Match Stats/Report - Edberg vs Volkov, Davis Cup final rubber, 1994

[Waspsting]

Stefan Edberg (Sweden) beat Alexander Volkov (Russia) 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(2), 0-6, 8-6 in a Davis Cup final rubber, 1994 on indoor carpet in Moscow, Russia

The result gave Sweden a 1-0 lead in the match, which they would go onto win 4-1 to win the event. Edberg would go onto lose the dead fourth rubber to Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Volkov would lose the final rubber to Magnus Larsson

Edberg won 169 points, Volkov 172

Edberg serve-volleyed off almost all first serves and majority of seconds, Volkov serve-volleyed almost half the time off first serves

(Note: 1 point has been tracked via audio. Set 3, Game 6, Point 3 - an Edberg first serve-point, serve-volley, return made and unknown first volley winner

On 1-2 points, I’ve made confident guesses regarding serve type)

Serve Stats
Edberg...
- 1st serve percentage (89/166) 54%
- 1st serve points won (61/89) 69%
- 2nd serve points won (40/77) 52%
- Aces 17, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 14
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (54/166) 33%

Volkov...
- 1st serve percentage (86/175) 49%
- 1st serve points won (60/86) 70%
- 2nd serve points won (47/89) 53%
- Aces 8 (1 second serve), Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (48/175) 27%

Serve Patterns
Edberg served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 54%
- to Body 16%

Volkov served...
- to FH 17%
- to BH 73%
- to Body 10%

Return Stats
Edberg made...
- 125 (32 FH, 93 BH), including 5 runaround FHs & 10 return-approaches
- 3 Winners (3 BH)
- 38 Errors, comprising...
- 17 Unforced (4 FH, 13 BH), including 3 runaround FHs & 4 return-approach attempts
- 21 Forced (1 FH, 20 BH)
- Return Rate (125/173) 72%

Volkov made...
- 98 (31 FH, 66 BH, 1 ??), including 1 runaround FH & 4 return-approaches
- 13 Winners (3 FH, 10 BH)
- 36 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- 32 Forced (12 FH, 20 BH)
- Return Rate (98/152) 64%

Break Points
Edberg 6/12 (10 games)
Volkov 5/12 (7 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Edberg 56 (13 FH, 14 BH, 10 FHV, 11 BHV, 1 ?HV, 1 BH1/V, 6 OH)
Volkov 49 (17 FH, 21 BH, 4 FHV, 5 BHV, 2 OH)

Edberg had 22 from serve-volley points -
- 13 first 'volleys' (5 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 BH1/2V, 1 OH)
- 8 second volleys (3 FHV, 1 BHV, 4 OH)
- 1 third volley (1 FHV)

- FHs - 6 dtl (4 passes), 1 dtl/inside-out, 3 inside-out, 1 drop shot at net, 2 lobs (1 not clean
- BHs - 7 cc (5 passes - 1 net chord pop over), 5 dtl [2 returns - 1 pass, 1 other pass (a net chord pop over)], 1 inside-in return pass, 1 lob

Volkov had 32 passes - 13 returns (3 FH, 10 BH) & 19 regular (11 FH, 7 BH, 1 FHV)
- FH returns - 1 dtl, 2 inside-in
- BH returns - 2 cc, 3 dtl, 5 inside-in (1 can reasonably be called 'inside-in/cc')
- regular FHs - 5 cc, 4 dtl, 1 lob, 1 running-down-drop-shot cc at net
- regular BHs - 3 cc, 4 dtl
- FHV was swinging longline, non-net shot

- regular (non-pass) FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 1 inside-in
- regular BHs - 2 cc, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out

- 4 from serve-volley points (1 FHV, 1 BHV, 2 OH), all first volleys

- 1 from a return-approach point (1 BHV)

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Edberg 61
- 32 Unforced (9 FH, 10 BH, 3 FHV, 9 BHV, 1 OH)... with 1 baseline BHV
- 29 Forced (10 FH, 9 BH, 3 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 5 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.4

Volkov 57
- 27 Unforced (11 FH, 10 BH, 2 FHV, 4 BHV)... with 1 non-net BHV
- 30 Forced (16 FH, 13 BH, 1 FHV)... with 2 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7

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

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Edberg was...
- 88/140 (63%) at net, including...
- 63/103 (61%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 40/67 (60%) off 1st serve and...
- 23/36 (64%) off 2nd serve
---
- 7/10 (70%) return-approaching

