Stefan Edberg beat Andre Agassi 6-4, 6-2 in the Year End Championship (Masters) round robins, 1989 on carpet in New York, USA
This was the first match between the two. Edberg would go onto win his sole title at the event, beating defending champion Boris Becker in the final and world number 1 Ivan Lendl in the semi. Agassi was eliminated in the group stage, losing all his matches
The two would meet twice at the event the following year, with Edberg again winning the round robin match but Agassi winning the final
Edberg won 66 points, Agassi 43
Edberg serve-volleyed off all first serves and most seconds
Serve Stats
Edberg...
- 1st serve percentage (28/49) 57%
- 1st serve points won (20/28) 71%
- 2nd serve points won (12/21) 57%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (15/49) 31%
Agassi...
- 1st serve percentage (36/60) 60%
- 1st serve points won (15/36) 42%
- 2nd serve points won (11/24) 46%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (6/60) 10%
Serve Patterns
Edberg served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 50%
- to Body 20%
Agassi served...
- to FH 33%
- to BH 64%
- to Body 3%
Return Stats
Edberg made...
- 52 (17 FH, 35 BH)
- 5 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 3 Forced (3 BH)
- Return Rate (52/58) 90%
Agassi made...
- 31 (13 FH, 18 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 10 Errors, all forced...
- 10 Forced (3 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (31/46) 67%
Break Points
Edberg 6/10 (6 games)
Agassi 3/4 (3 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Edberg 21 (2 FH, 6 BH, 7 FHV, 5 BHV, 1 OH)
Agassi 9 (3 FH, 2 BH, 2 BHV, 2 OH)
Edberg had 12 from serve-volley points
- 9 first volleys (5 FHV, 4 BHV)… 1 BHV can reasonably be called a BHOH
- 2 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 OH)
- 1 fourth volley (1 FHV)
- 1 other BHV was running-up-to-a-floater from significantly behind service line and has not been counted a net point
- FHs - 1 dtl pass and 1 inside-out
- BHs - 5 dtl (1 pass) and 1 inside-out
Agassi's FHs (all passes) - 1 inside-in, 1 dtl/inside-out and 1 lob
- BHs (both passes) - 1 dtl return pass and 1 cc
- 1 BHV was a drop
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Edberg 25
- 12 Unforced (5 FH, 3 BH, 4 BHV)… with 2 FHs at net
- 13 Forced (6 FH, 4 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 BHOH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7
Agassi 28
- 21 Unforced (7 FH, 8 BH, 3 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
- 7 Forced (2 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHOH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.5
(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
Edberg was...
- 28/41 (68%) at net, including...
- 25/35 (71%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 15/23 (65%) off 1st serve and..
- 10/12 (83%) off 2nd serve
Agassi was...
- 12/21 (57%) at net, including...
- 3/7 (43%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
Match Report
A poor and clueless showing from Agassi while Edberg does the needful with customary style
Match starts with 3 breaks on the trot, with Agassi losing both service games to love. After series of comfortably holds, Agassi break in game 8 on the back of Edberg missing 2 routine volleys and a FH winner attempt. Edberg breaks right back though in an even worse, error filled game by Agassi - and goes on to serve out the see set
Edberg returned all 24 Agassi serves in the set
In second set, Agassi takes to coming to net more, including serve-volleying fairly often. Edberg for his part gets more comfortably serve-volleying off second serves. Poor volleying from Agassi and continued erratic baseline errors stand out, while Edberg volleys more surely despite Agassi hitting more meatily in this set
Players trade breaks in middle of set, with Agassi broken first making volleying errors. He breaks back strongly, working Edberg over on one point with two very powerful passes and two adroit lobs, the second of which forces a BHOH error and finishing with his sole return winner. Edberg also double faults and misses an easy volley
Its the last game Agassi wins. Edberg breaks twice more, with errors from Agassi - in the first game off the baseline and in the second, from net - being the main cause
Edberg's Play
Edberg's short of his best serve-volleying and misses a couple of easy ones early on. Thereafter, not much to fault. Agassi's returning isn't what it can be, but some very hard hit passes and returns that Edberg controls nicely... along with the usual flawless putting away of balls above the net
It off the ground that Edberg is particularly good. Agassi leads with BH cc's and Edberg holds up against the heavier two-handed shot. And excels with BH dtl point killers - 4 of them, plus another inside-out. Otherwise, he's content to let Agassi hit the heavier shots and direction changers... just runs them down and puts them in play, seemingly without strain. He does do more of the running
