Duel Match Stats/Reports - Roddick vs Sampras & Sampras vs Agassi, Houston final & semi-final, 2002

[Waspsting]

Andy Roddick beat Pete Sampras 7-6(5), 6-3 in the Houston final, 2002 on clay

Roddick was 19 years old and the defending champion. Sampras had not won a title since Wimbledon 2000

Roddick won 74 points, Sampras 59

Sampras serve-volleyed off most first serves

(Note: I'm missing 1 Roddick service point won by Roddick. In a small number of points, I've guessed whether a serve was first or second. On small number of points, minor partial data is missing)

Serve Stats
Roddick...
- 1st serve percentage (34/62) 53%
- 1st serve points won (31/34) 91%
- 2nd serve points won (20/28) 53%
- Unknown serve point (1/1) 100%
- Aces 13
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (26/62) 42%

Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (48/70) 69%
- 1st serve points won (38/48) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (11/22) 50%
- Aces 12, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (25/70) 36%

Serve Patterns
Roddick served...
- to FH 31%
- to BH 64%
- to Body 5%

Sampras served....
- to FH 36%
- to BH 64%

Return Stats
Roddick made...
- 43 (16 FH, 25 BH, 2 ??)
- 2 Winners (2 BH)
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 10 Forced (3 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (43/68) 63%

Sampras made...
- 35 (7 FH, 28 BH), including 2 return-approaches
- 2 Winner (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 13 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (3 BH)
- 10 Forced (7 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (35/61) 57%

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

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Roddick 12 (7 FH, 4 BH, 1 FHV)
Sampras 20 (9 FH, 3 BH, 5 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 2 BHV)

Roddick's FHs - 4 dtl (1 pass at net), 2 inside-out and 1 inside-in
- BHs - 1 cc pass, 2 dtl (1 return, 1 running-down-drop-shot at net) and 1 inside-in return pass

Sampras' FHs - 6 cc (1 return), 1 dtl pass and 2 inside-in
- BHs - 1 cc pass and 2 dtl (1 dtl slice return)

- 5 from serve-volley points -
- 2 first volleys (1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 3 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 1 BHV)

- 1 other FHV was a drop

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Roddick 13
- 4 Unforced (3 FH, 1 BH)
- 9 Forced (3 FH, 6 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 42.5

Sampras 33
- 27 Unforced (12 FH, 12 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 6 Forced (3 FH, 2 BH, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 52.6

(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
Roddick was...
- 6/8 (75%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve

Sampras was...
- 20/30 (67%) at net, including...
- 14/21 (67%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 12/17 (71%) off 1st serve and...
- 2/4 (50%) off 2nd serve
--
- 1/2 return-approaching

Match Report
Serve dominated, un-clay like match on an odd surface. Without seeing the surface and observing the occasional slide by Roddick, one might think it was a regular hard court (but for the odd bad bounce)

The bounce doesn't appear high. Mostly waist high stuff, with some balls dying so the players have to stoop to get down while making shots. That would partly be explained by both players hitting flat and Roddick's kick serves do get up shoulder high. Doesn't seem nearly as slow as clay either. Jan-Michael Gambill joins the commentary team for a short while and is asked about the surface, which is apparently imported from Europe. Answering a query as to whether it plays differently from European clay, he just says its more humid here, but notes that the balls being used are lighter to account for faster conditions

The lines aren't continuous but have small gaps, at intervals. Commentators stress the ball shoots when hitting the lines - and this is more evident than normal

Commentators also stress how hot and humid it is. Prints not very good and I don't see either player sweating unduly. Sampras is probably tired towards the end, judging by the way he plays

Numbers are most un-clay like. Unreturned serves - 42% with 13 aces for Roddick, 36% with 12 (and a service winner) for Sampras. 91% 1st serve points won by Roddick

Match starts with a Sampras foot fault and the 1st game is 12 point. Big serving from Pete, with serve-volley and some strong returning from Roddick. No break points. Rest of the set is easy holds, with returner winning more than 1 point just once

Roddick blasts down a 134 mph body serve ace that Pete sways away from. Staying back on 1st serves, Pete knocks off 3 third ball winners in another game. Roddick hits a superb half-volley FH dtl winner from the baseline. Some strong, error forcing 2nd serves from both players - particularly Roddick. Good number of aces from both players

Roddick's had the better of the set, though no one's been near a break. Tiebreak too... Sampras doesn't have a set point despite the final 9-11 scoreline. The tiebreak is made and broken by Sampras' serve-volleying. He saves 1st set point with good net play - making a difficult 1st volley and picking up an even harder 2nd FH1/2V for a winner. But he also misses a routine 1st BHV next point and later, serving to give himself a 1st set point, misses a 1st 'volley' FH at net.

