Match Stats/Report - Courier vs Korda, French Open final, 1992

[Waspsting]

Jim Courier beat Petr Korda 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 in the French Open final, 1992 on clay

Courier was the defending champion and would lose in the final the following year. This was Korda’s first Slam final

Courier won 101 points, Korda 71

Serve Stats
Courier...
- 1st serve percentage (56/81) 69%
- 1st serve points won (42/56) 75%
- 2nd serve points won (12/25) 48%
- Aces 7, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (23/81) 29%

Korda...
- 1st serve percentage (54/91) 59%
- 1st serve points won (29/54) 54%
- 2nd serve points won (15/37) 41%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 9
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (17/91) 19%

Serve Patterns
Courier served...
- to FH 24%
- to BH 72%
- to Body 4%

Korda served...
- to FH 20%
- to BH 76%
- to Body 5%

Return Stats
Courier made...
- 65 (20 FH, 45 BH), including 8 runaround FHs
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 7 Unforced (3 FH, 4 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 5 Forced (2 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (65/82) 79%

Korda made...
- 55 (13 FH, 42 BH), including 1 return-approach
- 15 Errors, comprising...
- 9 Unforced (2 FH, 7 BH)
- 6 Forced (3 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (55/78) 71%

Break Points
Courier 7/15 (9 games)
Korda 2/6 (3 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Courier 13 (6 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)
Korda 27 (11 FH, 6 BH, 2 FHV, 4 BHV, 4 OH)

Courier's FHs - 1 cc pass, 3 inside-out, 1 running-down-drop-shot cc pass at net, 1 lob
- BHs (all passes) - 1 cc, 1 dtl at net, 1 sliced lob

- 1 from a serve-volley point, a first volley FHV

Korda's FHs - 2 cc, 3 dtl (1 pass), 2 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out, 3 drop shots (1 at net)
- BHs - 3 cc (2 passes), 2 dtl passes, 1 drop shot

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

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Courier 24
- 13 Unforced (9 FH, 4 BH)
- 11 Forced (7 FH, 3 BH, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.7

Korda 56
- 40 Unforced (24 FH, 12 BH, 1 FHV, 3 BHV)
- 16 Forced (8 FH, 4 BH, 1 FHV, 3 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.8

(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 are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Courier was...
- 15/24 (63%) at net, including...
- 3/3 (100%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves

Korda was...
- 20/38 (53%) at net, including...
- 6/9 (67%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 3/6 (50%) off 1st serve and...
- 3/3 (100%) off 2nd serve
---
- 1/1 return-approaching
- 0/3 forced back/retreated

Match Report
CClose to a mismatch. Courier is solidly strong in all ways, close to uniformly. At his best, Korda is up & down with aggressive shot choices, make some, miss some way. More often, Korda is outmatched. He doesn’t do anything particularly well. Court is on quick side for clay

Match long, Korda's 40 UEs stands out. Courier has 24 total errors (13 UEs, 11 FEs)
Interesting part of that is biggest pile of them are FHs, drawn by Courier's BH cc's

Courier has a just reputation for favouring his FH and for moving over to play FHs from BH side. He also has an unjust reputation for having a weak, or at least, not strong BH

When different handed players clash, its rare for one to proactively breakdown their opponents FH with BH cc’s. If a FH gives up lot of errors in such cases, its almost always the case that the players has looked to breakdown opponents BH, and it hasn’t gone well

Same result here, but dynamics are different. Its Courier who implements BH cc’s to target Korda’s FH

It works bloody well. Courier’s BH has tiny match low 4 UEs, Korda mammoth mtach high 24 FH UEs
That cc rally is more often seen than any other kind, but to be clear, thre’s plenty going on and it’s not a match where players just trade cc shots ‘til someone blinks

In first set, which is close, Korda goes for FH dtl winners regularly (without Courier pointedly playing to the FH). He’s got couple winners and Courier either makes running FH FEs or makes defensive gets, and of course Korda misses good few (more than he makes). He goes for it often enough to make things tense, in a what’ll-happen-next way