Volkov was...
- 38/61 (62%) at net, including...
- 23/37 (62%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 18/30 (60%) off 1st serve and...
- 5/7 (71%) off 2nd serve
---
- 1/4 (25%) return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
This match has it all. Quality serving, returning, serve-volleying, net play, baseline rallies, shot-making, creativity. As dual winged as can be - almost literally split down the middle of wings, both for net player and baseline rallies. And progression or storyline that couldn’t be more riveting. Quality of action varies, but its never poor from either player and often, excellent. The crowd is great - enthusiastic, loud but rarely disrespectful. Even the stats have come out beautiful, and uncannily even. Court is very fast

Volkov serves for the match at 5-4 and has match point so doing, before Edberg breaks. All 3 of Edberg’s return winners are in that game. If your going to hit 3 return winners in a match, doing it when opponent is serving for the match is good time

Edberg leads with serve-volleying. Off second serve, he mixes up serve-volleying and not almost all match and he stays back off a few first serves right at the end too

In all -
1st serve-volley frequency - 94%
2nd serve-volley frequency - 57%
1st serve winning rates - serve-volleying 60%, not 75%
2nd serve winning rates - serve-volleying 64%, not 63%

Volkov is a tall, lanky guy. Not slow, and his movement is plenty tested by Ederg’s volleying. Does he have a ‘big’ serve? His biggest are huge, but usually keeps it under wraps. Strong and steady off both wings from the back. If anything, proably a slightly BH preferring player and the cc from that side is pressuring. Scoops up low FHs nicely

Volkov isn’t net shy either but it takes him a set and half or so to get comfy coming in. He ‘delay’ serve-volleys. Takes 2-3 short steps into court after first serve and waits on returns. If its deep, falls back as playing groundstroke. Otherwise, plays approach shot and comes in. Or moves forward and actually volleys. Has good enough form around the net and volleys with punch and placement enough that seems an all-courter rather than a reluctant net player

He’s been marked with 30 first serve-volley points, which comes to 39% off first serves. Most return errors he draws with the would- be ‘delay’ serve-volley have not been marked serve-volley points. Occasionally, but minority of his 30 serve-volleys are bona fida, rush straight to net behind the serve also. He rarely and as effective surprise tactic second serve-volleys, in all 7 times or 8% of the time, almost all near the end of the match

So plenty of serve-volleying and plenty of not too. Edberg return-approaches some - both chip-charges and behind firmer shots, and Volkov, like with his second serve-volleying, indulges a little near the end. Edberg return-approaches 10 times, Volk 4

Baseline rallies are dual winged, with good, sound hitting and honours near even. If consistency is a wash, Edberg’s shot-making from the back is superior. Court is very fast and slightly wide and firmly hit balls are liable to force errors.

Both players look for approach chances - Edberg more proactively, but Volk considerably too

Rallying to net -
Edberg 18/27 at 67%
Volk 14/20 at 70% (some of Volks’ being ‘delay’ serve-volleys, relatively easy net points)
… with bulk of such points of Volk’s service games

Not many matches are statistically closer
First serve in - Edberg 54%, Volk 49%
First serve won - Edberg 68.5%, Volk 69.8%
Second serve won - Edberg 51.94%, Volk 52.81%

Shades of Borg-Gerulaitis ‘77 Wimbledon and Rafter-Agassi ‘00 Wimbledon, where you have to go to decimal places to get a difference between the players. First serve winning rates are relatively low for such a court

In all, Edberg winning 3 more points than he serves, Volks 3 less
Volks wins 3 more points total, though Edberg has extra break and 3 more games with break points in them

Edberg wins 49.56% of the points, serving 48.68% of them
Breaks points - Edberg 6/12, Volks 5/12
(Edberg does have break points in 10 games to Volks’ 7 - with Edberg’s concentration in tense final set and Volks’ 5 breaks coming in succession)

Are there any matches that are more balanced across wings? For both players, both at net and on baseline?

