Boris Becker (West Germany) beat Stefan Edberg (Sweden) 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in a Davis Cup final rubber, 1988 on indoor clay in Gothenburg, Sweden
West Germany would go onto win the event, with Becker partnering Eric Jelen to beat Edberg partnering Anders Jarryd in the doubles rubber to seal the result. Sweden had been the defending champions. Earlier in the year, Edberg had beaten Becker in Wimbledon final to claim his first title there
Becker won 89 points, Edberg 61 (confirmed)
Becker won 96 points, Edberg 71 (deduced for certain and lowest possible estimate)
Edberg serve-volleyed on almost all first serve points and frequently of seconds. Becker serve-volleyed rarely
(Note: I'm missing at least 17 points
- 1 Edberg service game, which he held - at least 4 points
- 1 Becker service game starts at deuce - at least 6 points
- 1 Becker service game cuts off at 30-30, which he was broken - at least 2 points
- 1 Edberg service point that he lost - 1 point
- 1 Becker service game cuts off at 30-30, which he held - at least 2 points
- 2 Edberg service points, 1 of which he won and 1 which he lost - 2 points
Stats cover only the points that are confirmed, unless otherwise noted)
Serve Stats
Becker...
- 1st serve percentage (40/79) 51%
- 1st serve points won (31/40) 78%
- 2nd serve points won (22/39) 56%
- *Unknown serve points (5/10) 50% Lowest Confirmed Estimate
- Aces 1, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (12/79) 15%
Edberg...
- 1st serve percentage (39/71) 55%
- 1st serve points won (21/39) 54%
- 2nd serve points won (14/32) 44%
- *Unknown serve points (5/7) 71% Lowest Confirmed Estimate
- Aces 2, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (17/71) 24%
Serve Patterns
Becker served...
- to FH 29%
- to BH 60%
- to Body 12%
Edberg served...
- to FH 13%
- to BH 71%
- to Body 16%
Return Stats
Becker made...
- 53 (11 FH, 42 BH), including 2 runaround FHs & 1 return-approach
- 3 Winners (1 FH, 2 BH)
- 14 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 12 Forced (2 FH, 10 BH), including runaround FHs
- Return Rate (53/70) 76%
Edberg made...
- 65 (19 FH, 46 BH), including 3 runaround FHs & 2 return-approaches
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (3 FH), including 1 runaround FH
- 7 Forced (4 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (65/77) 84%
Break Points
Becker 6/13 (8 games)
Edberg 1/5 (4 games)
{Note: Edberg's count includes a deduced 1/1 (1 game). The points won and games are accurate but he may have had more than 1 extra break point}
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Becker 34 (10 FH, 9 BH, 6 FHV, 7 BHV, 2 OH)
Edberg 15 (1 FH, 2 BH, 4 FHV, 7 BHV, 1 OH)
Becker's FHs - 4 cc (1 pass), 3 dtl passes (1 return) and 3 inside-out passes
- BHs - 3 cc (2 passes - 1 a return), 2 dtl passes (1 sliced), 3 inside-out (2 passes - 1 a return) and 1 drop shots
- 3 from serve-volley points - 1 first volley BHV and 2 second volley FHVs
- 1 other BHV was a pass played from well behind the service line and not a net point
Edberg had 9 from serve-volley points -
- 6 first volleys (3 FHV, 3 BHV)
- 1 second volley (1 OH)
- 2 third volleys (2 BHV)
- 1 other BHV came off a return-approach point
- FH - 1 cc pass
- BHs - 1 cc pass and 1 net chord dribbler
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Becker 27
- 15 Unforced (7 FH, 7 BH, 1 BHV)
- 12 Forced (3 FH, 5 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV)… 1 FHV was not a net point
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.3
Edberg 42
- 24 Unforced (8 FH, 10 BH, 1 FHV, 5 BHV)
- 18 Forced (6 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.8
(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
Becker was...
- 27/32 (84%) at net, including...
- 4/7 (57%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 3/6 (50%) off 1st serve and..
- 1/1 off 2nd serve
--
- 1/1 return-approaching
Edberg was...
- 30/57 (53%) at net, including...
- 24/45 (53%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 17/32 (53%) off 1st serve and...
