Duel Match Stats/Reports - Hewitt vs Sampras, US Open final & Indian Wells semi-final, 2001 & 2002

[Waspsting]

Lleyton Hewitt beat Pete Sampras 7-6(4), 6-1, 6-1 in the US Open final, 2001 on hard court

It was Hewitt's first Slam title. Sampras had not won a title since previous years Wimbledon and would ultimately end that run at the following years US Open

Hewitt won 100 points, Sampras 76

Sampras serve-volleyed off all but 1 first serve and 1 second serve

Serve Stats
Hewitt...
- 1st serve percentage (49/77) 64%
- 1st serve points won (41/49) 84%
- 2nd serve points won (14/28) 50%
- Aces 7
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (25/77) 32%

Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (59/99) 60%
- 1st serve points won (37/59) 63%
- 2nd serve points won (17/40) 43%
- Aces 11, Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (33/99) 33%

Serve Patterns
Hewitt served...
- to FH 53%
- to BH 39%
- to Body 8%

Sampras served...
- to FH 43%
- to BH 53%
- to Body 4%

Return Stats
Hewitt made...
- 60 (25 FH, 35 BH)
- 7 Winners (1 FH, 6 BH)
- 20 Errors, all forced...
- 20 Forced (9 FH, 11 BH)
- Return Rate (60/93) 65%

Sampras made...
- 47 (24 FH, 23 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 7 return-approaches
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 18 Errors, comprising...
- 10 Unforced (4 FH, 6 BH), including 1 return-approach attempt
- 8 Forced (6 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (47/72) 65%

Break Points
Hewitt 6/13 (8 games)
Sampras 1/2 (2 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Hewitt 27 (11 FH, 14 BH, 2 FHV)
Sampras 20 (3 FH, 3 BH, 3 FHV, 9 BHV, 4 OH)

Hewitt's regular FHs - 3 inside-out
- FH passes - 4 cc (1 return), 2 dtl, 1 inside-out and 1 lob
- BHs (all passes) - 8 cc (3 returns, 1 at net), 5 dtl (2 returns) and 1 inside-in return

Sampras had 14 from serve-volley points
- 6 first 'volleys' (3 BHV, 1 OH, 2 FH at net)... the OH was on the bounce
- 8 second volleys (1 FHV, 4 BHV, 3 OH)

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

- FH - 1 dtl return
- BHs - 1 cc and 1 dtl

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Hewitt 18
- 5 Unforced (2 FH, 3 BH)
- 13 Forced (6 FH, 7 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 40

Sampras 42
- 32 Unforced (12 FH, 6 BH, 2 FHV, 12 BHV)... with 1 FH at net
- 10 Forced (1 FH, 1 BH, 3 FH1/2V, 3 BHV, 2 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 51.3

(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
Hewitt was 4/4 (100%) at net

Sampras was...
- 48/93 (52%) at net, including...
- 41/78 (53%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 24/45 (53%) off 1st serve and...
- 17/33 (52%) off 2nd serve
---
- 4/7 (57%) return-approaching

Match Report
Great showing from Hewitt - particularly on the pass and return, while his ability to shine in baseline rallies is limited by opponents poor play - and a weary one from Sampras. Even so, even a weary Pete Sampras is no pushover and its an exceptional showing from the winner to push him over as easily as he does on a normal hard court

Its a 2 part match of nature of action. On Sampras' serve, Sampras serve-volleys constantly (he stays back on 2 serves total), leaving Hewitt to return-pass and hit passes in play. On Hewitt's serve, the two get into baseline rallies (Hewitt's at net just 4 times all match, none of them a serve-volley)

Its also a 2 part match of competitiveness, along the lines of the final scoreline. First set is competitive, with both players playing well. Next 2 sets aren't, with Sampras' play - including the serve that generally, is the one thing he can always count on no matter how badly he might be doing everything else - falling off. That's by his own very high standard. By a normal standard though, his serve is still at least decent, better than Hewitt's for one thing. Hewitt returns and passes superbly all match, including first set and with Sampras' level dropping after it, races ahead on the back of that high quality

Hewitt's Serve Games
Just solid serving from Hewitt - 64% first serves in, with overwhelming bulk in swing zone. Sampras rarely has to move much sideways to reach the ball. 32% unreturned rate (just 1% less than Sampras) is high for this quality serve and is mostly a product of Sampras' inconsistent returning

In first set, Sampras makes good effort to return. As match goes on, he eases of a little though never falling to letting-serves-go-by levels he sometimes does. His returning consistency is simply, not good. 10/18 errors have been marked unforced and most of the forced are near regulation returns - a bit wide or a bit deep

Pete plays around with his return position against second serves, often taking them early from inside court. This is something he does in general and its usually not effective: Slicing or pushing second serve returns back from inside court. What's the point? As gently as he hits, its not going to pressure the server on third ball. By taking return that early, he just gives himself less time to make the shot. Downside are errors go up (few misses like that in this match), upside is... what?

