Match Stats/Report - Becker vs Kriek, Queens final 1985

[Waspsting]

Boris Becker beat Johan Kriek 6-2 6-3 in the final of Queens, 1985 on grass

It was the first title for Becker, aged 17 at the time and he followed it up a couple of weeks later by winning Wimbledon unseeded

Becker serve-volleyed on all his serves - 1st and 2nd

Becker won 65 points, Kriek 45

Serve Stats
Becker....
- 1st serve percentage (31/54) 57%
- 1st serve points won (29/31) 94%
- 2nd serve points won (12/23) 52%
- Aces 11 (1 off a 2nd serve)
- Service winners -2
- Double faults 3
- Unreturned serve percentage (27/54) 50%

Kriek. ...
- 1st serve percentage (35/56) 63%
- 1st serve points won (24/35) 69%
- 2nd serve points won (8/21) 38%
- Aces 2
- Service winners 2
- Double faults 5
- Unreturned serve percentage (13/56) 23%

Serve Pattern
Becker served...
- to FH 27%
- to BH 65%
- to Body 8%

Kriek served...
- to FH 51%
- to BH 47%
- to Body 2%

Return Stats
Becker made...
- 38 (19 FH, 19 BH), including 6 chip-charges (3 FH, 3 BH)
- 1 winner (1 FH), a pass
- 9 Total Return Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (3 FH, 1 BH), including 1 FH chip-charge attempt
- 5 Forced (3 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (38/51) 75%

Kriek made...
- 24 (5 FH, 19 BH)
- 4 winners (2 FH, 2 BH), all passes
- 14 Total Return Errors (6 FH, 8 BH). All were Forced, with Becker serve-volleying 100% of the time
- Return Rate (24/51) 47%

Break Points
Becker 3/10 (3 games)
Kriek 0/1 (1 game, the first of the match)

Winners
Becker 16 (2 FH, 1 BH, 6 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 OH)
Kriek 10 (3 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)

- For Becker, all groundstrokes were passes. One FH was a return, the other a running FH down-the-line on break point

- the BH also secured him a break and was fortuitous. Kriek had the pass covered, but a net chord popped it over his ready racquet

- 4/6 FHVs were serve volley points. Of theses, 3 were 1st volleys, 1 was a 2nd volley

- 3/6 BHVs were serve-volley points - a 1st, 2nd and 3rd volley respectively

- the OH was well set up by forcing an at-net Kriek back with a lob, approaching and executing an awkward smash

- Kriek had 5 passes. 4 were returns (2 of each wing - all of second serves)

- one was a BH from about the service line

- the sole non-pass was a fantastic FH 1/2 volley from the baseline off a powerful Becker return of serve

- one FHV and one BHV were s/v affairs

- one BHV was made from the service line, with Becker coming in off an ambitious approach shot, making it a pass

Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Becker made 19 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 13 Forced (4 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 4 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)

Kriek made 17 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 13 Forced (3 FH, 8 BH, 1 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)

(All 'xx.1/2V' instances refer to such shots played at net, which I think deserve a category of their own. 1/2 volley groundstrokes by contrast have been included within regular groundstrokes)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Becker 39/52 (75%) at net, including 29/38 serve-volleying (18/19 off 1st serve, 11/19 of 2nd)

He was 5/6 chip-charging and 5/8 on other approaches

Kriek was 13/23 (52%) at net including 6/13 serve-volleying (5/11 off 1st serve, 1/2 off 2nd)

He was 7/10 on other approaches

 

[Waspsting]

Match Report
This match was Boris Becker's coming out party but I was just as intrigued by Johan Kriek, who I've never seen play before and know nothing about other than his being a 2 time Australian Open Champion (and pushing Borg to 5 at a US Open)

Given Kriek's impressive start, I suppose you could say the match was a let down. Another way to look at it is to give Becker extra credit on the same basis

First game of the match was a 12 point affair, with Kriek having a break point. He hit several meaty returns - two winners and forcing a couple of low volleying errors from Becker. It was the Germans serve that saved him... he had 5 unreturned serves in the game

Kriek was scarcely less impressive in his first service game, with 2 superb half-volley winners - a FH from the baseline and a BH at net. He serve-volleyed 3/5 points (once on 2nd serve) and was looking to approach on all his first serves