Edberg’s groundies -
Winners - FH 13, BH 14
UEs - FH 9, BH 10
FEs - FH 10, BH 9

Volk’s groundies -
Winners - FH 17, BH 21
UEs - FH 11, BH 10
FEs - FH 16, BH 13

Edberg’s ‘volleys’ -
Winners - FHV 10, BHV 12
UEs - FHV 3, BHV 9
FEs - FHV 4, BHV 6

Volk’s volleys -
Winners - FHV 4, BHV 5
UEs - FHV 2, BHV 4
FEs - FHV 1

Sans Edberg’s volleying UEs, near identical figures for both players across wings, both groundies and volleys. Remarkable

In all,
Winners - Edberg 56, Volk 49
Errors forced - Edberg 30, Volk 29
UEs - Edberg 32, Volk 27

Winners/UE differential - Edberg +24, Volk +22
Aggressively ended points/UE differential - Edberg +54, Volk +51
High quality stuff. Its not absolute elite is about extent of critique of it. Not even when Edberg’s bagelled and loses serve 5 times in a row

Most of all, the storyline and match progression. Only match comparable to it is Borg-McEnroe, ‘80 Wimby final and there’s no higher praise than that

Competitive first set, Edberg serve-volleying virtually always, Volk mainly on the baseline. 1 break, couple other games with break points in them. Such action continuing into second set, and its Volks who has break point in game 4. Which Edberg saves and goes on a winning tear. Including that hold, Edberg wins 5 games in a row. Through his playing well, not Volks playing badly

 

[Waspsting]

Third set flowing out of second and Volks saving break point in 14 point opening game. Volks ‘delay’ serve-volleying and utilizing net more, lots of fine action, no more breaks. Fine tiebreak from Volks to get on the board

Volks going on his own winning tear to deliver bagel and break for 1-0 in the decider. Like Edberg’s tear earlier, due to his playing well, not opponent playing badly. Some amazing passing from Volks in this purple patch - nailing low percentage and more-likely-to-lose-than-win passes repeatedly, while barely missing a return

Final set is a thriller, with 3 breaks in succession at the start, leaving Volks up a break (also meaning Volks breaks 5 times in a row - and those are the only breaks he has all match)

1-2 and break down, Edberg continuously threatens on return, but Volks stays a step ahead. Volks serve-volleying more than at any stage in match, including some of second serves. Edberg by contrast, doing so less than at any time, including sometimes of first serves

Edberg holding for 4-5 to stay in the match in game with 1/6 first serves and staying back off all the second serves, with Volks return-approaching to pressure him

Volks serving for match. Falls to 15-40, serves his way to deuce with nervy return-winner attempt miss on second break point. Gains match point, in which rally develops, and a winning BH dtl from Edberg thwarts. Edberg going on to break with consecutive return winners (1 regular, 1 pass), his third return winner of the game, and those are all the return winners he has all match

(Boris Yeltsein showing up with entourage, crowd vociferous throughout this period)
Shortly after brilliant game by Edberg to break and end the match, finishing with back to back lob winners, 1 of each wing

Generic lists of ‘Greatest Matches of All Time’ tend to feature extended fifth sets, emphasis on tense finishes, a see-saw contest or a very even one, a rabid crowd, big name players.

The only thing this match is missing is the last mentioned. If Borg and McEnroe or Agassi and Sampras had played this same match, it would undoubtedly be talked about as greatest match of all time contender. Action is very good - if not top drawer - with all aspects of the game on show, better than or in same ball park as many a ballyhooed encounter (quality of action tends to get put on back-burner for generic lists of great matches)

Serve & Return
Court is very fast, with average serves rushing returner, firm groundstrokes just slightly wide potentially being point enders. Volks seems to just tap returns - and they fly back very powerfully. Any blocked returns to slightly wide first serves tend to fly out

Not ‘very fast’ court freebie count though
Unreturend serves - Edberg 33%, Volks 27%

Aces/Service Winners - Edberg 17/1, Volks 8/2
First serve Ace/SW rate - Edberg 20%, Volk 10%

17 might be career high ace count for Edberg. He does serve unusually aggressively in looking for aces. Generally, Edberg doesn’t actively look for aces and gets his freebies from serve-volleying pressure. Put another way, he’s always prepared to volley (whether he ends up having to or not), as opposed to somebody like Sampras or Goran who send down serves with clear intent of it not coming back

He’s not all out looking for aces all the time, to be clear and still serves high 16% to body, but more than his norm. Volks seems to hold back on the serve because when he fully lets loose, his serve is huge, around Stich/Sampras calibre. He rarely lets fully loose, misses the serve much of the time when he does. Otherwise, ‘just’ a good, strong serve

Poor 49% first serves in from Volks. Especially given his height, it being indoors and as he’s apparently not full-blasting serves. But its well balanced serving. He draws hard forced errors, aided by much ‘delay’ serve-volleying, where he’s about 3 paces in court, ready to pounce forward to volley if return is soft enough

