, as opposed to punching. Couple of slapped BH cc winners from Cor surprise Rios and he's up to going for FH dtl point finishers

All but 1 Rios service game goes to deuce and 2/4 of Cor's do. Rios converts his sole break (Cor is 0/5 from 3 games) to move up 3-1 and steps up to serve for match at 5-3

Its a very strange game that lasts 18 points. Rios takes net 10 times (+ a token, would-be 'approach'), probably to end with a flourish. But misses an OH on first match point and a too-cute FHV drop awhile later. He misses another OH - his third for the match, a point after he can't finish with 2 OHs and ends up getting passed. Point after (a break point), he lets the ball bounce to putaway the smash

A brilliant, net-to-net BHOH winner from Rios stands out but he's yorked on the volley point after to keep things at deuce. Finally, Rios finishes with consecutive winners - a FH dtl/inside-out and ironically, an OH

Summing up, a good match and an interesting one. With low-in counts from both ends, attacking returning becomes important and Rios has a huge advantage. He's able to take returns early, hit deep, hard and wide to get rallies started with initiative in a way Corretja is not. Even from neutral starting point, Rios takes charge without strain and leads play with powerful BH longlines to Corretja's soft BH, from where he can turn to attacking to either side and off side

It isn't until the third set that Corretja looks to hit back and counter-attack and while still trailing in force and attacking ability, action is more competitive and just about even then, with Rios happening to edge out the result to finish what he commandingly started

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

I would be very interested in Rome 1997, peak Corretja is great tennis.

 

[Waspsting]

Corretja beat Rios 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 in the Rome final, 1997 on clay

It was the first of Corretja’s two Masters titles. Both players would lose in the fourth round of upcoming French Open

Corretja won 112 points, Rios 92

Serve Stats
Corretja...
- 1st serve percentage (65/110) 59%
- 1st serve points won (46/65) 71%
- 2nd serve points won (22/45) 49%
- Aces 7 (1 second serve, 1 not clean)
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/110) 19%

Rios...
- 1st serve percentage (53/94) 56%
- 1st serve points won (26/53) 49%
- 2nd serve points won (24/41) 59%
- Aces 2
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (13/94) 14%

Serve Patterns
Corretja served...
- to FH 25%
- to BH 68%
- to Body 7%

Rios served...
- to FH 27%
- to BH 71%
- to Body 2%

Return Stats
Corretja made...
- 80 (31 FH, 49 BH), including 9 runaround FHs
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 7 Forced (3 FH, 4 BH)
- Return Rate (80/93) 86%

Rios made...
- 85 (19 FH, 66 BH), including 3 runaround FHs & 2 return-approaches
- 14 Errors, comprising...
- 9 Unforced (5 FH, 4 BH)
- 5 Forced (2 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (85/106) 80%

Break Points
Corretja 7/9 (8 games)
Rios 4/9 (6 games)

Winners (excluding serves, including returns)
Corretja 17 (8 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 5 OH)
Rios 35 (17 FH, 10 BH, 1 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 1 BHV, 5 OH)

Corretja's FHs - 1 cc pass, 3 dtl (1 pass), 3 inside-out and 1 lob
- BHs - 3 cc

- 1 FHV can at a stretch be called an OH and 1 OH can reasonably be called a FHV

Rios' FHs - 2 cc, 3 dtl, 4 dtl/inside-out, 4 inside-out, 2 inside-out/dtl, 1 inside-in and 1 running-down-drop-shot dtl at net
- BHs - 6 cc, 2 dtl and 2 running-down-drop-shot cc pass at net

- 2 from return-approach points (1 FH1/2V, 1 OH)

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Corretja 40
- 23 Unforced (13 FH, 8 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 17 Forced (8 FH, 8 BH, 1 FH1/2V)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.3

Rios 73
- 56 Unforced (24 FH, 28 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV)... with 1 FH at net
- 17 Forced (5 FH, 8 BH, 3 BHV, 1 Back-to-Net).... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net & 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.8

(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)

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

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Corretja was 11/18 (61%) at net

Rios was...
- 20/34 (59%) at net, including....
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
---
- 2/2 return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Using previous match as frame of reference, Corretja makes subtle adjustments that changes playing dynamics around, Rios comes up with other ways to be the aggressor with less success to point of trailing, loses stomach for the fight and eventually gets frustrated and finishes the match in all out, exhibition crazy attacking mode. Conditions are slower and higher bouncing than previous match

Fast forwarding to the ending about mid-way in third set, its important to differentiate between Rios’ demeanour, body language and seeming mood from the how well he actually plays. He plays with couldn’t care-less abandon, goes for wild shots and winners from all over the place, is often lazy of movement, etc. - while looking checked out. Draws a lot of hisses and boos from the crowd, who haven’t paid to watch a guy phoning it in

