Match Stats/Report - Courier vs Forget, Indian Wells final, 1991

[Waspsting]

Jim Courier beat Guy Forget 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) in the Indian Wells final, 1991 on hard court

It was 16th seeded Courier’s first Masters title and he would go onto win Miami right after to complete the Sunshine Double. Not long after, he’d win his first Slam at the French Open. 3rd seeded Forget would win Cincinnati and Paris later in the year

Courier won 142 points, Forget 133

Forget serve-volleyed about half the time off first serves, Courier about a third

Serve Stats
Courier...
- 1st serve percentage (81/139) 58%
- 1st serve points won (63/81) 78%
- 2nd serve points won (35/58) 60%
- Aces 12, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (41/139) 29%

Forget...
- 1st serve percentage (67/136) 49%
- 1st serve points won (53/67) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (39/69) 52%
- Aces 8 (1 second serve), Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (43/136) 32%

Serve Patterns
Courier served...
- to FH 45%
- to BH 52%
- to Body 3%

Forget served...
- to FH 36%
- to BH 59%
- to Body 5%

Return Stats
Courier made...
- 90 (35 FH, 55 BH), including 9 runaround FHs & 5 return-approaches
- 3 Winners (2 FH, 1 BH), including 1 runaround
- 33 Errors, comprising...
- 15 Unforced (10 FH, 5 BH), including 3 runaround FHs
- 18 Forced (11 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (90/133) 68%

Forget made...
- 95 (49 FH, 46 BH), including 1 runaround FH, 7 return-approaches & 1 drop-return
- 3 Winners (3 BH)
- 28 Errors, comprising...
- 12 Unforced (2 FH, 10 BH), including 1 return-approach & 1 drop-return attempt
- 16 Forced (6 FH, 10 BH)
- Return Rate (95/136) 70%

Break Points
Courier 5/8 (5 games)
Forget 4/6 (5 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Courier 37 (11 FH, 4 BH, 8 FHV, 7 BHV, 1 BH1/2V, 6 OH)
Forget 37 (11 FH, 7 BH, 5 FHV, 1 BHV, 13 OH)

Courier's regular FHs - 4 cc (1 runaround return, 2 at net), 2 dtl (1 return), 2 inside-out, 1 inside-in, 1 drop shot
- FH pass - 1 lob
- BHs (all passes) - 1 cc return, 1 dtl, 1 longline, 1 lob

- 7 from serve-volley points -
- 6 first volleys (3 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)... 1 FHV can reasonbly be called an OH
- 1 second volley (1 BHV)

- 2 from return-approach points (1 FHV, 1 OH)

Forget had 13 from serve-volley points -
- 9 first 'volleys' (4 FHV, 3 OH, 1 FH at net, 1 BH at net)... the FH at net was a drop shot
- 4 second volleys (1 BHV, 3 OH)

- 1 other OH was on the bounce from the baseline

- regular FHs - 1 cc/inside-in, 2 dtl, 1 inside-out, 1 longline, 1 net chord dribbler
- regular BHs - 1 cc, 2 dtl (1 return), 1 inside-in return
- FH passes - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out, 1 lob
- BH passes - 1 cc return, 1 dtl

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Courier 50
- 30 Unforced (13 FH, 10 BH, 5 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)... with 1 non-net swinging FHV
- 20 Forced (9 FH, 6 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)... with 1 baseline BHV pass attempt
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.7

Forget 61
- 36 Unforced (17 FH, 16 BH, 3 FHV)... with 1 FH pass attempt
- 25 Forced (10 FH, 10 BH, 3 FHV, 2 BHV)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.1

(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
Courier was...
- 46/62 (74%) at net, including...
- 17/24 (71%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 16/21 (76%) off 1st serve and....
- 1/3 (33%) off 2nd serve
---
- 3/5 (60%) return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back

Forget was...
- 42/59 (71%) at net, including...
- 25/32 (78%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 3/8 (38%) return-approaching
- 1/4 (25%) forced back/retreated

Match Report
Good, tough match of big serving, big hitting and net play. Courier has slightly better of things because of higher first serve percentage and being stronger (harder hitter, more consistent) off the ground, while Forget’s initial creativity wanes as match goes on. The court is particularly slow

With things going to final set tiebreak, there’s not much in the result. And there’s a bad call that goes against Forget early in it to push him further behind. Prior to the ‘breaker, 5th set had been cruise control holds for both players. In fact, that’s the pattern of the match.