Outplayed from the back, Pete looks to chip-charge returns occasionally and more often than his norm. He wins 4/7 so doing (also misses a return trying), which is a better winning rate than he has serve-volleying - in total and off either serve. The way Hewitt passes all match, chip-charging isn't an inviting prospect. On other hand, the way baseline rallies go, its a good alternative from Pete's point of view. The way he returns, one wouldn't expect Pete to consistently make the return even. All in all, good job with the play by Pete... doesn't overuse it and uses it well. By the time he turns to it, it doesn't matter much as he can barely hold serve or win a baseline rally, but still

After the return comes baseline rallying. Hewitt proves very solid with just 5 UEs. Pete has 17. Far more discredit to Pete than credit to Hewitt, who isn't allowed to demonstrate anything beyond basic, solid groundstrokes before Pete gives up the errors

In first set, Is Pete's FH that misfires going for attacking shots. Its not bad strategy since he's holding serve. He just needs one game where those FHs land in to pinch a break. That game doesn't come. Pete seems comfortable in the rallies and with no obvious need for attacking (in other words, he holds up neutrally just fine). That's his game though. It doesn't pay

Second set onward, rallies are a bit longer, Pete is less attacking but still far more likely to be the one to step up and try to force the issue. Its his BH that's soft of shot, while Hewitt's particularly steady and firm with his BH cc's

Excellent movement from Hewitt, while Pete's a bit slow and gets more so as match goes on. Baseline play is essentially dual winged with Hewitt content to play solidly neutrally. Again, Pete seems to hang in without undue difficulty but misses a routine ball sooner or later and his attacking shots miss too. He has just 2 baseline-to-baseline winners and about the same number of errors forced. In the same situation, Hewitt has 3 winners and forces 1 error but is solid, moves exceptionally well and firm of hitting

In nutshell, solid serving and groundstroking from Hewitt - the BH a bit better than the FH - along with excellent court coverage. Inconsistent returning from Sampras, below par movement and a bit of a mess from the back - misfiring with FH and BH missing regulation shots in medium length rallies

 

[Waspsting]

Sampras' Serve Games
Sampras serve-volleys off all but 2 serves (1 first, 1 second). First set is a typical showing from him. Thereafter, his serve shrinks weaker. By end of match, he's serving about the same pace as Hewitt. Still throws out the odd big serve (including second serves) and places his deliveries wide regularly. Its not bad serving by a general standard

First set, Sampras serves at 62%, wins 75% first serve points and 60% second serve
Next 2 sets, he serves at 58%, wins 54% first serve points and 32% second serve

Hewitt's returning is top notch all match. He returns at least firmly at all times and is good and stretching to reach wide serves that he's also able to punch back with little swing the same way. Even when he pops the rare ball back high, its awkwardly so, shoulder height balls to BHV side that are tricky to putaway. And he controls his returns to go Pete's BHV, which falters

Including half-volleys, on FHV, Sampras has 2 winners, 2 UEs and 3 FEs
On BHV, its 9 winners, 12 UEs and 5 FEs

The UE number is very poor. For UEs, they're relatively not-easy... firm returns and passes around net high, not gentle poke backs or floaters high above net. The kind of volleys not great volleyers miss a good chunk of every match and even great ones have days missing regularly

In general, and in this match, Sampras guides his BHVs wide without punching them through too much. Hewitt capitilizes with some wonderful, running BH passes. Pete misses a boatload of volleys but the ones he makes are as good as his norm. Hewitt's movement to reach and passing when there to them is exceptionally good

Hewitt's top notch at every type of passing there is. Knocking away return winners - he has 7 winners and most of Pete's 8 FEs are against the return. Remarkably, he has 6 BH return winners to just 11 errors
Firm and sometimes powerfully hit, low return drawing a weak volley and then dispatching the pass - plenty of those
Firm return, guided wide volley by Pete, rundown in a flash and dispatching the pass - plenty of those
Small number of ordinary volleys placed where they can easily be reached are also dispatched

Hewitt's numbers do him justice.