Credit Edberg for keeping the aces down and making tough returns. A general feature of his game. But he’s a little off in returning consistency
Edberg with 17 return UEs and 21 FEs. The FE count is good from his point of view, the UE one not. Some aggressive returning accounts for it - 4 of the UEs are return-approach attempts - Volks has a good second serve, but 17 is a big number. Virtually all of them second serves

Edberg often blocking returns back flat, and balls flying on this court, well enough to get Volks to backtrack to baseline instead of come in

Double faults - Edberg 14, Volks 2 (he also has a second serve ace)
Double fault rate - Edberg 18%, Volks 2%

Excellent from Volks. Edberg’s return-approached 10 times, winning 7 of them. For starters, Volks’ second serve good enough to keep Edberg from doing so more, and just 2 doubles for such a long match is outstanding

Double faults go long way to explaining why Edberg doesn’t second serve-volley more often. The 64% he wins so doing is higher than the 60% he does behind first serves - so why not do it more?
1 reason is all those double faults. Plus, he’s doing just as well staying back, where he wins 63% of the points. Not all the doubles are product of looking for strong enough to serve-volley behind, but most are

13 return winners from Volks from 98 successful returns or 13%. Good number. More to the point, his return rate of 64%, with just 4/36 return errors being UEs (in words, he’s not missing returns when Edberg doesn’t serve-volley)

64% return rate, returning firmly is usually good to break. He times returns beautifully - just a little tap, and the ball flies back powerfully (probably says more about the court than Volks’ timing)

Volks’ typical return shapes Edberg’s volleying. Lot of slightly under net coming at pace type first volleys for Edberg to make. Wide stuff too. Not too much shoelace stuff. In all, Edberg’s demo is more of handling not-easy and hard volleys than it is dismissing routine volleys. Even routine height volleys tend to be on him quickly

Gist - the mix of consistency and force of Volks’ return-passing is very good. Which brings us to…

Action - Volleys & Passes
On the ‘volley’, Edberg with 29 winners, 12 UEs, 10 FEs
On the pass, Volks with 32 winners, and he’s got 29 ground FEs (close to all of them pass attempts)
Or Volks with 13 return-pass winners at 64% return rate to go with 19 regular passing winners and about 25 passing errors in play

As mentioned earlier, all things are very symmetrical across wings. Volks BH has slightly better figures than FH because it cops 54% of Edberg’s serve, to 30% for FH

Excluding returns, Volks has 11 FH winners, 7 BHs to go with 16 FH FEs, 13 BH ones
Edberg with 13 first ‘volley’ winners, and 9 post-firsts

A good contest, starting with testing first volleys, slightly under net at good pace. From Edberg, his difficult volleying stands out more for being impressive than dealing with routines (he doesn’t face too many routines to begin with). Deals wit the routine stuff, dispatching as is his way. 12 UEs has room for improvement, and BHV is one to falter with 8 of them (excluding 1 from the baseline)

10 FEs facing what he does is good from Edberg. Tends to make wide and low volleys with authority too.

Some particularly good volleys stand out. A perfeclty controlled, drop BH1/2V winner and a shoelace FHV that looks impossible to hit for winner, but Edberg hits it for one anyway. Volks tosses his racquet to ground after the point

Brilliant passing from Volks. Most of his regular winners are from below 50% shots (that is, more likely to miss than not). Despite powerful returning, Edberg’s volleying doesn’t leave him good looks (credit Edberg’s authority on the volley), and he makes so many unlikely, great winners - on the move, off-balance, ball inches from ground etc.

Many of his passing errors are utterly hopeless shots, as good as winners from Edberg, which makes Volks’ hit rate on the pass even more impressive than the numbers

He’s balanced of direction as well as by wings. On FH, 5 cc winners, 4 dtl. On the BH, 3 cc and 4 dtl
Volks successful phase is concentrated in the 10 game run during which he breaks 5 times in a row, but at almost no stage of the match does Edberg hold routinely or easily

On flip side, Volks has 10 volley winners (excluding a baselien pass), 5 UEs, just 1 FE
Edberg has 14 passing winners (6 FH, 8 BH) and 19 ground FEs (10 FH, 9 BH)

Thats' a relative win for Edberg. Higher lot of his FEs would be passes (Volks isn’t able to force errors in baseline rallies) than Volks, so virtually all 19 of them