50 regular games. Just 4 deuce games (3 on Courier’s serve), a 12 pointer, a 10 and two 8s. Odd for such a slow court. In final set, all 12 regular games are holds to 15 (8 times) or love (4 times)

Both players have powerful serves, but even the wide ones are fairly comfortably returned. Courier in particular hammers the ball off the ground, without unduly bothering Forget

Courier serves big, hits hard and looks to finish at net, with a healthy amount of serve-volleying involved. Looks to take second returns from inside the court and/or with runaround FHs as part of the hard hitting part of that

Forget has even bigger serve, but lower-in count. Does some aggressive stuff with his second serve (throwing in bigger ones, catching Courier out with hefty ones to FH as Courier’s predictably trying to move around to expected serve to his BH) and more artful stuff with the second return (choice going for perfectly placed winners, rather than just brute force hitting like Courier). Serve-volleys more than Courier, which is his primary way of finding net, with an unpredictable, good mix of when and how often he serve-volleys and stays back

Off the ground, he’s not as powerful of shot of Courier. A little oddly, its when Courier’s hitting his hardest that Forget holds even of errors from the back. After a short slicing phase from Courier, the winner settles into a less fierce power display (though still in the hard-hitting calibre) and its then that the error gap widens, with Forget falling behind

Early on Courier hammering every groundstroke and Forget picking and choosing his moments to go for dtl or sharply angled cc or inside-out return winners
As match goes on, Courier dialing down the power hitting and Forget settling into the orthodox

It all comes out near even. Forget never behind and up twice as far as sets go, but Courier winning the only 1 that has a 2 break cushion. Final set thoroughly server dominated - Courier loses 3 points for 6 holds, Forget 5 - going into the ‘breaker

Result is what it turns out to be - not an indicator of winners superiority or losers inferiority. Courier does have slight edge for reasons stated, and his winning is most appropriate. If it had gone the other way, one would say Forget won while Courier was slightly better overall

1st serve in - Courier 58%, Forget 49%
1st serve won - Courier 78%, Forget 79%
2nd serve won - Courier 60%, Forget 52%

Basic stats confirming Courier having better of things. Virtually equal 1st serve points won, but Courier serving much more of them. And Courier doing sizably better off second serve points. Looking at that, Forget’s done well to keep match close, rather than it being a coin flip result

It is a coin flip result though in the sense that things are close enough that odd games here and there decide sets, as the low points per game figures indicate. In that light, overall stats can be deceptive and person trailing in them might well win. Less likely to than the one leading them, of course

However you slice it, advantage Courier as well as the result

Serve & Return
Big and effective serving from both

If Forget has slightly bigger serve, Courier’s is in the same category for pace and turns out to be more effective

Aces/Service Winners of first serves - Courier 16%, Forget 13% (Forget also has a second serve ace)
Unreturned rates - Courier 29%, Forget 32%
… the latter, in light of Forget serve-volleying 55% off first serves to Courier’s 31% is a win for Courier as far as effectiveness of serve shot alone goes

1st serve-volleying success - Courier 76%, Forget 78%
… likewise, virtual equality in this area is a win for Courier

Those figures alone would suggest Courier having the better first serve (disregarding in-count), which isn’t accurate. So for Courier to lead ace rate and hold near even on freebies and 1st serve-volleying success, he must have returned better

Taking in-count into consideration (Courier 58%, Forget 49%), Courier is the better server

Return comes into all of it too. Courier looks to take 2nd returns early and box them along lines of his beat-down groundplay. He gets such returns off powerfully, but usually without stressing Forget too much to handle the third ball. Brute force, not placement, is Courier’s weapon and the court is very slow

A strong and cleverly used 2nd serve by Forget to thwart such ambitions too. As Courier moves around to hit FHs, he sends them down in the opposite direction, catching him out. And it’s a big second serve too. No double fault troubles - just 3, same as Courier

Not a bad second serve for Courier either, though again, behind Forget’s for pace. Early on, Forget picks his moments to step in and go for the winner dtl or at a sharp angle and pulls off a couple of beauties. Also chip-charges a some (8 times) and even tries drop return couple times (misses 1, loses the point the other time when Courier runs the ball down in good time)

As match wears on, Forget’s eases off the fancy stuff and sticks to just putting the return back in play. Courier if anything, ups the ante of heavy returning

 

[Waspsting]

Return errors -
UEs - Courier 15, Forget 12
FEs - Courier 18, Forget 16

All pretty close. With Forget having stronger serve, serve-volleying more but Courier with considerably higher in count. I’d say Forget is more apt to miss the regulation or ‘regulation +’ (slightly harder than pure regulation) return and he’s the one who occasionally eases up on effort in return games. The former speaks to Courier more steady returner, the latter a point under-cutting that assessment