- 7/13 (54%) off 2nd serve
--
- 1/2 return-approaching
- 0/2 forced back/retreated
Match Report
A mismatch and a thrashing. Becker does the needful - and does it very well - but Edberg is off strategically, in execution and on passing shots
Though the bounce is relatively low, this indoor clay court seems to be particularly slow. Its difficult to tell because both players hit groundstrokes gently - almost like a warm up - but even on the pass, rarely is the ball hit hard enough to rush the volleyer
Edberg serve-volleys almost all of the time off first serves and about half the time of seconds. Becker rarely serve-volleys, but comes in occasionally off third balls. The bulk of his approaches come through working his way to net in rallies
Becker gains the first break in game 5 off a couple Edberg groundstroke errors and some good passing. He breaks again next chance with more strong shots - including a very rare baseline-to-baseline winner. After failing to serve out the set, he makes it 3 breaks in a row
So it continues in the second set. Though the 6-1 scoreline suggests a sweep, Becker is made to struggle on serve, with 3/4 of his games going to deuce. He continues to break Edberg though - usually also in long games. The combination of lots of points per game and long points in those games makes action feel not too one sided
The third set is the competitive. On serve and 2-3 down, Becker has to save 2 break points - one of which he does with a clutch BH dtl passing winner, the other with a BHV winner - and goes on to hold. And then breaks to 15 in one of the quickest games of the match - highlighted by 2 return winners. The one on break point, a BH inside-out, is particularly good. No hiccups to keep holding serve to finish the match. Its Edberg who has to save break and match point in his only remaining service game
Service & Return
Edberg serves normally but on this slow court, his shot is not at all damaging. Becker returns comfortably and fairly powerfully
Note the unusually high distribution of serves from Edberg - he served more to the body (11 times) than the FH (9 times). Those aren't actually body serves in the classic sense. Most are second serves rolled in as safely as possibly. Becker can return them without even moving too much, and he usually just steps aside to hit a FH
Note also the low first serve percentage from both players - 51% for Becker, 55% for Edberg. Unexpected indoors and particularly since Becker wasn't doing much with his serve
Becker rolls in most second serves and even goes easy on the first. And he's not looking for aces, serving mostly close to Edberg's body. Now and then he sends down a big one. Set point of 2nd set he blasts down his only ace and opening point of last game of the match, he sends down a rocket straight at Edberg, who just fends it off. I've marked it a Service Winner, which I rarely do for body serves. The way Becker can apparently send down a tough serve when he feels like it makes look like he's almost toying with Edberg the rest of the time
Edberg returning a very high 84% serves is a product of Becker's gentle serving, slowness of court and Becker not serve-volleying. Not much in the returns though, just putting them back in play
West Germany would go onto win the event, with Becker partnering Eric Jelen to beat Edberg partnering Anders Jarryd in the doubles rubber to seal the result. Sweden had been the defending champions. Earlier in the year, Edberg had beaten Becker in Wimbledon final to claim his first title there
Becker won 89 points, Edberg 61 (confirmed)
Becker won 96 points, Edberg 71 (deduced for certain and lowest possible estimate)
Edberg serve-volleyed on almost all first serve points and frequently of seconds. Becker serve-volleyed rarely
(Note: I'm missing at least 17 points
- 1 Edberg service game, which he held - at least 4 points
- 1 Becker service game starts at deuce - at least 6 points
- 1 Becker service game cuts off at 30-30, which he was broken - at least 2 points
- 1 Edberg service point that he lost - 1 point
- 1 Becker service game cuts off at 30-30, which he held - at least 2 points
- 2 Edberg service points, 1 of which he won and 1 which he lost - 2 points
Stats cover only the points that are confirmed, unless otherwise noted)
Serve Stats
Becker...
- 1st serve percentage (40/79) 51%
- 1st serve points won (31/40) 78%
- 2nd serve points won (22/39) 56%
- *Unknown serve points (5/10) 50% Lowest Confirmed Estimate
- Aces 1, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (12/79) 15%
Edberg...
- 1st serve percentage (39/71) 55%
- 1st serve points won (21/39) 54%
- 2nd serve points won (14/32) 44%
- *Unknown serve points (5/7) 71% Lowest Confirmed Estimate
- Aces 2, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (17/71) 24%
Serve Patterns
Becker served...
- to FH 29%
- to BH 60%
- to Body 12%
Edberg served...
- to FH 13%
- to BH 71%
- to Body 16%
Return Stats
Becker made...
- 53 (11 FH, 42 BH), including 2 runaround FHs & 1 return-approach
- 3 Winners (1 FH, 2 BH)
- 14 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 12 Forced (2 FH, 10 BH), including runaround FHs
- Return Rate (53/70) 76%
Edberg made...