After losing first set is when Korda eases up and sticks to stock cc shots. And Courier’s happy to play along, with BH cc’s. His not moving over to play FH inside-outs to achieve same target might be a sign of being wary of the FH dtl counter or he’s savvy enough to see that the less powerful BH cc’s are enough (which they clearly are)

Not that Courier doesn’t hit firm BH cc’s, but of course, they’re not as powerful as his typical FH inside-outs. Its outlast play, at most, slightly pressuring (and usually not that), not beat-down play

Whatever the subtleties, Korda’s FH blinks up the errors in cc rallies, Courier’s firm of shot and iron consistent
Courier BH to Korda FH - biggest part of action, with Courier handily winning

Serve & Return
Healthy, hearty serving and returning from Courier. Korda’s off on both shots

Court is relatively quick, with in-swing zone serves drawing a few more errors than norm (including from Courier). Courier’s serve is strong of force. Doesn’t serve too wide, but has healthy 7 aces, 1 service winner

Korda’s serve is odd combo. Mode serve is weak. Courier plays runaround FH returns against first serves. But he darts the odd one through powerfully. 5 aces, when opponent is spontaneously running around to play FHs against first serves is an odd combo

Courier misses a few in-swing zone regulation returns, but returns with hearty force, including taking couple steps in to thump BH cc’s against second serves. Return rate of 79% with neutralizing and occasional initiative grabbing force is job well done

The worst of it is Korda's double faulting. He’s got 9 or 24% second serves. Atrocious. Courier could return twice as powerfully and it still wouldn’t justify it. And his second serve is just average anyway

Sans the doubles, Korda wins good 54% second serve points, same as Courier sans doubles
With the doubles, Courier has 48% to 41% lead in second serve points
That and Korda much of the time just starting point with his first serve, while Courier’s has power behind his first is putting Korda in a hole off the bat

Like his ground game, Korda’s returning is also inconsistent. He’s got 9 return UEs to 6 FEs. Courier is kind of server in general that when he’s not serving aces, isn’t serving damagingly wide and that’s true here too

 

[Waspsting]

Unlike his ground game, not much effort to be aggressive with the return by Korda. He’s randolmly aggressive in most ways - including second serve-volleying 3 times, on top of going for adventurous winners from the back and even with his occasional power serves into corners - so it’s a little surprising he doesn’t go after returns

Gist in numbers - Courier 29% freebies, Korda 19%
With Courier serving stronger, returning heartily. Korda not good on either of first 2 shots

Play - Baseline & Net
Action varies some across the match. Korda is streakily aggressive in his shot choices - go for a lot, know you’ll miss good few, hope to make more than miss type stuff - especially in first set. Considerable serve-volleying sprinkled in, and not just off first serve. He’s apt to miss the routine groundie before too long too

He tones down the shot-making after first set. It was far from perfect, but kept him even stevens overall (in an ups and downs cancelling out way), and he’d regularly been in return games. Left to himself alone, might be good to win

He’s not alone. Courier’s there playing solidly strong off both wings. And coming to net early from weak returns or otherwise short balls drawn, often from strong third ball groundies from not-strong returns

Korda’s hit and miss might leave things even. With Courier playing well too, probably not

So Korda switches tackes to less aggressive second set on, and there are more stock cc rallies. Courier interestingly leading with BH cc’s and winning readily so doing. If he’s baiting attempted FH dtl shots, Korda doesn’t oblige much, but misses when he does

He gets thrashed, with double faults his biggest problem, which is covered in previous section. In rallies -

Winners - Courier 13, Korda 27
Errors Forced - Courier 16, Korda 11
UEs - Courier 13, Korda 40

For starters, neutral UEs - Courier 6, Korda 13

Expected outcome when solid player meets streaky player. Most of it spring from Korda’s FH that is slightly outhit by Courier’s BH and doesn’t take too long to give up the errors. Still, Courier’s BH is commendably solid, and well hit

With that tune playing, not just wise but necessary for Korda to attack and he has been the aggressor as stats show