Sampras saves that set point with a clutch FH dtl pass and chip-charges for the first time next point... but Roddick is just as clutch. Sampras misses a slightly low, but slow volley to give up the set

Second set is even more serve dominated. After 7 games, returners have won just 3 points. That changes as Roddick breaks, which is down to Sampras playing like a maniac. He's staying back on serves for the game and trying to bash third balls for winners - and not short balls either. 4 third ball groundstroke UEs - 3 of them winner attempts (including 2 BHs) see him broken

He conjures his only break point of the match as Roddick serves it out. Pair of return winners - 1 of each side and a chip-charge return get him to 30-40, but the match finishes with more Sampras winner attempt errors

Serve & Return
Big serving from both. The power differential is clear. Sampras' looks small next to Andy's cannons

Sampras mostly serve-volleys. First serves in the ad court, he takes an exaggerated wide position to serve and usually goes out wide. And stays back. Many don't come back, once Roddick hits a dtl winner and the odd ball to the FH comes as a surprise so Roddick returns it down the middle where Sampras goes for a FH winner

Good variety from Roddick between line lickers and serves closer to the body. He serves a body serve ace. Odd kicker thrown in - and they jump shoulder high to Pete's fragile looking BH. Very strong second serves too - strong enough to force errors

Good returning from Roddick, whose up to handling the Sampras serve. Sampras serves mostly to the BH, and Andy's reputedly weak BH isn't unduly troubled by it.
On the other hand, Sampras just isn't good enough to return Roddick's serve. Not much to be done about the line lickers but even serves in reach give him a world of trouble. Even the second serves.

Roddick serves 19 times to FH and Pete only returns 7 of them, but manages to get back 28/44 to BH... seems clear he was more secure on the BH. That's a touch deceptive in that almost all serves to FH where wide, while some to the BH were closer to Pete's body

Play
The jump out stat is Roddick with 4 unforced errors - 4 FHs and 1 BH (Pete has 27 - 12 of each groundstroke)

That's impressive from Andy but a bit deceptive. You hear stats like that for a clay match, you might think it demonstrates some great solidity, but its just not a solidity-based match. More like a serve-fest

Pete is whacking would be winners and attacking shots all match, usually very early in rallies. And mostly missing. 52.6 UEFI is a ridiculously high figure when 24/27 of the errors are groundstrokes. 14 of them are winner attempts. Roddick is more conventional in his play - heavier of shot than is normal for clay, but pedestrian compared to Pete's wild play

Sampras is also fairly loose on routine shots, particularly of the BH. Not many long rallies - leaving aside all the unreturned serves even - Pete usually ends points one way or another early

Decent volleying from Sampras - better than average, but nothing spectacular. Its on the volley that the court looks most like clay... the ball doesn't go through and Roddick has time to line up passes. He passes particularly well - off both sides. Couple of OHs Pete doesn't putaway for winners (1 of them on the bounce even), though he wins both points

Pete hits a couple of drop shots. Bad ones that are invariably run down and he's made to pay

Of movement, Pete's a bit slow and a bit to slow to react to balls. And does not slide. Roddick has a heavy step unsuited to clay but covers the court swiftly enough. Slides a couple of times in a way that hints at his inexperience of so doing. Not greatly timed slides - and in one instance, too extreme a one

Stamina is an issue. Sampras is either tired and wants to get it over with by the end or has gone full scale couldn't-care-less. He's hitting wildly. Oddly though, he doesn't serve-volley at this time, which I'd think would be the fastest, most efficient way to force short points while winning the bulk. Instead, he tries to blast third ball winners from the back. Comes out net negative even off the FH... and he's not shy going for them even off BH (which ends even worse)

Summing up, unusual match on a not great clay court with serve dominating. Roddick's serve is stronger and Pete can't handle it, while in play, Pete is wild and inconsistent. Good enough from Roddick - his capacity to be more limited by bad play at the other end

 

[Waspsting]

Earlier, Sampras beat Andre Agassi 6-1, 7-5 in the semi-final

The two would go onto play their last match in the final of the US Open later in the year, with Sampras winning

Sampras won 69 points, Agassi 51

Sampras serve-volleyed frequently off first serves

Serve Stats
Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (36/67) 54%
- 1st serve points won (31/36) 86%
- 2nd serve points won (15/31) 48%
- Aces 11 (1 second serve), Service Winners 3 (1 second serve)
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (30/67) 45%

Agassi...
- 1st serve percentage (29/53) 55%
- 1st serve points won (20/29) 69%
- 2nd serve points won (10/24) 42%
- Aces 4 (1 second serve)
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (15/53) 28%

Serve Patterns
Sampras served...
- to FH 41%
- to BH 58%
- to Body 2%

Agassi served...
- to FH 26%
- to BH 74%

Return Stats
Sampras made...
- 35 (5 FH, 30 BH), including 2 runaround FHs & 1 return-approach
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (2 FH, 1 BH)
- 8 Forced (6 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (35/50) 70%

Agassi made...
- 34 (12 FH, 22 BH)
- 3 Winners (3 BH)
- 16 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (3 FH, 2 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 11 Forced (2 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (34/64) 53%

Break Points
Sampras 3/6 (3 games)
Agassi 0/2 (2 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sampras 13 (6 FH, 2 BH, 3 FHV, 2 BHV)
Agassi 11 (5 FH, 6 BH)

