Match Stats/Report - Canas vs Roddick, Canada final, 2002

[Waspsting]

Guillermo Canas beat Andy Roddick 6-4, 7-5 in the Canada final, 2002 on hard court in Toronto

It was the first Masters final for both players and would be Canas’ only Masters title. He was unseeded and beat among others Roger Federer, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin en route to the final. Roddick would go onto win the title the following year

Canas won 61 points, Roddick 50

Serve Stats
Canas...
- 1st serve percentage (36/56) 64%
- 1st serve points won (29/36) 81%
- 2nd serve points won (13/20) 65%
- Aces 9
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (19/56) 34%

Roddick...
- 1st serve percentage (37/55) 67%
- 1st serve points won (26/37) 70%
- 2nd serve points won (10/18) 56%
- Aces 9 (1 second serve)
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (24/55) 45%

Serve Pattern
Canas served...
- to FH 42%
- to BH 53%
- to Body 5%

Roddick served...
- to FH 56%
- to BH 44%

Return Stats
Canas made...
- 26 (14 FH, 12 BH)
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 15 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (4 FH, 1 BH)
- 10 Forced (5 FH, 5 BH)
- Return Rate (26/50) 52%

Roddick made...
- 36 (15 FH, 21 BH), including 1 return-approach
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 6 Unforced (2 FH, 4 BH)
- 4 Forced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (36/55) 65%

Break Points
Canas 3/4 (3 games)
Roddick 1/1

Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Canas 11 (7 FH, 1 BH, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
Roddick 11 (6 FH, 1 BH, 3 FHV, 1 OH)

Canas' FHs -5 (1 return pass, 1 at net), 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out
- BH pass - 1 dtl (not clean)

Roddick's FHs - 1 cc, 1 cc/inside-in, 1 dtl pass, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out
- BH pass - 1 dtl

- 2 from serve-volley points - a first volley FHV & a second volley OH

- 1 other FHV was a swinging inside-out

Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Canas 14
- 6 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV)
- 8 Forced (3 FH, 5 BH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 51.7

Roddick 26
- 18 Unforced (8 FH, 9 BH, 1 BHV)
- 8 Forced (5 FH, 2 BH, 1 BH1/2V)... with 1 FH at net (a pass attempt)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7

(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)

(Note 2: The 'Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is a measure of how aggressive of intent the average UE made was. 60 is maximum, 20 is minimum. This match has been scored using a four point scale - 2 defensive, 4 neutral, 5 attacking, 6 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Canas was 8/12 (67%) at net

Roddick was...
- 10/15 (67%) at net, including...
- 3/6 (50%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 2/5 (40%) off 1st serve and...
- 1/1 off 2nd serve
---
- 1/1 return-approaching
- 1/1 forced back

Match Report
Server dominated match and Canas is supremely solid, well-rounded and smart in a high end showing to outdo the a big serving, FH ripping Roddick. Court is quickish and bouncy

6 UEs from Canas (and 1 of those is bad call that should be a winner), with just 4 off the ground. Rod has 18 (17 groundies, 1 volley) and is solid too, while being more powerful and punishing off the FH. But Canas missing virtually nothing (against testing opposition) makes it so that Rod sooner or later has to for a point to end

Canas out-steadying Rod alone - impressive in the degree to which he does it as it is - probably wouldn’t be enough to gain the win. But he maximizes what he does in all other areas

Despite Rod being more aggressive, winners and errors forced end dead equal, both players having 11 and 8 respectively. He even matches Rod on the aces front(!) - despite hit hefty offering being so much smaller than opponents heavyweight first shot. All achieved with excellent choices in picky raised aggression, amidst staple controlled, steady game. Its not a flashy, or even aggressive showing and probably better for it

Subtlety has never been Roddicks’s strong suit. He plays well in his fat serving, big ripping FHs, with fair bit of net play (including serve-volleying) thrown in way. Not as well as the efficiently, balanced Canas though

Serve & Return
Big fat serving off both serves from Rod usually leaving Canas helpless
Healthy, hefty first serve from Canas that he ups to just so wide to be truly damaging when he chooses. A decent second (not easy to attack, but not a weapon). Rod’s not quick in reacting for returns too

First serve in - Canas 64%, Rod 67%
First serve ace rate - Canas 25%, Rod 22%
First serve points won - Canas 81%, Rod 70%

Would think the in-count is a big win for Rod as he has substantially bigger serve
The other 2 stats (deceptively) suggesting Canas has better first serve, but do point to how well Canas uses his 2-categories beneath opponent’s serve

Reacting a little slowly on the return is normal for Roddick and he tends to get aced a lot, despite not taking returns early. And not necessarily against high end servers either. It has a hand in Canas leading first serve aces 9-8 and sending them down at greater rate. On flip side, Roddick’s aces would be sure aces against virtually anyone

First serve points when return is made play out in normal way - the server on front foot with lead/attack position his for the taking, the returner

First serve points won for both players speaks to Canas following up superbly - whether on back foot or front. 70% winning rate behind Rod’s serve isn’t a particularly good figure (he also has 45% unreturned), but more on that later

Unreturned serves - Canas 34%, Rod 45%
Better indicator of Rod having bigger serve. Still more clearly demonstrated by…
- return errors - Canas 5 UEs, 10 FEs, Rod 6 UEs, 4 FEs

 

[Waspsting]

Big second serving from Rod too. He’s not far off from a ‘2 first serves display’. Canas with a normal second serve, not easy to attack but not a weapon either

Double faults - Canas 1, Rod 5
Second serve double fault rate - Canas 5%, Rod 28%

Second serve points won - Canas 65%, Rod 56%
Sans double faults - Canas 68%, Rod 77%