Only 2 returns among Edberg’s passes. So 12 regular pass winners for about 19 errors. One reason for discouraging Volks from coming in more

Strong approaches from Volks and Edberg making similar, not-good looks passes on the run, off-balance etc. that Volks does, but he makes them more or less throughout match (with Volks frequency of approaching fluctuating)

Again like Edberg, 6 UEs is on high side and could do with a trim. Unlike Edberg, he isn’t faced with many difficult volleys, which has hand in near perfect 1 FE. Not faced with many doesn’t mean ‘faced with none’ so just shy of perfect FE count is job well doen on tough volleys. Good quality volleys rom him too - putting volley away or punching them well into open area (hence, the not good look passing looks for Edberg)

Would it have been good move to come in more? Its not clear. While doing well and winning 62% net points, he’s also passed by unlikely winners regularly. Assuming he’s not a natural net player, what he’s faced with would make most such players think twice before coming in. Whether it would have been a good move or not isn’t the point. Its very understandable that he doesn’t, and he does come in substantially as is

 

[Waspsting]

61 approaches from Volks. Throw in another dozen or more where he’s prepared to come in in the the ‘delay’ serve-volleys that cuts short

Whatever the case, he volleys well and contest with Edberg’s passes is similar high calibre to the other way around

Gist - Edberg at net facing powerful, testing returns. Little inconsistent at times, but volleys with authority and handles the tough stuff well. Some brilliant passing from Volks, though concentrated over one part of match

Volks coming in off good approach shots and also volleying decisively, with a room for improvement in consistency. Some wonderful passing winners from Edberg
The highlights reel of passing winners would be spectacular. Some amazing, low percentage and unlikley winners knocked away by both players. Some of Edberg’s volleying winners are jewels too

Numerical gist - Edberg wins 63% of 140 approaches, Volks wins 62% of 61

Action - Baseline
Substantial baseline action, with Edberg staying back off second serves quite often and Volks usually. Rallies are dual winged. Sound hitting, but not hard. If there’s an objective, its out outmanuver opponent, not overpower them. Edberg is more willing to go for shot-making winners, Volks rarely does so. Movement is tested, shot tolerance is necessary, despite less than power-hitting play

To be clear, hitting is good and clinical, especially from Volks. No one would call it gentle, but its not beat-down powerful

Ground UEs -
- Edberg FH 9
- both BHs 10
- Volks FH 11
… both players also have BHV UE that’s not played at net

Neutral UEs - Edberg 10, Volks 13

As even as it gets. Volks with more neutral UEs is potentially good sign for Edberg, in that more of his are aggressive errors. Provided he also succeeds attacking

Ground to ground winners - Edberg 11 (6 FH, 5 BH), Volks 7 (3 FH, 4 BH)
So yes, Edberg is successful attacking from the back. And he rallies forward more often. He also forces a few more errors. Well as Volks hits, he’s not able to overpower Edberg and is outmanuvered more often than he can outmanuver

Rallying to net -
Edberg 18/27 at 67%
Volks 14/20 at 70%

Volks approaches have healthy very ‘delay’ serve-volleying amount to it, when he’s 3 paces in court after serve and plays an approach shot from there off third ball. Its categorically different from genuine serve-volleying and having to play a groundstroke near net first up

Good stuff here too. Sound, good baseline rallies. Volks edges the power, but doesn’t look to push on from there and Edberg’s not to bothered handling force and not relegated to reacting. Consistency a wash and at no time does either player get sloppy with errors. Edberg going for point ending shots a bit more often, and making them. Edberg more apt to to take net, though he’s not unhappy continuing to play from baseline. But finishing at net is more the way baseline rallies go for both players, more than hitting winners from the back. Edberg with slightly better of things

Match Progression
Edberg return-approahes against a first serve to win the first point of the match. Good start
Misses 2 second returns right after. Bad continuation
He has break point, which is aced away, and Volks holds with a FH cc passing winner

Edberg’s first service game takes 16 points and he has to save 2 break points. 3 doublel faults and a couple of routine volley misses from him in the game, but also a stunning BH1/2V drop winner and running FHV one. Another drop 1/2volley and his second ace get him through to hold

Fairly comfy holds, but none to love. Volks flirts with serve-volleying but is met by some wonderful passes from Edberg

Great game by Edberg to garner the only break. Return approach, winning drop shot, an almost half-volleyed FH dtl pass winner and he wraps up with a FH dtl winner from baseline rally niftily. Volk’s endures another deuce game before Edberg serves out to 15

