Match Stats/Report - Agassi vs Masso, Wimbledon second round, 1992

[Waspsting]

Andre Agassi beat Eduardo Masso 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 in the Wimbledon second round, 1992 on grass

Agassi would go onto win the event for the only time, beating Goran Ivanisevic in the final. It would be his maiden Slam title. Masso would retire later in the year

Agassi won 122 points, Masso 101

Masso serve-volleyed off all serves, bar 1 second serve

Serve Stats
Agassi...
- 1st serve percentage (79/117) 68%
- 1st serve points won (50/79) 63%
- 2nd serve points won (22/38) 58%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (18/117) 15%

Masso...
- 1st serve percentage (72/106) 68%
- 1st serve points won (42/72) 58%
- 2nd serve points won (14/34) 41%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (23/106) 31%

Serve Patterns
Agassi served...
- to FH 35%
- to BH 62%
- to Body 3%

Masso served...
- to FH 33%
- to BH 64%
- to Body 3%

Return Stats
Agassi made...
- 71 (20 FH, 51 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 11 Winners (3 FH, 8 BH)
- 28 Errors, all forced...
- 28 Forced (14 FH, 14 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- Return Rate (71/104) 68%

Masso made...
- 96 (32 FH, 64 BH), including 2 return-approaches & 3 drop-returns
- 5 Winners (3 FH, 2 BH)
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 9 Unforced (2 FH, 7 BH), including 1 return-approach attempt
- 8 Forced (5 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (96/114) 84%

Break Points
Agassi 8/18 (10 games)
Masso 4/9 (5 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Agassi 51 (13 FH, 23 BH, 5 FHV, 2 BHV, 7 OH, 1 BHOH)
Masso 31 (6 FH, 6 BH, 12 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 BH12/V, 4 OH)

Agassi had 26 passes - 11 returns (3 FH, 8 BH) & 15 regular (6 FH, 9 BH)
- FH returns - 1 cc, 1 inside-out, 1 inside-in
- BH returns - 5 cc, 1 dtl, 1 inside-in
- regular FHs - 1 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out, 2 inside-out, 2 lobs
- regular BHs - 2 cc, 4 dtl, 2 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out

- regular (non-pass) FHs - 1 cc, 1 cc/longline, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 net chord dribbler
- regular BHs - 4 cc (1 slice), 1 dtl, 1 inside-out/dtl at net

- 3 from serve-volley points - 2 first volleys (2 FHV) & 1 second volley (1 FHV)... a net chord dribbler

Masso had 12 from serve-volley points -
- 6 first 'volleys' (4 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)... 1 FHV was a net chord dribbler, another can reasonably be called an OH
- 5 second volleys (2 FHV, 3 OH)
- 1 third volley (1 OH)

- 1 other FHV was a lob

- FHs - 1 cc pass, 1 cc/down-the-middle return, 4 dtl (2 returns, 1 pass)
- BHs - 2 cc (1 return), 1 cc/drop-shot return, 1 drop shot, 2 lobs

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Agassi 34
- 11 Unforced (1 FH, 7 BH, 2 BHV, 1 OH)... the OH was on the bounce from no-man's land
- 23 Forced (6 FH, 10 BH, 3 FHV, 2 BH1/2V, 2 BHOH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.2

Masso 51
- 12 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH, 4 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)
- 29 Forced (8 FH, 11 BH, 13 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 5 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53.3

(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
Agassi was...
- 36/53 (68%) at net, including...
- 11/18 (61%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 1/3 (33%) forced back/retreated

Masso was...
- 64/120 (53%) at net, including...
- 51/98 (52%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 37/67 (55%) off 1st serve and...
- 14/31 (45%) off 2nd serve
---
- 0/2 return-approaching
- 0/2 forced back/retreated

Match Report
Its return target practice for Agassi, once he gets a grip on the average serve of the serve-volleying Masso, while on serve, he plays an overpower & approach game. Though crushed, there are many positives to Masso’s game, some of it wasted with one of the abilities of his opponent

51 winners, 34 errors from Agassi (11 UEs, 23 FEs). That’s first class. Small matter of 39 errors forced - more than Masso’s 31 winners and Masso has small 12 UEs himself

As the serve-volleyer, Masso would need very large freebie cushion to be competitive to counter-act play running along above lines. Something like 50% minimum. 31% is a pittance next to what he’d need, though solid enough on its own

Eduardo Masso is a stockily built lefty with huge thighs. No problem with his movement, though his build wouldn’t promise it (its not upto what its tasked with at net, which is exceptional). He has good touch and feel both in groundies (including the return) and at net. Likes to slice-drive BHs (including returns) and does so well, kniefing the ball and keeping it low. Plays a few drop-returns too. There’s something of McEnroe in his touch at net, where he’s un self-consciously graceful. While mostly slicing BHs, he’s got a flowy FH and willing to attack with it, again including on the return

