Boris Becker beat John McEnroe 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(8) in the Stratton Mountain semi-final, 1986 on hard court
Becker had recently won his second Wimbledon title and would go onto lose the final to Ivan Lendl. McEnroe, the defending champion, was playing his first tournament of the season after a self-imposed break from the tour
Becker won 102 points, McEnroe 104
McEnroe serve-volleyed off all first serves and all but 6 second serves
Serve Stats
Becker...
- 1st serve percentage (54/106) 51%
- 1st serve points won (48/54) 89%
- 2nd serve points won (27/52) 52%
- Aces 8, Service Winners 3
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (40/106) 38%
McEnroe...
- 1st serve percentage (58/100) 58%
- 1st serve points won (44/58) 76%
- 2nd serve points won (29/42) 69%
- Aces 12 (2 second serves) - 1 not clean
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (48/100) 48%
Serve Patterns
Becker served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 69%
- to Body 1%
McEnroe served...
- to FH 34%
- to BH 57%
- to Body 8%
Return Stats
Becker made...
- 47 (18 FH, 29 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 2 return-approaches
- 3 Winners (3 BH)
- 36 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (2 FH, 1 BH)
- 33 Forced (7 FH, 26 BH)
- Return Rate (47/96) 49%
McEnroe made...
- 60 (16 FH, 44 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 10 return-approaches
- 2 Winners (2 FH)
- 29 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 27 Forced (9 FH, 18 BH), including 1 return-approach attempt
- Return Rate (60/100) 60%
Break Points
Becker 1/2 (2 games)
McEnroe 1/4 (3 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Becker 26 (8 FH, 7 BH, 5 FHV, 5 BHV, 1 OH)
McEnroe 15 (5 FH, 1 BH, 7 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Becker's FHs - 3 cc (2 passes), 2 dtl (1 pass) and 2 inside-out
- BHs (all passes) - 1 cc return, 4 dtl and 2 inside-in returns
- 3 first 'volleys' from serve-volley points (1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 FH at net)
McEnroe had 10 from serve-volley points
- 6 first 'volleys' (4 FHV, 2 FH at net), 1 of the FH at nets was played net-to-net and a pass, with Becker return-approaching on the same point
- 4 second volleys (2 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH), 1 of the FHVs was a net chord dribbler
- FHs - 1 turnaround cc pass after having been forced back from net and 2 dtl returns
- BHs - 1 cc
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Becker 35
- 10 Unforced (5 FH, 4 BH, 1 OH)
- 25 Forced (5 FH, 18 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53
McEnroe 32
- 16 Unforced (4 FH, 6 BH, 2 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)
- 16 Forced (5 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 5 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 56.3
(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 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...
- 22/28 (79%) at net, including...
- 10/12 (83%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 10/11 (91%) off 1st serve and..
- 0/1 off 2nd serve
--
- 1/2 return-approaching
McEnroe was...
- 66/92 (72%) at net, including...
- 57/78 (73%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 34/48 (71%) off 1st serve and..
- 23/30 (77%) off 2nd serve
--
- 6/10 (60%) return-approaching
- 1/2 forced back
Match Report
First class match with high level, serve dominated play from both players on a fast-ish hard court and sometimes windy conditions. The result is a flip-of-a-coin deal. McEnroe wins 2 more points (while serving 6 points less), has break points in one more game and had 4 match points in the tiebreak (2 of them on his serve)
Some background. After a strong season in 1985, McEnroe chose to take some time off. This tournament was his first official one of the year. He had been impressive in reaching the stage, losing serve just once in 4 matches. 1 of those wins was against a 16 year old, playing in his 3rd professional tournament Andre Agassi. This match with Becker, who had established himself as a brilliant young star, seems to have been highly anticipated.
And it delivers. If McEnroe had any rust on him, he's worked it off in the earlier rounds. He plays like he never left. McEnroe serve-volleys virtually all the time (stays back on 6 second serves). Becker plays almost entirely from the back (serve-volleys a total 12 times). Its a quick court and as such, the serve and return become the key shots
Serve, Return & Play
Becker serves splendidly. First serves are banged down hard as can and always aimed at lines. When he misses, its by inches. Mac does well to keep him to just 8 aces. Second serves are banged down almost as hard but placed within the box... they're more powerful than many players' first serves. 6 double faults is a better than reasonable price to pay for hitting such initiative grabbing second serves
Mac is typically looking to chip-charge return second serves at the start. He soon learns that these aren't the type of balls one can chip-charge with impunity - and becomes very picky about when to try. Mac is excellent on the return-approaches, just the 1 error in 11 attempts and the ones he makes are well placed to the point of being forceful even without an approach. I'd say Mac returned as well as he was allowed to
Mac serves excellently too as 12 aces testify to. But Becker's return isn't the best. While some Mac second serves are powerful and/or well placed (he has 2 second serve aces) and its clear Becker can't read the serves (several times he guesses and is moving one way while the ball comes down the other) and Mac almost always following the serve to net.... there are enough not overly powerful serves within Becker's reach that the German could have done damage with the return. He doesn't much... instead making plenty of errors (usually going long) while taking big cuts at such serves
But Becker is Becker, even at 18 years of age. First set, he's stumped by Mac serving at 75%. For most of the second set, he's missing returns despite Mac's percentage falling... he looks like he's not even trying at times. Out of the blue, with Mac serving to push the set into a tiebreak, Becker comes alive. 2 return pass winners, another pass winner and a very forced volleying error give him the break and the set
Both players have their eyes open. Mac stays back on just 1 second serve in the first set, and Becker immediately return-approaches to take the point. Mac notices Becker's getting a read on his serve, and starts staying back a bit more in the third set
Becker had recently won his second Wimbledon title and would go onto lose the final to Ivan Lendl. McEnroe, the defending champion, was playing his first tournament of the season after a self-imposed break from the tour
Becker won 102 points, McEnroe 104
McEnroe serve-volleyed off all first serves and all but 6 second serves
Serve Stats
Becker...