Fact is, he makes most of the crazy winners he goes for out of nowhere. Almost all the 6 FH dtl/i-o or i-o/dtl winners are crammed into last few games, shots between center line and side line in ad court, closer to center line. Its a low percentage shot to take on, but he nails most of them for winners, with Corretja standing on other side waiting for FH cc. There are 2, highly over-done BHV misses that he tries to carve with as much spin as possible - probably to be cute and have the ball spin back on landing. Only they land in the net. Going overboard trying to hit BH winners is there too, and there he misses more than makes

Cor, who is never behind in the set, leave him to it. Its very sunndy day and fatigue is likely a factor in both players showing. Not much chasing by Cor towards the end. He’s up a break or even and can count on Rios messing up looking like he’s trying to set world record for most winners in a set

Earlier, Rios’ is up an early break in each of first 2 sets. Early enough that it wouldn’t be too big a deal on clay, but getting pipped at the post 7-5 the second time seems to send him into wanton mode. He’s not exactly passive prior to it

Corretja shifts playing dynamics from what they’d been in Monte Carlo

- in Monte, staple of play had been BH longline exchanges, with Rios leading, Cor’s BH being beat down somewhat and Rios eventually attacking with an angled shot. Here, Cor goes BH cc to Rios’ FH sooner rather than later. Also, loops his BH longlines with more spin and height and they rise to Rios’ shoulders

- With ball on his FH, Rios looks to play more common FH cc rally with Cor’s BH cc. No real hitting advantage for Rios in it. He shades the hitting, but its essentially, neutral, not lead-react dynamic and a straight out consistency battle. That Cor wins. Slower conditions come out in the these exchanges

Cor’s BH has match low 8 UEs, Rios FH has 24. Total neutral UEs read Cor 12, Rios 22 (with more of Rios’ edging towards being attacking)

Against Cor’s loopier BH longlines, Rios is apt to take on the winner, often jumping to make his BH shot. Its a stupid shot and no one can hit these balls for clean winners with any regularity. While Rios eventually goes overboard, at least its possible though unlikely that a zoning player can pull off what he tries near the end. Hitting winners regularly from shoulder high BHs from middle of court on a slow clay court against heavy spin… is another story

To be clear, Rios doesn’t go overboard trying to hit these kinds of balls for winners, but even to the extent he does, it’s very, very ambitious and unlikely to come off. And it doesn’t. Grinding out neutral rallies just doesn’t look to be his thing… a strange way to play on clay

Winner Attempt UEs - Cor 6, Rios 21 - despite perceptions of Rios being out to lunch near the end, his are evenly distributed across the match

- Cor moves Rios around to be mildly attacking. Nothing too difficult to handle, but Rios is prone to looseness and occasional lazy in his movement. Its better than being moved around by Rios. And he doesn’t move him around to extent of opening up counter-angles for Rios to use. Sound clay court tennis from Cor, particularly in light of his opponents game

- Some success for Cor playing FH cc to breakdown Rios BH. Occasionally, he can get the ball well wide and the slap-hitter Rios looks awkward slicing wide balls back to center of court

Cor’s FH has 13 UEs, Rios’ BH match high 28

 

[Waspsting]

Its easiest just present ground UEs as a whole. By shot -
- Cor BH 8
- Cor FH 13
- Rios FH 23 (excluding a net shot)
- Rios BH 28

… and UE types -
- Neutral - Cor 12, Rios 22
- Attacking Cor 5, Rios 13
- Winner Attempts - Cor 6, Rios 21

So clearly, Cor with big consistency advantage off both sides neutrally. Could still fall Rios’ way if he’s able to hit winners and force errors at greater rate than he trails basic consistency

Winners - Cor 17, Rios 35
Errors Forced - both 17

Its the Errors Forced part that’s most telling. On clay, most attacking shots don’t actually draw errors. Cor forcing 17 errors while making just 5 attacking errors is outstanding and his having a many winners as errors forced is sound balance. Rios’ laziness/tiredness has a hand in some of the FEs

Note the near identical figures forceful figures between here and Monte -
- Monte Winners - Rios 34, here 35. Corretja Monte 18, here 17
- Monte Errors Forced - Rios 16, here 17. Corretja Monte 12, here 17

UEs is where things are different -
- Monte Rios 35, here 56. Monte Corretja 35, here 23

Neutral UE advantage in Monte for Rios of 17-22 gave him a safety cushion to launch into offensive

Here, he’s trailing 22-12 and needs to overcome that with his attacking play

He does the attacking all right, but his attacking errors have gone up from 7 to 12 and winner attempts from 11 to 21… almost double, while hitting same number of winners and forcing same number of errors