His main problem is the serve. Its not powerful and he doesn't get it wide, even with lefties usual strength of out wide in deuce court. Agassi rarely spontaneously runsaround to take first return (not that he has to as his BH return is just as potent as the FH). He serve-volleys off all but one service point. While good looking at net, he’s faced with an avalanche of returns of some combo of wide, low and powerful that’s virtually unanswerable

His other problem is those kniefed slice returns don’t trouble Agassi. They’re good enough to. They stay below knee height, with good lot closer to shin. And they cut through the air, not float. Would probably be good to curb the hitting of many players, encouraging if not forcing a slice reply because hitting a ball that low powerfully is awkward

Agassi ain’t one of them. He pounds the third ball off either wing, usually wide. Comes in quickly to finish points, often off third ball. Serve-volleys some too. Or pounds third ball wide off either wing with potential point-ending force. Masso usually upto running such balls down, but relegated completely to defence - and Agassi might keep pounding in opposite direction or come in as he pleases. You’d think Agassi was dealing with nice, hip/stomach high balls that are perfect for ripping rather than ankle/knee height stuff that virtually no one treats in this way

Weak serve from Agassi. 1 ace from 79 first serves, mere 15% unreturned. At one stage, he lets fly with 2 big first serves in a row, which shows he’s capable of serving bigger. What he sends down is harmless, close to 2 ‘second’ serves. His winning 63% first serve points and the same amount of non double fault second serve ones supports this (with 3 doubles, second serve points goes down to 58% - as much as Masso’s firsts)

Returning such a serve with consistency isn’t too much of a task. With Agassi’s strength from the baseline, almost necessary to attack it too. Masso misses very little on the return, but attacking returning off BH side seems to be beyond him. He does go after the odd FH and has 3 winners off that side, but sticks to kniefed slice-drive BHs. Might be neutralizing to a different baseliner. Not Agassi

Agassi collars rallies with powerful third ball groundie, hit wide as often as not. Comes in off third ball or pounds more groundies. Might just pound them, might hit wide on top of that, might come in or might keep pounding (wide or with just power). Agassi does a lot of things, none of them gentle

He’s 25/35 or 71% rallying to net. Volleying is efficient, with powerful approaches doing majority of work. To be clear, not to token approach behind shot that would have finished rally anyway, so his volleying does come into it, just not as much as the build-up
Serve-volleys a bit too, where he’s 11/18 or 61%. Masso’s returns tend to be on the way down at least when they reach him

At net, Agassi with 15 winners, 2 UEs, 7 FEs
Masso with 5 passing winners (including a net-to-net FHV lob), 15 passing errors. He doesn’t get good looks at passes. In keeping with his very nice touch play, touch lobs are pick of his passes. He’s got couple BH winners and forces 2 BHOH errors. Agassi also has a BHOH winner and has to play 1 other BHOH

Rare for anyone to have to play so many BHOHs, and testament to Masso’s skill in directing lobs to that side

Ground to ground -
- Winners - Agassi 9, Masso 8 (5 of the returns - 1 a drop return, and another drop return)
- UEs - Agassi 8, Masso 4
- Errors Forced - Agassi 4, Masso virtually 0

… with neutral UEs reading Agassi 5, Masso 2

Solid stuff from Masso. Doesn’t give anything away, while Agassi misses odd routine groundie. Overpowered, but takes his shots on the return (would need to do so more to be competitive in match, but that’s also in context of how hard a time he has holding) and with is touch play. Once rally gets going, he’s almost always in defensive position. Figures also speak to net play being Agassi’s spearhead. It flows out of big power advantage from back, but Agassi at his best when coming in to finish points. Not a style of play he used too often

 

[Waspsting]

Masso’s serve is average, just a little better than Agassi’s. He’s got 5 aces or 7% of first serves (Agassi has just 1 or 1%). Doesn’t seem to be able to crank serve up further as there’s no surprise bigger ones. Getting 68% first serves in is handy. He serve-volleys off all but 1 serve

Wins 55% behind first serves and 45% behind seconds
Takes Agassi a set to get a grip on it, but once he does, looks like target practice. Powerful, wide and early returns is all Masso sees. Agassi reading the serve well too, and moving in right direction for them

Masso has 19 ‘volley’ winners, 8 UEs and 20 FEs
Agassi has 26 passing winners (11 returns, 15 regular), and 16 ground FEs (virtually all passes)

The volley FEs is very high. Agassi’s -1 regular passing winners/ground FEs is also a remarkably good yield. 11/71 returns being winners isn’t too shabby either. Top drawer passing from Agassi, in short