Attacking UEs - Courier 4, Korda 15
Winner Attempt UEs - Courier 3, Korda 7

Grounstroke UEs -
- Courier BH 4
- Courier FH 9
- Korda BH 12
- Korda FH 24

Korda FH with match high 11 winners also (2 shy of Courier’s total). All over the place - outsteadied by Courier’s BH, hitting the winners, missing the attacking and aggressive shots
Ground-to-ground winners - Courier 3, Korda 11

All of Courier’s are FH inside-outs - he doesn’t play the shot as stock to test Korda’s BH, but does use it when he gets a weak ball he can take up the court. 9/11 of Korda’s FHs - and of all types - 2 cc, 2 dtl, 2 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out, couple drop shots

Courier’s defence has a hand in poor attacking errors to errors forced ratio of Korda. He’s an underrated, efficient mover, like Lendl - quick as he needs to be, without catching the eye for exceptional movement. Never in wrong position for shot. Still, that’s a terrible hit rate for Korda, especially when bulk of errors he forces are from net - gets to heart of his streakiness

Korda’s got 11 net winners, so forces 9 errors to win his 20/38 net points. With Courier having just 11 FEs (and Korda 4 net UEs)… that’s a lot of attacking UEs from the baseline, with next to nothing to show for it
(he does have more to show for it than that because other attacking shots set up points that he won, like approaches, but still, bad ratios)

Courier with some lovely passing. Beyond the 6 winners, he gets the pass in low or at least softly under net from very defensive positions. Korda, as with everything else, not overly reliable on volley, though more credit to Courier’s passing for this contest. The 4 UEs are on not-easy side (with a couple of awful ones thrown) but the 4 FEs are on the makeable side. Courier making life difficult to keep Korda to 53% net points one

Net is Courier’s main go to weapon too. Comes in from commanding positions, often third ball or otherwise early on his service points. 15/24 or 63% is more than good enough given his other advantages, but on low side for the kind of strong approaches he makes. Just 1 volley error (an FE) for Courier, and Korda with 5 passing winners

Real streaky stuff from Korda. Doesn’t come as surprise if he pulls of blinder of a shot - winner, pass winner or a great attacking shot which doesn’t end point, but misses come predictably too - both missing the aggressive stuff, and worn down without much trouble by Courier. FHs front and center of it. Most of the sizable 12 BH UEs are neutral shots, many of them longline. Probably trying to stay away from Courier’s powerful FH. While Courier doesn’t look to play FHs, he is pressuringly powerful with the cc’s of that side

Would have expected Courier to look for FH cc (his usually preferred and more powerful shot) into Korda’s BH (his softer hitting, and less threatening side). Can’t fault his choice of leading with BH cc’s - it works as well as he’d dream with 4 UEs

This match has the same scoreline as the ‘88 final between Mats Wilander and Henri Leconte. Coincidentally, Korda beat Leconte in the semis here

Match Progression
Pretty good first set, with lots of competitive games. Both players take a few games to get a grip on returning regularly. Courier is solid from back and gets up to net early in rallies when he gets soft ball. Korda also comes to net, but goes for winners from the back nicely, missing about as much as he makes. Throws in the odd serve-volley and manufactured approach, as well as coming in as warranted by ball faced

After Courier holds to love to open, Korda’s taken to deuce. Misses FH dtl winner attempt, makes a FH dtl winner and forces an error with FH dtl. Double faults and and serves an ace. Holds after deuce - but that game could sum up the best of Korda in the match (his worst is yet to come)

Raises break point next game on back of couple net points, but miss attacking BH against a powerful shot on it

Most of the games after that are competitive, with Courier falling behind 0-15 and 15-30 in the next 3. But he’s the one with break point 3-2, with Korda missing consecutive dtl shots off either wing, but throwing out a powerful serve to save break point

Bad game by Korda to get broken to love for 3-5, but he hits back in style, striking 3 winners on the trot (neatly placed BH cc pass, bullet BH cc pass and FH cc), before Courier misses BH dtl to put things back on serve

Poor game by Korda to give up set. Couple of FH inside-out winner attempt misses, a double fault and a horrible BHV putaway miss to lose his serve to 15

Long, tough 20 point hold for Korda, saving 5 break points to get to 1-1 in second set. A good game with fine shots and rallies. A Korda BH cc winner after having been on defensive for the rally stands out and he finally holds with a third ball FH dtl/inside-out winner