But that was about it. For the rest of the match, he was stumped by Becker's serve, which was top class and scared away from net by Becker's return, which was very good

Becker won his last 23 first serve points in the match - 17 of them unreturned

He broke twice in a row to wrap up the first set. Having discouraged second serve approaches with some meaty returning of his own, he took advantage by approaching himself and pressuring Kriek in the first

In the second, Kriek virtually broke himself with two weak volleying errors and a double fault, but the killing thrust on break point was a brilliant Becker pass hit on the run

There was an exquisite point early in the second set where an approaching Becker half-volleyed a powerful return and then intercepted the subsequent pass at full stretch with an angled drop volley

Kriek however, who moves surprisingly fast for such a barrel chested man, reached the ball and flicked it away, only for Becker to lob volley him. The ever quick Kriek ran back to deny a clean winner

Kriek staying back allowed for a few decent baseline rallies. He got the better of these. Becker, though a match for him off the ground, looked for openings to come in in these situations. He visited the net 6 times in a 14 point Kriek service game to gain the decisive break

All in all, an excellent performance from Boris Becker - untouchable of serve, energetic at net, powerful of return and maybe most importantly, sensible of judgement in mixing it up, while still fearless

Anyone who watched this shouldn't have been too shocked with what happened at Wimbledon a couple of weeks later

 

[KG1965]

Match Report
This match was Boris Becker's coming out party but I was just as intrigued by Johan Kriek, who I've never seen play before and know nothing about other than his being a 2 time Australian Open Champion (and pushing Borg to 5 at a US Open)

Given Kriek's impressive start, I suppose you could say the match was a let down. Another way to look at it is to give Becker extra credit on the same basis

First game of the match was a 12 point affair, with Kriek having a break point. He hit several meaty returns - two winners and forcing a couple of low volleying errors from Becker. It was the Germans serve that saved him... he had 5 unreturned serves in the game

Kriek was scarcely less impressive in his first service game, with 2 superb half-volley winners - a FH from the baseline and a BH at net. He serve-volleyed 3/5 points (once on 2nd serve) and was looking to approach on all his first serves

But that was about it. For the rest of the match, he was stumped by Becker's serve, which was top class and scared away from net by Becker's return, which was very good

Becker won his last 23 first serve points in the match - 17 of them unreturned

He broke twice in a row to wrap up the first set. Having discouraged second serve approaches with some meaty returning of his own, he took advantage by approaching himself and pressuring Kriek in the first

In the second, Kriek virtually broke himself with two weak volleying errors and a double fault, but the killing thrust on break point was a brilliant Becker pass hit on the run

There was an exquisite point early in the second set where an approaching Becker half-volleyed a powerful return and then intercepted the subsequent pass at full stretch with an angled drop volley

Kriek however, who moves surprisingly fast for such a barrel chested man, reached the ball and flicked it away, only for Becker to lob volley him. The ever quick Kriek ran back to deny a clean winner

Kriek staying back allowed for a few decent baseline rallies. He got the better of these. Becker, though a match for him off the ground, looked for openings to come in in these situations. He visited the net 6 times in a 14 point Kriek service game to gain the decisive break

All in all, an excellent performance from Boris Becker - untouchable of serve, energetic at net, powerful of return and maybe most importantly, sensible of judgement in mixing it up, while still fearless

Anyone who watched this shouldn't have been too shocked with what happened at Wimbledon a couple of weeks later

Kriek was one of the funniest. High-class movements and great speed. He was not constant during a match. He was not constant during the year. But he was really interesting. One of the 10-15 players that technically liked me most.

I have already written Becker. Boris was formidable, when he was in physical form (as in that month in 1985) was almost incomparable.

 

[KG1965]

 

[Waspsting]

Kriek was one of the funniest. High-class movements and great speed. He was not constant during a match. He was not constant during the year. But he was really interesting. One of the 10-15 players that technically liked me most

Yeah, I can tell he's a bit of a character.