The subtleties of Corretja’s change-ups - looping BH longlines, going BH cc and targetting Rios’ BH with his own FH cc… encourage, tempt, invite Rios to falter, so some credit to Cor. More discredit to Rios though for messing up considerably. FH does well (17 winners - as many as Cor’s total and many unlikely shots included, 24 UEs), but trying to hit BH winners from routine positions is a couple bridges too far (10 winners, 27 UEs)

The more neutral rallying dynamic (as opposed to Rios lead-Corretja react) is probably more about court pace. Rios can’t push back or beat-down Cor from neutral starting point. In Monte, Rios FH to Cor BH was a beat-down rally Cor was keen to avoid. Here, its a neutral one. Rios doesn’t do well in neutral - gets impatient with it and turns to attacking anyway

Other differences pertain to serve and return. Much higher in-counts here with both close to 60% (as opposed to under 50% in Monte)

Rios winning 59% second serve points to 49% firsts is weird. That’s explainable by his going for and missing more point ending shots off first serve points (he also goes for them off second serves too, but with more discernment)

Solid returning from Corretja to return at 86% gives Rios room to mess up. Lower unreturned rates here despite considerably higher in-cont speaks to conditions being slower

Corretja winning very handsome 71% first serve points isn’t about his serve giving him advantage, but Rios unable to secure one with the return. Things start neutrally, Rios is apt to miss routine ball more often or go for particularly low percentage attacking shots - Cor’s first serve gives him at least that neutral, leaning to lead starting point, and Rios is free to mess up from there

Match Progression
Third game of first set is very early to be called a ‘turning point’, but taking the two matches together, that’s a fit description

Rios starts the match where the last one left off, as more commanding player and Cor is loose. Rios’ breaks to open and consolidates comfortably

There follows mammoth 24 point game that’s filled with winners at start (10 in first 16 points - including 2 aces) and ends with UEs (4 in 5 points, 3 of them winner attempts) near the end, before Cor manages to hold with a smash set up by a FH inside-out

And that changes the match completely. Rios goes off his winner smacking part and catches error bugs. He’s broken right after, with 4 UEs from 15-0 up, the last 3 regulation shots. And Cor consolidates to love with 2 more Rios UEs. Rios stops the rot with a hold, but misses 2 easy FHs along the way, including 1 at net.

Starting with ending of game 3, Rios makes 10 UEs while Cor makes 0. And Cor wins 12 service points in a row, including 2 love holds. Some good, move-around FHs from Cor gives him fair share of controlling play

Serving for a tiebreak, Rios starts and ends with aggressive BH UEs to give up the set. Cor helps, dispatching a FH dtl winner against a strong BH cc and using an overpowering FH inside-in to take net and win another point

Two trade breaks early in the second set, with Rios delay return-approaching off a looped return to hit a lovely FH1/2V winner and a running-down-drop-shot one to break, and missing FHs to get broken back

Somewhat against run of pay, Rios breaks to love to leave himself serving for the set. Double fault isn’t great way to start the would-be serve-out, but he levels at 30-30 with 2 third ball FH winners. Then misses similar shot to go down break point on which he misses an easy FHV to make it 5-5

Rios has 2 more break points game after. First is erased with an error forcing FH inside-out and second, with one of Cor’s better serves. The game sets Rios off. He plays a horrendous game to be broken to 15, spraying third ball errors off all types and off both sides and lose the set

And then plays wantonly aggressive tennis in the third set. As mentioned before, despite appearances, he doesn’t play badly in absolute sense. He has 12 winners, 7 winner attempt UEs for the set - which is actually better than he does rest of match, but he’s also not moving well or making much attempt to chase balls. To greater extent than before, he’s quick to get out of potentially long rallies with extravagant shots

Rios holds game 2 to love with 4 winners - 3 of them third balls and adds another to start his next service game. After which he misses 2 attempted aggressive third balls to fall behind. On break point, Cor’s shot pops over net chord and Rios is slow to react and nets his running-up shot to fall behind 3-1

He breaks right back when a bad bounce stumps Cor, but sprays the ball again next game to be broken again. Down 30-40, stupidly carves a BHV with extreme spin into the net that he could readily have dropped normally

Still not out of it, Rios has 30-30 returning the following game and a good 1-2 by Cor, followed by an ace sees him hold. Rios repeats the same carved BHV error game after, and manages to hold a deuce game to force Cor to serve it out. Which he does with Rios carelessly missing a couple of returns and couple of attacking BH shots

Summing up, relative to the Monte Carlo match, slower, higher bouncing conditions make it harder to hit through with aggression and some subtle changes by Corretja - playing more BH cc’s rather than engage BH longline rallies, while looping BH longlines with more spin among them - turns play to a more grinding game. Unable to beat-out advantage from the back and unwilling to grind, Rios turns to very ambitious shot-making to end points quickly from routine positions

He’s not bad at it, but comfortably short of as good as he’d have to be to come out on top, especially with the particularly over-done attempts to hit BH finishing shots from regulation positions