- 65 (19 FH, 46 BH), including 3 runaround FHs & 2 return-approaches
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (3 FH), including 1 runaround FH
- 7 Forced (4 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (65/77) 84%
Break Points
Becker 6/13 (8 games)
Edberg 1/5 (4 games)
{Note: Edberg's count includes a deduced 1/1 (1 game). The points won and games are accurate but he may have had more than 1 extra break point}
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Becker 34 (10 FH, 9 BH, 6 FHV, 7 BHV, 2 OH)
Edberg 15 (1 FH, 2 BH, 4 FHV, 7 BHV, 1 OH)
Becker's FHs - 4 cc (1 pass), 3 dtl passes (1 return) and 3 inside-out passes
- BHs - 3 cc (2 passes - 1 a return), 2 dtl passes (1 sliced), 3 inside-out (2 passes - 1 a return) and 1 drop shots
- 3 from serve-volley points - 1 first volley BHV and 2 second volley FHVs
- 1 other BHV was a pass played from well behind the service line and not a net point
Edberg had 9 from serve-volley points -
- 6 first volleys (3 FHV, 3 BHV)
- 1 second volley (1 OH)
- 2 third volleys (2 BHV)
- 1 other BHV came off a return-approach point
- FH - 1 cc pass
- BHs - 1 cc pass and 1 net chord dribbler
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Becker 27
- 15 Unforced (7 FH, 7 BH, 1 BHV)
- 12 Forced (3 FH, 5 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV)… 1 FHV was not a net point
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.3
Edberg 42
- 24 Unforced (8 FH, 10 BH, 1 FHV, 5 BHV)
- 18 Forced (6 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.8
(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
Becker was...
- 27/32 (84%) at net, including...
- 4/7 (57%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 3/6 (50%) off 1st serve and..
- 1/1 off 2nd serve
--
- 1/1 return-approaching
Edberg was...
- 30/57 (53%) at net, including...
- 24/45 (53%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 17/32 (53%) off 1st serve and...
- 7/13 (54%) off 2nd serve
--
- 1/2 return-approaching
- 0/2 forced back/retreated
Match Report
A mismatch and a thrashing. Becker does the needful - and does it very well - but Edberg is off strategically, in execution and on passing shots
Though the bounce is relatively low, this indoor clay court seems to be particularly slow. Its difficult to tell because both players hit groundstrokes gently - almost like a warm up - but even on the pass, rarely is the ball hit hard enough to rush the volleyer
Edberg serve-volleys almost all of the time off first serves and about half the time of seconds. Becker rarely serve-volleys, but comes in occasionally off third balls. The bulk of his approaches come through working his way to net in rallies
Becker gains the first break in game 5 off a couple Edberg groundstroke errors and some good passing. He breaks again next chance with more strong shots - including a very rare baseline-to-baseline winner. After failing to serve out the set, he makes it 3 breaks in a row
So it continues in the second set. Though the 6-1 scoreline suggests a sweep, Becker is made to struggle on serve, with 3/4 of his games going to deuce. He continues to break Edberg though - usually also in long games. The combination of lots of points per game and long points in those games makes action feel not too one sided
The third set is the competitive. On serve and 2-3 down, Becker has to save 2 break points - one of which he does with a clutch BH dtl passing winner, the other with a BHV winner - and goes on to hold. And then breaks to 15 in one of the quickest games of the match - highlighted by 2 return winners. The one on break point, a BH inside-out, is particularly good. No hiccups to keep holding serve to finish the match. Its Edberg who has to save break and match point in his only remaining service game
Service & Return
Edberg serves normally but on this slow court, his shot is not at all damaging. Becker returns comfortably and fairly powerfully
Note the unusually high distribution of serves from Edberg - he served more to the body (11 times) than the FH (9 times). Those aren't actually body serves in the classic sense. Most are second serves rolled in as safely as possibly. Becker can return them without even moving too much, and he usually just steps aside to hit a FH
Note also the low first serve percentage from both players - 51% for Becker, 55% for Edberg. Unexpected indoors and particularly since Becker wasn't doing much with his serve
Becker rolls in most second serves and even goes easy on the first. And he's not looking for aces, serving mostly close to Edberg's body. Now and then he sends down a big one. Set point of 2nd set he blasts down his only ace and opening point of last game of the match, he sends down a rocket straight at Edberg, who just fends it off. I've marked it a Service Winner, which I rarely do for body serves. The way Becker can apparently send down a tough serve when he feels like it makes look like he's almost toying with Edberg the rest of the time
Edberg returning a very high 84% serves is a product of Becker's gentle serving, slowness of court and Becker not serve-volleying. Not much in the returns though, just putting them back in play
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