Throw in a second serve ace, and Rod using second serve as a weapon (and paying substantial double faulting price for it) comes through. Canas’ success behind second serve again is more about how well he plays than the quality of the serve itself

Gist - 2 big serves from Roddick leave Canas struggling to return. Much of what he makes isn’t strong and he has to play very well to win points as a returner
A good serve, smartly used by Canas. Rod not the quickest or surest in returning it. Then they rally

Play - Baseline & Net
Action is mostly baseline with both players approaching some

Roddick’s FH stands out as most powerful and consistently hostile. Its always at least pressuring and he’s quick to up it from there to bludgeoningly overpowering, especially with inside-out. Canas with a steady FH game; he also likes to play FH inside-outs but that cc rally is close to neutral, with his shot about as powerful as Roddick stock BH cc (as opposed to very much Roddick attacking, Canas defending when situation is reversed)
Normal, steady BH play from both players, keeping ball in play firmly but not aggressively. With both having to cope with others FH inside-out

Winners - both 11
Errors forced - both 8
UEs - Canas 6, Rod 18

Canas gives nothing away in sound rallies, and so Rod has to blink for point to end. Credit Canas’ consistency, Rod doesn’t give up errors quickly but he’s up against a wall. Canas has just 1 neutral UE. Rod has 12

Ground UEs by shot -
- Canas - FH 1, BH 3
- Rod FH 8, BH 9

If its normal for Canas to lead here, its surprising he’s matched Rod on aggressive side of things. FH is both players’ weapon (Rod regularly, Canas selectively), BH neither (both players have just 1 winner and both are passes)

Whenever Canas moves to attacking, he doesn’t falter. He’s judged when to attack and executed superbly

Roddick starts most of his service points in advantageous position. His attacking point construction is blunt as rest of his game, centered on hammering FHs. Canas counter-punches and stays tough against it; ergo ekeing out sizable lot of return points. He wins 12/26 points when making the return. A handy rate to be winning from mostly reactive or defensive positions against opponent looking to bludgeon home advantage

Winner attempt UEs - Canas 2, Rod 3
1 of Canas’ is a bad call and actually landed in for winner, so he’s just shy of perfect, while being picky about when to go for finisher, but Rod little either

Attacking UEs - Canas 3, Rod 6
A little less good from Rod here. Also gets to his blunt, overpower way of attacking (as opposed to hitting wide). Canas again very good

Finally, rallying to net
Canas wins 8/12, Rod 6/8

Would probably be good move for Rod to ally power-hitting attack to coming to net to finish more, but he hasn’t done badly from just the baseline either. Canas again judging when to come in superbly and he looks closer to a natural on the volley than anything else. Rod looks a little clumsy, but has just 1 UE

Its ultimately serve-volleying that gets him decisively broken and he wins 2/5 doing so off first serves. He’s getting so many freebies that odd serve-volley here and there doesn’t seem to matter; he has no reason particular reason to turn to it and fast as his serve is, any return that comes back is liable to catch him in not proper position, which ends up happening. Its not a big part of match, but with both servers dominating, small parts can (and do) end up deciding it

Match Progression
Server dominated first set. Other than the sole break (which comes at 4-4 and is an 8 point game), only 1 game goes to 30 (and the server Canas is 40-15 up in that one)

Roddick looks to overpower even in return games, but Canas is upto holding him off
Serve takes care of most of Rod’s work to hold

Its an unwise game from Rod that gets him broken and he has 3 attacking ground UEs in it. The first third ball BH line he misses in particular isn’t a good shot choice. He misses a dtl FH next point and later on, goes for an attackingly wide third ball BH cc against a pretty deep return
Saves first break point with a second serve ace, but double faults right after to raise another
Canas returns first serve to baseline to take control and finishes nicely by coming to net to snag the break

Canas serves out to love with 3 winning FHs (error forcing FH inside-in after a series of commanding shots and 3 ball cc winners - 1 at net, the other brutal) and an unreturned serve

Minor niggling matter is Rod mildly complaining about Canas taking too long between points as Rod serves. Chair explains to him more than once that Canas is playing at a “reasonable pace”, which is accurate. Rod is particularly quick between points and there doesn’t seem to be any pointed intent of throwing him off in Canas taking a little longer to be ready to receive occasionally

A worse game from Rod still lose opening game of second set, with a third ball FH miss, 2 double faults and an approach error. But he hits back at once in a 1/6 first serves in game, winning an open court rally, outplaying Canas to flagrantly force a passing error and Canas helps out with thrid ball BH approach UE and on break point, double faults

Rod starts serve-volleying next game. No reason to, but no reason not to either and he holds to love with 3 serve-volleys

Set continues comfily on serve and end comes a little out of blue and surprisingly; Rod broken to love for 5-6, despite making all first serves
Firm return catches him out serve-volleying and he can’t handle a tough BH1/2V to start the game. Superb BH dtl pass winner by Canas point after. To finish, Rod misses an easy BHV serve-volleying

Canas serves out to love, starting with 3 aces. That’s 6 aces from him in last 3 holds, and he finishes off with a net point

Summing up, excellent from showing Canas. Rock solid base and from there, virtually perfect judgement in when to up the ante and execution to match. He’s faced with a barrage of power to defend and counter-punch against too and handles himself ably there too

Roddick serving big and hammering FHs to good effect. He’s not loose from the back, but Canas being a thorough wall leads to him eventually giving up errors. Good showing from him too

 

[Galvermegs]

Canas was excellent here. He also had a good run at rg, and had his chances in the qf against costa (eventual champion). It is hard to know what to make of canas... was it political with the doping scandal (like coria makes out)? Was he really anything more than a forehand and a speedy pair of feet? I definitely know henman hated playing him.. but roddick and federer eventually had rather less trouble.