Gist - quite a bit going on. Forget slightly stronger serve, but Courier considerably better in-count, Forget’s extra serve-volleying enhancing effectiveness of his serve, different kinds of attacking returning and at different frequencies across match, Courier a little steadier on the return, Forget a little less committed to returning with full effort… what it boils down to is near enough to equal on serve-return complex

Then they rally

Play - Baseline
Courier is hard hitter from the back. Especially off the FH, but BH is hard hit shot too. Potential beat-down power hitting - but it doesn’t end up overly troubling Forget, who’s able to counter-punch effectively

FH cc is Courier’s go-to shot, not inside-out as became his custom. Good idea as inside-out goes into Forget’s FH, and Forget demonstrates willingness to take it on dtl for the winner. Forget slices good deal to counter the big FH cc’s

Courier isn’t looking to beat errors out of Forget, he’s looking to push him back and then come to net to finish. Forget for his part is willing to take on the odd point ending shot from routine positions or near routine ones. Like his return, he’s picky about it, not wild

UEs end most points and Courier has better of things there off both sides -
- FH UEs - Courier 13, Forget 17
- BH UEs - Courier 10, Forget 16
- Neutral UEs - Courier 10 (+ 1 defensive), Forget 22

… and ground-to-ground winners (i.e. excluding returns and passes)
- FHs - both 6 (1 of Forget’s is a net chord dribbler)
- BHs - Courier 0, Forget 2

Curiously, Forget’s blink rate goes up after Courier eases up on the power hitting. Against the beat-down stuff, he holds up fine from reactive role. Courier has a brief phase of slicing around second set, after which he returns to striking but with toned down force. Rallies are more 50-50 of force of shot (as opposed to Courier leading, Forget reacting) and that’s when the error gap grows in Courier’s favour

The few times Courier gets an extra heavily spun FH cc high up to Forget’s BH, the latter struggles and hits back feebly. Worth pursuing, but the incidents are almost certainly accidental and if Courier spots the potential weakness, he doesn’t act on it

Play is good. Errors aren’t easy in coming. As neutral UEs show, Forget more prone to miss the routine shot, but he’s well short of sloppy on that front. Rallies aren’t short either. Credit Courier for high consistency (particularly since he’s quite hard hitting), not discredit Forget for looseness. Very good showing from Courier

Attacking baseline play is just like the returning. Courier bludgeoning away, especially with FH, Forget occasionally coming up with a wide angled, court opening shot to liven things up. Also similar in that Forget tones things down as match goes on

Though UEs are at center of baseline rallies, this ain’t no who-blinks-first contest. Main point of the rallies, particularly for Courier, is to get to net

Play - Net
Rallying to net -
Courier 26/33 at 79%
Forget 14/19 at 74%

Top class figures for both players. A bit too good for the passer not doing well enough to not have a hand in it

Courier comes in behind pounding powerful groundies. Forget less strong, but also strong - so advantage to net player to start the volley-pass contest

Both players are inelegant at net. Courier has all the look of an unnatural volleyer and Forget, if anything, is even stiffer of hands. But Courier gets balls above the net that he swats away. Forget by contrast gets to face a lot of lobs. He’s not great looking on the volley, but virtually perfect on the smash - back-tracking or otherwise, gets into perfect position and puts ball away with no chance of it coming back

12 net OH winners for Forget, to only 6 volleys. Indicator of a lot of things - strenght of his approaches, his not putting away first volley with finality and Courier perhaps erring in testing him on the smash. While Forget doesn’t look great at net, he’s got just 3 UEs on the volley, so job well done in all

Great as both players figures are, not great passing has a hand in it. While Courier’s approaches are strong, just as a percentage, would expect Forget to get a few more strong passes off. Rarely does he, and Courier not faced with many difficult volleys. He’s not too good at them when he is

Courier’s able to get a testing pass off more often, and Forget’s better at handling them

Net volley errors
- UEs - Courier 6, Forget 3
- FEs - Courier 4, Forget 5

Those figures encompass all net points, not just rallying to net. There’s lots of serve-volleying

 

[Waspsting]

Off first serves -
serve-volley frequency - Courier 31%, Forget 55%
Points won serve-volleying - Courier 76%, Forget 78%
Points won not serve-volleying - Courier 60%, Forget 73%

Looks like Courier’s far better off being at net than not. He might need a hefty approach shot (he’s just 1/3 second serve-volleying also) to get there, but Forget can rarely get a good pass off, even though he’s no feeble hitter or slow mover from the back. With advantage off the ground, not super important for Courier to be at net, but that he is where he’s doing best and he’s doing very, very well up there. For number of reasons, strong approaches, decisive finishing, Forget’s passing not up to muster