From 40-0 up, Edberg’s down break point in game 4, with a couple more double faults and a couple of Volks FH dtl pass winners. He holds - and reels off next 4 games to take the set

Gains first break with 4 winners (net chord pop over BH dtl pass, 2 FH inside-outs and a not clean FH lob). Gains the second in a 1/8 first serves in game from Volks. Beautiful and rare FH drop shot winner from Edberg at net in the game, and return-approach pinches him another point. Bit sloppy from Volks to finish with 2 third ball approach UEs

Volk’s is down break point in opening game of third set too, which he saves with a second serve ace. Eventually holds the 14 point game

Match settles into groove with no breaks or break points in rest of set, but also just 1 love hold. An awkward shoelace FHV winner from Edberg stands out as exceptionally (unfortunately so, as replays of the point are shown over the next point, another Edberg first volley winner.

Going into tie breaker, Edberg’s served 37 points, Volks 40
Volks goes into the zone starting with the 'breaker. Nails couple of good dtl passing winners (1 of each wing) and blasts down big serves that don’t come back to take it 7-2

Volks breaks in his next 5 return games. He can’t seem to miss a return, while returning with challenging force and sprinkling in winners liberally. Still, Edberg volleys well and games are high quality. Some top class passing winners from Volks in this part of the match

Having completed the bagel, Volks opens decider with another break, and this time, Edberg does stumble with a double fault and 2 UEs (BHV to decent return under the net, and a BH approach)
Edberg stops the rot by breaking, finishing with a FH dtl pass winner, but Volks breaks yet again, mostly through winning passes to move to 2-1 with a break in hand

Rest of match is tense, exciting and good quality of action. Edberg serve-volleys less and less, occasionally staying back off firt serves, but holds readily. Volks serve-volleys more and more, and is just about able to keep a step ahead

Volks’ service games from 2-1 up last 8, 12 and 10 points. Just 2 faces break points, but it’s a little close for comfort

Edberg holds for 4-5. Misses first serve first 5 points and stays back on all of them. Volks even daringly return-approaches couple tiems himself, but also misses couple returns, before Edberg holds with an unreturned first serve

Brilliant game as Volks serves for the match. Edberg misses BH dtl winner attempt to start, but nails a BH cc pass winner, picks up a point return-approaching off a struck BH inside-out return and makes his first return winner BH dtl, with Volks in awkward, ‘delay’ serve-volley position

15-40, 2 break points
Good first serve saves first
Rare, ordinary first serve point after and Edberg goes for dtl winner again and misses. Easy enough return to be marked a UE
Volks reaches match point. Rally develops, and Edberg comes up with a winning BH dtl that he takes net behind
Edberg gets his break with high style. Winning BH dtl brings things to deuce again, and he wraps up with consecutive BH return winners - a well angled inside-in (could call it inside-it/cc) and another dtl pass

Boris Yelstein arrives with entourage. Strange time to do so. He’d have missed the whole match had Volks served it out game before
Edberg breaks to end the match with another fine effort.

He’s out of the way a good body serve to tap the ball back low, but Volks with a very good, angled shoelace volley. Not as good as the perfect running FH lob winner Edberg unleashes against it, which takes score to 15-40. Nicely angled FH cc block return to a wide serve forces a wide 1/2volley that Volks does well to make, but leaves Edberg time to line up pass however he wants to play it. He chooses another lob, this time BH and its also pefect and goes for winner to bring the curtain down

Summing up, great match of all court tennis, with all the skillsets of the game on show. Serve-volleying and net play is more on show than baseline action, but plenty of that too

Fine showings from both players. Volkov with hefty serve, very good, perfectly timed return-passing, some first class passing from not-good looks that his opponets high end volleying leaves him. Clinically good baseline play, strong off both wings and in time, serve-volleys and comes to net more and more as match goes on. ‘Delay’ serve-volleys a lot creatively and with good judgement

Edberg serve-volleying against challengingly powerful returns, with good lot of perfect return-winners thrown in. Volleys the not-easy to difficult stuff well, and doesn’t get too much routine or easy stuff to begin with. Smartly stays back off second serves, is just as secure from baseline if slightly less powerful, but with better ability to outmanuver opponent and shot-making

All comes out very evenly, with Volkov having match point serving for the match, but Edberg getting the win with some particular brilliance
For combination of storyline and quality of action, top drawer stuff