Match Stats/Report - Edberg vs McEnroe, Rotterdam Indoor final, 1987

[Waspsting]

Stefan Edberg beat John McEnroe 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the Rotterdam Indoor final, 1987 on carpet

Edberg had recently won his second Australian Open title and would go onto finish the year ranked number 2

Edberg won 93 points, McEnroe 73

Edberg serve-volleyed off all but 5 first serves and more often than not off second. McEnroe serve-volleyed all but 3 times of first serve and rarely off second

Serve Stats
Edberg...
- 1st serve percentage (50/81) 62%
- 1st serve points won (40/50) 80%
- 2nd serve points won (15/31) 48%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/81) 26%

McEnroe...
- 1st serve percentage (49/85) 58%
- 1st serve points won (32/49) 65%
- 2nd serve points won (15/36) 42%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (20/85) 24%

Serve Patterns
Edberg served...
- to FH 41%
- to BH 57%
- to Body 3%

McEnroe served...
- to FH 43%
- to BH 54%
- to Body 4%

Return Stats
Edberg made...
- 62 (26 FH, 36 BH), including 2 return-approaches
- 2 Winners (2 BH)
- 15 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (2 FH, 1 BH)
- 12 Forced (5 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (62/82) 76%

McEnroe made...
- 58 (20 FH, 38 BH)
- 5 Winners (2 FH, 3 BH)
- 16 Errors, all forced...
- 16 Forced (9 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (58/79) 73%

Break Points
Edberg 4/8 (6 games)
McEnroe 1/4 (2 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Edberg 27 (7 FH, 4 BH, 9 FHV, 4 BHV, 3 OH)
McEnroe 26 (8 FH, 8 BH, 6 FHV, 4 BHV)

Edberg had 13 from serve-volley points
- 8 first 'volleys' (5 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 FH at net)
- 5 second volleys (2 FHV, 3 OH)

- 1 further BHV was played net-to-net

- 11 passes (6 FH, 4 BH, 1 BHV)
- FHs - 1 cc, 4 dtl and 1 lob
- BHs - 1 dtl, 1 inside-out and 2 inside-in returns
- BHV was played closer to baseline than service line and not a net point for Edberg

McEnroe had 9 from serve-volley points
- 5 first 'volleys' (2 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 FH at net)
- 4 second volleys (3 FHV, 1 BHV)

- 13 Passes (6 FH, 7 BH)
- FHs - 2 cc, 2 dtl (1 return), 1 inside-in return and 1 lob
- BHs - 2 cc (1 return), 3 dtl (1 return), 1 inside-in return and 1 longline/inside-out

- non-pass groundstrokes - 1 FH inside-out and 1 BH dtl

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Edberg 25
- 10 Unforced (3 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
- 15 Forced (6 FH, 6 BH, 1 FH1/2V, 2 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 51

McEnroe 42
- 11 Unforced (2 FH, 4 BH, 3 FHV, 2 BHV)
- 31 Forced (8 FH, 19 BH, 1 FHV, 2 FH1/2V, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 52.7

(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...
- 58/79 (73%) at net, including...
- 41/59 (69%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 32/40 (80%) off 1st serve and..
- 9/19 (47%) off 2nd serve
--
- 2/2 return-approaching
- 1/3 forced back/retreated

McEnroe was...
- 34/57 (60%) at net, including...
- 30/44 (68%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 25/36 (69%) off 1st serve and..
- 5/8 (63%) off 2nd serve
--
- 2/2 forced back

Match Report​

​

A fun, bright match. Edberg is characteristically thorough in his net play but McEnroe's tactics are a bit odd

First off, Edberg is still on his old service motion - arms straight, backside protruding, no robot-dance like head motion prior to ball toss. What caused him to change his service motion so drastically and when did he do it? Either way, the serve is about as effective as the latter version. He's also shuffling less just before the return or even forgoing the shuffle altogether. Sans seeing him do it so much in later years, I doubt I'd have noticed the move he does here at all​