- 1st serve percentage (54/106) 51%
- 1st serve points won (48/54) 89%
- 2nd serve points won (27/52) 52%
- Aces 8, Service Winners 3
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (40/106) 38%
McEnroe...
- 1st serve percentage (58/100) 58%
- 1st serve points won (44/58) 76%
- 2nd serve points won (29/42) 69%
- Aces 12 (2 second serves) - 1 not clean
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (48/100) 48%
Serve Patterns
Becker served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 69%
- to Body 1%
McEnroe served...
- to FH 34%
- to BH 57%
- to Body 8%
Return Stats
Becker made...
- 47 (18 FH, 29 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 2 return-approaches
- 3 Winners (3 BH)
- 36 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (2 FH, 1 BH)
- 33 Forced (7 FH, 26 BH)
- Return Rate (47/96) 49%
McEnroe made...
- 60 (16 FH, 44 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 10 return-approaches
- 2 Winners (2 FH)
- 29 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 27 Forced (9 FH, 18 BH), including 1 return-approach attempt
- Return Rate (60/100) 60%
Break Points
Becker 1/2 (2 games)
McEnroe 1/4 (3 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Becker 26 (8 FH, 7 BH, 5 FHV, 5 BHV, 1 OH)
McEnroe 15 (5 FH, 1 BH, 7 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Becker's FHs - 3 cc (2 passes), 2 dtl (1 pass) and 2 inside-out
- BHs (all passes) - 1 cc return, 4 dtl and 2 inside-in returns
- 3 first 'volleys' from serve-volley points (1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 FH at net)
McEnroe had 10 from serve-volley points
- 6 first 'volleys' (4 FHV, 2 FH at net), 1 of the FH at nets was played net-to-net and a pass, with Becker return-approaching on the same point
- 4 second volleys (2 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH), 1 of the FHVs was a net chord dribbler
- FHs - 1 turnaround cc pass after having been forced back from net and 2 dtl returns
- BHs - 1 cc
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Becker 35
- 10 Unforced (5 FH, 4 BH, 1 OH)
- 25 Forced (5 FH, 18 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53
McEnroe 32
- 16 Unforced (4 FH, 6 BH, 2 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)
- 16 Forced (5 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 5 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 56.3
(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 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...
- 22/28 (79%) at net, including...
- 10/12 (83%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 10/11 (91%) off 1st serve and..
- 0/1 off 2nd serve
--
- 1/2 return-approaching
McEnroe was...
- 66/92 (72%) at net, including...
- 57/78 (73%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 34/48 (71%) off 1st serve and..
- 23/30 (77%) off 2nd serve
--
- 6/10 (60%) return-approaching
- 1/2 forced back
Match Report
First class match with high level, serve dominated play from both players on a fast-ish hard court and sometimes windy conditions. The result is a flip-of-a-coin deal. McEnroe wins 2 more points (while serving 6 points less), has break points in one more game and had 4 match points in the tiebreak (2 of them on his serve)
Some background. After a strong season in 1985, McEnroe chose to take some time off. This tournament was his first official one of the year. He had been impressive in reaching the stage, losing serve just once in 4 matches. 1 of those wins was against a 16 year old, playing in his 3rd professional tournament Andre Agassi. This match with Becker, who had established himself as a brilliant young star, seems to have been highly anticipated.
And it delivers. If McEnroe had any rust on him, he's worked it off in the earlier rounds. He plays like he never left. McEnroe serve-volleys virtually all the time (stays back on 6 second serves). Becker plays almost entirely from the back (serve-volleys a total 12 times). Its a quick court and as such, the serve and return become the key shots
Serve, Return & Play
Becker serves splendidly. First serves are banged down hard as can and always aimed at lines. When he misses, its by inches. Mac does well to keep him to just 8 aces. Second serves are banged down almost as hard but placed within the box... they're more powerful than many players' first serves. 6 double faults is a better than reasonable price to pay for hitting such initiative grabbing second serves
Mac is typically looking to chip-charge return second serves at the start. He soon learns that these aren't the type of balls one can chip-charge with impunity - and becomes very picky about when to try. Mac is excellent on the return-approaches, just the 1 error in 11 attempts and the ones he makes are well placed to the point of being forceful even without an approach. I'd say Mac returned as well as he was allowed to
Mac serves excellently too as 12 aces testify to. But Becker's return isn't the best. While some Mac second serves are powerful and/or well placed (he has 2 second serve aces) and its clear Becker can't read the serves (several times he guesses and is moving one way while the ball comes down the other) and Mac almost always following the serve to net.... there are enough not overly powerful serves within Becker's reach that the German could have done damage with the return. He doesn't much... instead making plenty of errors (usually going long) while taking big cuts at such serves
But Becker is Becker, even at 18 years of age. First set, he's stumped by Mac serving at 75%. For most of the second set, he's missing returns despite Mac's percentage falling... he looks like he's not even trying at times. Out of the blue, with Mac serving to push the set into a tiebreak, Becker comes alive. 2 return pass winners, another pass winner and a very forced volleying error give him the break and the set
Both players have their eyes open. Mac stays back on just 1 second serve in the first set, and Becker immediately return-approaches to take the point. Mac notices Becker's getting a read on his serve, and starts staying back a bit more in the third set
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