Then breaks to 30 - starting with a FH dtl passing winner, ending with an OH. Match on?
Match off. He wins 1 more game, while Courier wins 11

From 15-30, double faults twice to hand back break (Courier finishes game after with back to back breaks, as if to emphasis the difference between the two players). Misses back-away FHs, in between another double fault to get broken again. Better game, same reuslt third time around as Courier closes up with another break to 15

More of the same in third set. The one game Korda wins features 3 winners (BH dtl pass, BHV set up by nice FH dtl and third ball BH drop shot) and wide FH FE from Courier

At least Korda doesn’t double fault as much (he does have 2 in an 8 point game), and most errors drawn are neutral, so he dials down his aggression. How badly he fares somewhat justifies his earlier, bordering on rash aggression. What it doesn’t do is win him any more games. Courier serves out to 15 in due time, appropriately finishing by outlasting Korda to get a FH UE

Summing up, not a good match but it has its points of interest. The solidly strong off the ground Courier choosing to lead baseline action with BH cc’s to breakdown Korda’s FH is not expected. Its well done - Courier barely misses a BH and is hard hitting with it. The winner couples that with getting up to net to be aggressive when opportunity arises, showing good instints and efficient finishing

Petr Korda is all over the place. Soft serve, with a few powerful ones sprinkled in. Lot of double faults. Close to rash, certainly audacious attacking play - from back and front - with the back stuff losing more often than not. Ordinary in keeping ball in play, against strong, stock hitting of Courier

He doesn’t look like he belongs in a French Open final, but Courier is impressive of game and collected in approach to play

Stats for Courier’s semi-final with Andre Agassi - Match Stats/Report - Courier vs Agassi, French Open semi-final, 1992 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)
Stats for the quarter-final between Agassi and Pete Sampras - Match Stats/Report - Agassi vs Sampras, French Open quarter-final, 1992 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)

 

[Galvermegs]

Yes korda was outmatched. But then wasnt agassi also pretty much blown away and most others in jimmys path that event? Its perhaps more about peak courier being hard to deal with on a simply psychological level.
The quarterfinals was his only blip. If he lost the 4th set there maybe he could have ended up having a very different event (still probably winning).

I miss seeing players like korda and rios now. Korda 'junior' isnt convincing me yet but there is still time for the pieces to slot into place.

 

[Waspsting]

Yes korda was outmatched. But then wasnt agassi also pretty much blown away and most others in jimmys path that event? Its perhaps more about peak courier being hard to deal with on a simply psychological level.

Its not that

Courier plays well, due credit

But a guy can lose to him, even in straight sets, and play well. Its just that Courier plays better still
Or a guy can lose in straight sets, and it looks like he's a category beneath as a player

That's how Korda strikes me here
Right hander calmly and succesfully going after left handers FH with BH cc's is the pro's equivalent of our "I'll play with my left hand" kind of out-matched

I was just looking at '02 Monte Carlo final between Ferrero and Moya. That'd be an example of loser playing well, but getting rolled over
Or '20 French, which was a steam roll match. In winning 7 games, Djokovic hit 36 winners
Putting that in context, Andy Roddick hit 34 in about 10 sets worth of tennis on grass in '09 Wimby final and del Potro hit 39 in 5 set US Open final of same year, in what's celebrated as an awesome display over overpowering tennis

I miss seeing players like korda and rios now

makes 2 of us

They were a lot of fun, with their attacking outlook and could take anyone out on a given day. Korda gave Sampras a particularly hard time (then again, so did Wayne Ferreira, I'm not sure how exactly)

Today, we have Zverev. Exciting

 

[Galvermegs]

Ok i get your point now. Kind of suspected it but just wanted to make sure. Yes it was a pretty soft draw for korda whilst courier had at least 4 truly world class players in his path to the final (muster/medvedev/goran/ last year's finalist andre)

Rather oddly the hardest match for petr was the matsuoka one.. and i can assume there might have only been conditioning issues that saved him there rather than playing inspired to get out of a hole. Regardless most of petr's opponents had negative career records on the tour. Still, you can only beat who is in front of you..