A Becker return was called out and Becker started protesting to the umpire because he'd seen chalk fly up. Kriek stayed away from the discussion but jumped up and down behind the baseline - to show that chalk would fly up even if impact point wasn't on the line

He got a code violation for "abuse of court", which I've never seen before as Becker was serving for the match. I think he was jumping on the court. and the commentators mentioned that he'd been fined for unsportsmanlike conduct in the semi-finals

Forgot to mention that the court was a bit slippery. Both players slipped more than once in play, even on the playing area

 

[jaggy]

I remember Kriek complaining about people smoking at indoor Wembley. Sponsors were Benson and Hedges.

 

[the green god]

Kriek had a beautiful game to watch, still does in fact.

 

[Mainad]

Does anybody else think Kriek looked a bit like Connors?

 

[Limpinhitter]

Match Report
This match was Boris Becker's coming out party but I was just as intrigued by Johan Kriek, who I've never seen play before and know nothing about other than his being a 2 time Australian Open Champion (and pushing Borg to 5 at a US Open)

Given Kriek's impressive start, I suppose you could say the match was a let down. Another way to look at it is to give Becker extra credit on the same basis

First game of the match was a 12 point affair, with Kriek having a break point. He hit several meaty returns - two winners and forcing a couple of low volleying errors from Becker. It was the Germans serve that saved him... he had 5 unreturned serves in the game

Kriek was scarcely less impressive in his first service game, with 2 superb half-volley winners - a FH from the baseline and a BH at net. He serve-volleyed 3/5 points (once on 2nd serve) and was looking to approach on all his first serves

But that was about it. For the rest of the match, he was stumped by Becker's serve, which was top class and scared away from net by Becker's return, which was very good

Becker won his last 23 first serve points in the match - 17 of them unreturned

He broke twice in a row to wrap up the first set. Having discouraged second serve approaches with some meaty returning of his own, he took advantage by approaching himself and pressuring Kriek in the first

In the second, Kriek virtually broke himself with two weak volleying errors and a double fault, but the killing thrust on break point was a brilliant Becker pass hit on the run

There was an exquisite point early in the second set where an approaching Becker half-volleyed a powerful return and then intercepted the subsequent pass at full stretch with an angled drop volley

Kriek however, who moves surprisingly fast for such a barrel chested man, reached the ball and flicked it away, only for Becker to lob volley him. The ever quick Kriek ran back to deny a clean winner

Kriek staying back allowed for a few decent baseline rallies. He got the better of these. Becker, though a match for him off the ground, looked for openings to come in in these situations. He visited the net 6 times in a 14 point Kriek service game to gain the decisive break

All in all, an excellent performance from Boris Becker - untouchable of serve, energetic at net, powerful of return and maybe most importantly, sensible of judgement in mixing it up, while still fearless

Anyone who watched this shouldn't have been too shocked with what happened at Wimbledon a couple of weeks later

Johan Kriek was an extremely talented player with a complete all-court power game and a powerful physique. He had the ability beat anyone on any surface at any time. However, from what I’ve seen, he could also be very negative during a match and had a pretty bad temper. This may have kept him from being as great a champion is he could have been.

 

[jrepac]

Johan Kriek was an extremely talented player with a complete all-court power game and a powerful physique. He had the ability beat anyone on any surface at any time. However, from what I’ve seen, he could also be very negative during a match and had a pretty bad temper. This may have kept him from being as great a champion is he could have been.

Yes, that's an accurate description. I always enjoyed watching him; great speed, explosive strokes, just not always consistent. I think he could've won a USO or Wimby, if things worked out differently.

I remember this; Becker's win was incredibly shocking as Kriek was an established, high ranked guy. No one knew where the heck this kid came from, other than the year before at Wimbledon....where he injured his ankle...looked quite bad at the time.

 

[Mainad]

Yes, that's an accurate description. I always enjoyed watching him; great speed, explosive strokes, just not always consistent. I think he could've won a USO or Wimby, if things worked out differently.

I remember this; Becker's win was incredibly shocking as Kriek was an established, high ranked guy. No one knew where the heck this kid came from, other than the year before at Wimbledon....where he injured his ankle...looked quite bad at the time.

What was even more shocking was that he then went on to repeat the same feat against another established, high ranked guy, Kevin Curren, in the final of Wimbledon. Becker really was the wunderkind of his time!