On the return, Stefan tends to fall back to Agassi's second serve and swing at it from well behind baseline. On the pass, he just puts the ball in play - and Agassi's poor volleying does the rest, though there is a stunning, running BH dtl pass winner from the winner
Cliff Drysdale on commentary says that he's seen statistical analysis that indicates Edberg's FH is just as effective as his BH. Finally, somebody gets it. Not that he sounds convinced and other commentators joke about possible reasons for the finding
Agassi's Play
Off in all areas just about from Agassi. He plays like its a practice match
The serve is gimme, with nothing threatening about it. For that, 60% first serves in is low... it looks an 80%+ in serve
He returns from close in, usually on the line against first serves and a step in against seconds. He isn't beaten for pace of the serves, but mostly can't connect with great force. And the few he does, Stefan handles
Off the ground, Agassi looks to control with BH cc's, which plays out as described earlier. Doesn't do much dtl himself of that side. Some moving Edberg around stuff also doesn't cut it. Later, he takes to just hammering balls as hard as can... good number of errors doing this. Some wild misses of third balls too
And he takes to coming in to net, serve-volleying 7 times and approaching 14 times from rallies. By contrast, Edberg comes in 6 times other than on serve. Terrible stuff serve-volleying... he misses routine volleys and has 6 forecourt UEs
He does cover the court well. I'm always a bit surprised to see how fast Agassi was in his younger days, in stark contrast to what his movements would become
---
Summing up, straightforward match with Edberg more or less in groove serve-volleying and splendid with the BH from the back. Agassi's play being scattered and poor takes the eye more though
Stats for the final and round robin match between Edberg and Boris Becker - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...t-edberg-vs-becker-masters-final-1989.623707/
Stats for pair's final and round robin the following year - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...-championship-finals-round-robin-1990.646450/
This was the first match between the two. Edberg would go onto win his sole title at the event, beating defending champion Boris Becker in the final and world number 1 Ivan Lendl in the semi. Agassi was eliminated in the group stage, losing all his matches
The two would meet twice at the event the following year, with Edberg again winning the round robin match but Agassi winning the final
Edberg won 66 points, Agassi 43
Edberg serve-volleyed off all first serves and most seconds
Serve Stats
Edberg...
- 1st serve percentage (28/49) 57%
- 1st serve points won (20/28) 71%
- 2nd serve points won (12/21) 57%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (15/49) 31%
Agassi...
- 1st serve percentage (36/60) 60%
- 1st serve points won (15/36) 42%
- 2nd serve points won (11/24) 46%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (6/60) 10%
Serve Patterns
Edberg served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 50%
- to Body 20%
Agassi served...
- to FH 33%
- to BH 64%
- to Body 3%
Return Stats
Edberg made...
- 52 (17 FH, 35 BH)
- 5 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 3 Forced (3 BH)
- Return Rate (52/58) 90%
Agassi made...
- 31 (13 FH, 18 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 10 Errors, all forced...
- 10 Forced (3 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (31/46) 67%
Break Points
Edberg 6/10 (6 games)
Agassi 3/4 (3 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Edberg 21 (2 FH, 6 BH, 7 FHV, 5 BHV, 1 OH)
Agassi 9 (3 FH, 2 BH, 2 BHV, 2 OH)
Edberg had 12 from serve-volley points
- 9 first volleys (5 FHV, 4 BHV)… 1 BHV can reasonably be called a BHOH
- 2 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 OH)
- 1 fourth volley (1 FHV)
- 1 other BHV was running-up-to-a-floater from significantly behind service line and has not been counted a net point
- FHs - 1 dtl pass and 1 inside-out
- BHs - 5 dtl (1 pass) and 1 inside-out
Agassi's FHs (all passes) - 1 inside-in, 1 dtl/inside-out and 1 lob
- BHs (both passes) - 1 dtl return pass and 1 cc
- 1 BHV was a drop
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Edberg 25
- 12 Unforced (5 FH, 3 BH, 4 BHV)… with 2 FHs at net
- 13 Forced (6 FH, 4 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 BHOH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7
Agassi 28
- 21 Unforced (7 FH, 8 BH, 3 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
- 7 Forced (2 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHOH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.5
(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
Edberg was...