And Forget? Big serve doing its thing regardless of coming in or not. Doesn’t have as much scope to come in as he’s outhit from back, but makes most of it when he does. Courier maybe overdoing the lobs - he’s got 2 winners on the shot, Forget has 12 winner on the smash at net (+1 on bounce from baseline) and never looks remotely likely to miss

Overall net figures - Courier 46/62 at 74%, Forget 42/59 at 71%

Gist - Courier better from the baseline, Courier more successful at net, Courier at net more often. With serve-return matters near equal, Forget’s done well to keep the match so close

Match Progression
In first set, Forget serve-volleys most of the time off first serves, just occasionally staying back. He’s aggressive from the back with an eye to coming forward to net. He serves big. Courier’s serve isn’t far behind of power. He hammers the ball from the back, especially with FH and also looks to come to net to finish. And also serve-volleys a bit

2 trade early breaks. Ground UEs and a FHV UE apiece behind both breaks, both of them to 15. Forget has a powerful FH inside-out pass winner in his break, Courier a BHV one coming in behind a big FH on his

Forget breaks to love for 4-3. just 1 first serve in the game, which has 4 FH errors (2 UEs, 2 FEs), the last of them drawn by a wide return. Its good enough for Forget to take the set

In set 2, Courier switches to slicing BHs early on and Forget’s first serve percentage drops to 9/21. Some cute, attacking returns from Forget - wide angles and chip-charges. Courier misses good lot of second returns in a not good display

After Courier drops the slicing, he takes something off his groundstrokes. Still hard hit, but less so than earlier in match. Funnily, its then that the errors come more regularly from Forget

Bad game from Forget to get broken, with 2 straight regulation third ball errors (1 FH, 1 BH) main reason for it. But he does take Courier to 10 and 12 points in back to back return games (just 1 break point, on which Courier neatly BH1/2Vs a winner). There are only 2 other games that go to deuce in the entire match

Forget cuts back on serve-volleying in set 3, still mixing them in randomly. Comfy holds throughout - no break points, just 1 deuce game to the end, which is a bit of steal. Serving at 4-5, Courier’s on 40-15 but gets broken. BH cc return pass winner starts the comeback, and Forget hits a perfect BH cc winner from routine position to follow it up. 2 blinks from Courier wraps up the set

4th set is the only bad one from either player in the match and its by Forget. In-count which had risen to 16/29 shoot back down to 11/27 and his ground consistency is close to poor

He breaks first though to go up 2-0, but is broken back at once in strong game by Courier who wins all 4 points aggressively, including 2 return-approaches. From 3-3, Forget doesn’t win another game and is broken twice. Courier’s strong plays do their bit, but Forget’s close to puny off the ground for this period

With momentum with Courier, the decider begins. Though neither player appears tired, its thoroughly server dominated. Courier drops 3 points for 6 holds, Forget 5, with no game going to even 30
Weirdly, Forget just leaves a return that goes through for a winner. Balls nowhere close to line - just a couple of steps and he can reach it

Tiebreak. Courier’s BH inside-in return looks out on third point, but goes uncalled, and he goes on to grab the mini-break. He’s aggressive and comes to net 5 times in the 11 points, with Forget serve-volleying on 2 others leaving him no room to do so

Net point gets Courier to 5-2 with 2 serves to come. Forget snatches a mini back by overpowering, coming in and smacking away a smash down 2-6 match point, and Courier makes a mess of a smash of his own to make things 6-4. Serve-volleying Forget misses a lunging second FHV to wrap up

Summing up, a very good match with both players serving powerfully, hitting hard and looking for net and Courier is that little bit better at most things

His serve is almost as powerful as his opponent and he lands the big firsts more regularly. He’s more powerful off the ground and more consistent. He’s able to hit his way forward to set up comfortable net points and is very decisive in his volleying

Good show from Forget as well. He’s more creative in his attacking play from the back and on the return at times, but that subsides as match goes on as he settles into orthodoxy. Some problems with his first serve percentage and occasionally, falters with the errors from the back against the stronger hitting Courier, but he’s always up a set and never behind in the score until the very end

On a further note, an amazing collection of Masters finals in this year. Monte Carlo, Cincinnati, Stockholm and Paris are all first rate matches and this Indian Wells one ain’t too shabby either

 

[GuyForget]

two wonderful players to watch, Forget's serve is a thing of beauty, hit 7 straight aces against Goran in the W94 QF