McEnroe is in a mood. Starting from as early as the second point in the match, he complains aggressively and loudly about line calls. More often than not, his complaints are ridiculous - he's complaining about very close calls about as far away from him as can possibly be. It does lead to a funny moment though. The chair umpire overrules a call to give Mac a FHV winner, and Mac gives out a triumphant roar at having one go his way (I doubt any went against him, but in his mind they probably did). And Mac has no further complaints for the remainder of the match​

 

[Waspsting]

​

​

Edberg mostly serve-volleys, staying back sometimes on his second serves. He has a good day on the volley - swiping away anything above net high and consistently putting anything below back in play, usually deep and at a distance from Mac (though obviously, not with much power)

But he does stay back on the odd first serve, for no apparent reason. This too seems to be a change that came up with him. In the '90s, he seemed to serve-volley religiously off first serves. Late '80s, he seems to have mixed it up a bit

Mac serve-volleys even more regularly off first serves (2/3 times he doesn't is in the last game of the match, when he's already 1-5 down), but just 8/33 times off second serve. Which would make sense if he was outplaying Edberg from the baseline or Edberg was returning with frightening vigour

But neither condition applies. Mac probably is the better baseliner - he's more aggressive and has greater variety of angles - but not nearly enough to keep Edberg back. Stefan can and does manufacture an approach... and usually wins the point at net, on the back of the strong volleying described earlier. Meanwhile, Mac shows little interest in approaching net from baseline-to-baseline situations.

Edberg reaches net on 14 McEnroe service points. Mac does so 2 times on Edberg's serve (1 a forced approach)
Its a similar story in coming in off the servers second serve points where they haven't serve-volleyed. Edberg does so regularly, Mac does not

Look at Mac's returns. Not a single attempt even at running round the BH or return-approaching. Edberg by contrast, is on the watch for opportunities to come in quickly even against Mac's first serve

So what was McEnroe's thinking?

He would win from the baseline? He can't keep Edberg there to do that
He would pass Edberg consistently? Not likely given how good Edberg was in the front all match
Was he afraid of Edberg's passes and returns? Edberg does both well - but not so well as to create any such fear

McEnroe does seem slow of foot, especially compared to Edberg, who seems to fly to net. And the volley-pass complex is against him too. See Edberg with 4 forecourt UEs to Mac's 5. And on the pass, Mac can force 3 FEs from an at net Edberg, to Edberg forcing 4... keeping in mind Edberg was at net far more often, its clear he was significantly better on the volley. Don't think there was much difference in quality of passing (decent from both players)…. the credit worthy thing here is Edberg's net play

Few memorable points. A strong Edberg return forces Mac to make a 1/2volley.... even as Edberg sneaks up to around the service line and puts away a BHV winner net-to-net.

On another point, Mac's approaches off a very good drop shot that Edberg can barely get to, but still places as well as possible away from the waiting Mac. Still, Mac moves to it comfortably but is tad too casual in putting the ball away, allowing an anticipating Edberg to lob volley that away and force Mac back.... as Edberg himself retreats. Only to return to net next shot, but Mac FH cc passes him for the winner.

Edberg makes a rare stop volley (possibly his only one of the match), but Mac runs it down and lobs him exquisitely at net. Edberg has to run back and makes the best turnaround FH pass he can.... but Mac's camped at net to finish up with a stop BHV of his own​

Summing up, fun match to watch, with Edberg's net play - both his ability to work his way to net but even more, his volleying - is the highlight. Mac's a cut or two behind in this area... and peculiarly reluctant to play to his strengths​

 

[andreh]

First off, Edberg is still on his old service motion - arms straight, backside protruding, no robot-dance like head motion prior to ball toss. What caused him to change his service motion so drastically and when did he do it?

The biggest change was probably in 1989 after his back injury in the AO. Although, whether the change was related to the injury or not I don't know. His new technique didn't seem to be all that less taxing on his body. He still tossed way over to the left, the knee bend still extreme etc. It wasn't until 1992/3 when he started tossing more to the right and hit less of the American Twist serve.