Sampras had 5 from serve-volley points -
- 4 first 'volleys' (3 FHV, 1 FH at net)
- 1 second volley (1 BHV)

- FHs - 3 cc and 2 inside-out
- BHs - 1 inside-in return and 1 at net

Agassi's FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl pass, 1 inside-out and 2 inside-in
- BHs - 3 cc (2 return passes), 1 dtl, 1 inside-in return pass and 1 drop shot

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sampras 22
- 11 Unforced (5 FH, 6 BH)
- 11 Forced (5 FH, 2 BH, 2 BHV, 2 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.2

Agassi 23
- 13 Unforced (6 FH, 7 BH)
- 10 Forced (3 FH, 7 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.7

(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 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...
- 19/27 (70%) at net, including...
- 14/22 (64%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 13/15 (87%) off 1st serve and..
- 1/7 (14%) off 2nd serve
--
- 1/1 return-approaching

Agassi was...
- 1/4 (25%) at net, with...
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Two very different sets make up a match that Sampras is always in command in, though for very different reasons. In first set, Sampras is steady and strong from the baseline while Agassi is error prone while in the second, Sampras' serve is untouchable

The court is still not great. The lines seem to be made out of little white tiles, that the ball shoots off. Both players hit the lines a number of times and what comes off it is unplayable

Both players serve poorly in first set. Sampras makes 12/26 first serves, while Agassi can only do a slightly better 8/17. With Sampras staying back most of the time, play centers around baseline rallies. Sampras is strong by his norm, Agassi the opposite

Sampras hits cleanly and well, especially the FH - crosscourt being his most damaging shot. There are winners made and errors forced, the latter helped by Agassi's sluggish movements. He makes 5 UEs (Agassi has 6), mostly on his own service points when it doesn't matter too much. Most importantly, he's willing to take on the Agassi second serve

There's a wonderful, step in BH inside-in return winner to bring up break point. Earlier, he'd gained the first break with an excellent chip-charge return that would have been a handful to deal with even without Sampras taking the net. Agassi can only win 2/9 second serve points

Agassi himself is just as error prone as Pete, but without the initiative grabbing serve, net approaches and unreturned serves to fall back on, these get him into trouble. He also tends to make these errors on his own service games

2 standout shots from the set are a perfect Agassi third ball BH drop shot winner to a regulation return (I'd say it was a bad shot choice, but it came off just so) and a Sampras serve-volley point, where he BH1/2Vs a top drawner return, Agassi races to net to poke the ball past Pete, but the server is able to reach it on the stretch and putaway the BHV winner. This is only second serve-volley point Sampras can win out of 7... and it could very easily have gone the other way

Agassi avoid being bagelled by holding game 6 with powerful play - the aforementioned drop shot, a 3rd ball FH inside-out winner and a second serve ace that took a bad bounce and wasn't too far from hitting Pete in the head

Second set is far competitive in that Agassi pulls up his socks and shaves the UEs. But Sampras has 23/41 unreturned serves or 56%. Even by his standards, he serves very well. The aces clip lines, the pace reaches 130 mph at least once, kick serves rise to Agassi's head and maybe even an inch or two above on a couple of occasions. Scarcely an easy return for Agassi to make. Throughout the match, Sampras employs the wide serving position for first serves in the ad court and as in the final, it proves effective

Again, he never serve-volleys of these points. The play is that wide serves are very, very wide and likely to go for aces or otherwise not be returned and when he slips one in to the FH, he's looking for something he can putaway with a FH cc right away. Both ploys work

Well as Sampras served, I thought Agassi's returning level dropped a bit in the second set. Note the 5 return UEs (Sampras has 3), some of the FEs are on the makeable side of things and even aces aren't always hitting lines. On a clay court, a good returner might expect to do a bit better than Agassi did. Andre is a bit stiff of movement in returning, as he is in play, which doesn't help.

Agassi gets the occasional strong return off - including 3 winners and 2 1/2volley FEs he gets out of Pete, but whatever damage he does isn't worth missing so many returns. Still match remains on serve and Agassi serves to take it into tiebreak but plays a very bad game to get broken. He misses a mid-court, wide open court FH cc third ball, adds a double fault, follows up with an ambitious attacking third ball BH miss and completes the job with a very strange FH error off a regulation BH-BH rally. As bad as anything Sampras managed in the final

Pete for his part plays his typical game-by-game return strategy. Some games, when he's gone down a point or two, he's barely trying. His movements aren't great either, but better than Agassi's

Shot of the set and probably match is Agassi's as he takes a regulation third ball BH and thumps it crosscourt for a winner. Perfect shot

Pete struggles to serve out match and has to ace away a break point. His first two match points end with Agassi BH passing winners, the first a return, but he wraps up with 2 unreturned serves. No signs of tiredness from Pete like in the final. Its a cool, breezy day whereas the final was apparently humid and draining

Summing up, strong serving, precise choice serve-volleying and good attacking play out of a reasonably consistent baseline from Sampras. Agassi has his moments brilliance but is too error prone to be constructing points and not damaging enough off the ground