- 28/41 (68%) at net, including...
- 25/35 (71%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 15/23 (65%) off 1st serve and..
- 10/12 (83%) off 2nd serve
Agassi was...
- 12/21 (57%) at net, including...
- 3/7 (43%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
Match Report
A poor and clueless showing from Agassi while Edberg does the needful with customary style
Match starts with 3 breaks on the trot, with Agassi losing both service games to love. After series of comfortably holds, Agassi break in game 8 on the back of Edberg missing 2 routine volleys and a FH winner attempt. Edberg breaks right back though in an even worse, error filled game by Agassi - and goes on to serve out the see set
Edberg returned all 24 Agassi serves in the set
In second set, Agassi takes to coming to net more, including serve-volleying fairly often. Edberg for his part gets more comfortably serve-volleying off second serves. Poor volleying from Agassi and continued erratic baseline errors stand out, while Edberg volleys more surely despite Agassi hitting more meatily in this set
Players trade breaks in middle of set, with Agassi broken first making volleying errors. He breaks back strongly, working Edberg over on one point with two very powerful passes and two adroit lobs, the second of which forces a BHOH error and finishing with his sole return winner. Edberg also double faults and misses an easy volley
Its the last game Agassi wins. Edberg breaks twice more, with errors from Agassi - in the first game off the baseline and in the second, from net - being the main cause
Edberg's Play
Edberg's short of his best serve-volleying and misses a couple of easy ones early on. Thereafter, not much to fault. Agassi's returning isn't what it can be, but some very hard hit passes and returns that Edberg controls nicely... along with the usual flawless putting away of balls above the net
It off the ground that Edberg is particularly good. Agassi leads with BH cc's and Edberg holds up against the heavier two-handed shot. And excels with BH dtl point killers - 4 of them, plus another inside-out. Otherwise, he's content to let Agassi hit the heavier shots and direction changers... just runs them down and puts them in play, seemingly without strain. He does do more of the running
On the return, Stefan tends to fall back to Agassi's second serve and swing at it from well behind baseline. On the pass, he just puts the ball in play - and Agassi's poor volleying does the rest, though there is a stunning, running BH dtl pass winner from the winner
Cliff Drysdale on commentary says that he's seen statistical analysis that indicates Edberg's FH is just as effective as his BH. Finally, somebody gets it. Not that he sounds convinced and other commentators joke about possible reasons for the finding
Agassi's Play
Off in all areas just about from Agassi. He plays like its a practice match
The serve is gimme, with nothing threatening about it. For that, 60% first serves in is low... it looks an 80%+ in serve
He returns from close in, usually on the line against first serves and a step in against seconds. He isn't beaten for pace of the serves, but mostly can't connect with great force. And the few he does, Stefan handles
Off the ground, Agassi looks to control with BH cc's, which plays out as described earlier. Doesn't do much dtl himself of that side. Some moving Edberg around stuff also doesn't cut it. Later, he takes to just hammering balls as hard as can... good number of errors doing this. Some wild misses of third balls too
And he takes to coming in to net, serve-volleying 7 times and approaching 14 times from rallies. By contrast, Edberg comes in 6 times other than on serve. Terrible stuff serve-volleying... he misses routine volleys and has 6 forecourt UEs
He does cover the court well. I'm always a bit surprised to see how fast Agassi was in his younger days, in stark contrast to what his movements would become
---
Summing up, straightforward match with Edberg more or less in groove serve-volleying and splendid with the BH from the back. Agassi's play being scattered and poor takes the eye more though
Stats for the final and round robin match between Edberg and Boris Becker - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...t-edberg-vs-becker-masters-final-1989.623707/
Stats for pair's final and round robin the following year - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...-championship-finals-round-robin-1990.646450/
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