Masso misses lot more difficult volleys than he’s able to make. He makes very few. Would be impossible to make them all, very, very unlikely to make more than misses (and if so, would almost certainly leave very good look passes). Its more a mismatch matter than question of how well Masso handles tough volleys. Could anyone handle the kind volleys Masso’s presented with? Probably not. To do better, he’d need a better serve that prevents the kinds of returns he’s faced with to begin with

In the semi-final, John McEnroe would get treated even more roughly, with Agassi skipping over forcing errors and straight out nailing winner after winner landing on the line
Substantial 31% unreturned rate is price of Agassi’s heavy fire returning. Cheap for the havoc his returns wreck

Match Progression
5 breaks and 2 further games with break points in them in the first set. Masso is quick enough to handle Agassi’s powerful wide shots and while effective, his serve looks like its liable to get thrashed sooner or later. Some wonderful shot-making from both players in the set

Gorgeous, sweeping BH cc winner from Masso second point of match. He adds 2 more (BH drop shot and FHV) to raise break point. Both players visit net in the game, with Agassi eventually holding

Both players are at net in Agassi’s second service game too - Masso successfully with a stop FHV winner and drawing a passing error, Agassi less so as he’s drop-returned to net and forced into BHOH error and can’t make a BH1/2V serve-volleying to get broken

Breaks right back - wonderful running FH dtl/inside-out pass winner from Agassi in the game, but volleying UEs by Masso lose him 3 points
Masso breaks right back in a 14 point game, again exhibiting rare shots of beauty. A FHV lob to wide ball in net-to-net situation and a stunning, sliced BH cc/pseduo-drop return are the pick of them, but he has 2 other more conventional winners also, including a FH dtl pass to seal the break after working serve-volleying Agassi over some

Agassi powers 2 third ball winners to hold for 3-4 before again leveling the match in good game where all 5 points he wins are aggressive (winners from running BHV, BH cc pass afer drawing first half-volley, running FH lob and forcing 2 wide, second volleying errors)

Masso breaks right back with some fancy passing of his own, finishing with BH lob winner and forcing 2 shoelace ‘volley’ errors. Earlier in the game, Agassi with a superb BH cc slice winner from defensive position

Powerful returns get Agassi break point, but Masso comes through to serve out the set in deuce game with unreturned serves

Agassi takes charge of the match in second set. Gets a grip on the return and unleashes a stream of power returns and when necessary, winning follow-up passes. In service games, he’s overpowering from the back, sometimes coming to net to finish

14 winners, 2 UEs for Agassi in the set. Both UEs are volleys

Set 3 is almost as dominant, despite Masso winning couple more games. Return looks like target practice and Masso’s jumping and lunging about every service game. Power and width make up more of Agassi’s returning spear than getting ball to feet, though they tend to be low-ish and wide

Continues coming to net to finish, though serve-volleying less. No break points for Masso in the set, while Agassi is 2/8 (3 games) on that front

Masso breaks to open the fourth set. Lovely, touch BH lob winner early in the game, which he finishes with a FH dtl return winner
Not easy holds for Masso, but he manages in 6 and 8 point games to reach 3-1, before Agassi wins last 5 games to wrap up
After holding for 2-3, 2 passing winners, 2 volleying FEs get set back on serve. There’s a blazing FH return winner down the middle right to baseline from Masso in the next game, which Agassi holds in 8 points

Agassi smacks 3 passing winner (FH dtl, BH return cc and BH dtl) to reach 0-40 game after. Masso saves first 2 break points with first ‘volley’ winners (BH1/2V and FHV), before a power return to the feet seasl the break
Agassi serves out to 15, finishing with a couple of serve-volley points

Summing up, impressive showing from Agassi. Once he comes to term with Masso’s ordinary serve, he does what he likes to it - pounding, wide returns off both sides that the serve-volleyer can’t handle and when necessary, follow-up passes both powerful and precise. His serve is harmless, but he handles Masso’s deft, sliced returns that keep the ball low as readily as if ball were perfect hip height to hammer, even though the balls on rise to potentially irksome shin level. And adds taking net to overpowering to go about dominating baseline starting points

Masso is outclassed but plays a beautiful, as well as good game. Lovely touch with volleys, drop shots, lobs, drop-returns, slices. Steady off the ground, good at dealing with routine volleys, quick enough to resist Agassi’s back-court power offence

Serve though proves to be meat and drink for formidable returner and he faces difficult volleys (combo of power, width and being low) so regularly that it’s practically impossible hold against it for long

Stats for the final between Agassi and Goran Ivanisevic - Match Stats/Report - Agassi vs Ivanisevic, Wimbledon final, 1992 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)
Stats for Agassi’s other matches at the event -

Match Stats/Reports - Catalogue

This is a full list of all the matches I've statt-ed chronologically arranged I'll keep it updated. List will continue to grow, probably not at the same rate, and disproportionately heavily towards more recent players Slam pre-final matches are in blue Slam finals are in red Happy holidays...

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