In play on the pass (i.e. excluding returns)
- on FH - 7 winners, 5 FEs
- on BH - 8 winners, 6 FEs

Even including an FE of each side from baseline rallies, he has more winners than forced errors, let alone unforced ones off both sides... Sampras' high 15 forecourt UEs is a significant factor in this, but having more winners than FEs on the pass in play off both sides is just about unprecedented - and a good indicator of how well Hewitt passes.

In a nutshell, top notch returning, passing supported by flowing water like movement from Hewitt, significantly below of power serving from Sampras and inconsistent volleying. Far more credit to Hewitt than discredit to Pete

Match Progression
Match starts with a pair of breaks. From 30-0 up, Sampras double faults and misses a pair of forecourt shots while Hewitt throws a winner of each side (BH cc and FH dtl) to lose serve. Hewitt's even worse to be broken to love - points he loses includes 2 double faults and missing a regulation third ball BH

No more breaks in the set. Each player has to save a break point but mostly comfortable holds. Sampras copes with firm returns from Hewitt. Hewitt keeps ball in court from the baseline while Sampras' attacking FHs miss

Hewitt starts the tiebreak with a powerful return that forces a FH1/2V error. He gives back the mini-break awhile later with a double fault. He gains the decisive mini-break with a BH dtl passing winner. Down 4-5 with 2 return points to play, Sampras sloppily misses a regulation FH and a BHV to give up the set

Rest of match is best seen as an average serve-volleyer against an extraordinary return-passer. In 7 remaining service games, Pete faces break points in 6 games and is broken 5. The strength of his serve creeps down and down with time

Still, Pete doesn't give up the breaks. He holds his first service game from 15-40 down with 4 unreturned serves - 2 aces and a near unreturnable serve among them. Next service game lasts 14 points and Pete only faces the 1 break point, on which he can't make tough, slightly wide, low-ish BHV. Just 1 UE in the game from Pete (+ a double fault), while Hewitt hits 4 winners - 3 of them returns

Hewitt breaks again next return game in 12 point game. Ending is sloppy from Sampras as he misses 2 BHVs and double faults

Third set starts with another break with Hewitt reeling off 3 passing winners from 15-15. Sampras takes to return-approaching with some success but his serve is about average by this stage and Hewitt regularly gives him tough first volleys to make. He makes them and Hewitt passes him the shot after usually to break twice more to seal the match

Summing up, top class returning and passing from Hewitt, solid from the back and with dashing speed. Sampras is off on the volley - which happens to him now and then - but also on the serve (which doesn't) and loose of the ground and on the return

Great from Hewitt, not good from Sampras... more great from Hewitt than not good from Sampras

@The Guru - thoughts?

Stats for '00 final between Marat Safin and Sampras - Match Stats/Report - Safin vs Sampras, Final US Open 2000 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)
Stats for '04 final between Roger Federer and Hewitt - Match Stats/Report - Federer vs Hewitt, US Open final, 2004 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)
Stats for pair's '00 Queen's Club final - Match Stats/Report - Hewitt vs Sampras, Queen's Club final, 2000 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)

 

[The Guru]

Great analysis as always. It's a shame that people don't remember this match the way they do Safin-Sampras the year before because Hewitt didn't dominate him the same more "stylish" way that Safin did. I'd love to see how Hewitt would have done in an earlier era before they changed the game so much.

 

[Pheasant]

Nice work, Waspsting!

Sampras was red hot on his serves entering this match. I don't even recall him being broken once during the USO, despite facing Safin a round earlier. I know they mentioned that Sampras had a long streak of holding serve, something like 80 consecutive service games without getting broken. But Hewitt foreshadowed what was to come later in the match by breaking Sampras early in the first set. Hewitt's returns made a massive difference. It's as though Hewitt could read Sampras' mind by the 2nd set. I think that this is what caused Pete to panic during the 2nd and 3rd sets.

Getting through Hewitt and Safin in the same tourney was an extremely difficult task for the 30 year old Sampras.

This was definitely a sad day for us Americans.

 

[Phoenix1983]

Nice work, Waspsting!

Sampras was red hot on his serves entering this match. I don't even recall him being broken once during the USO, despite facing Safin a round earlier. I know they mentioned that Sampras had a long streak of holding serve, something like 80 consecutive service games without getting broken. But Hewitt foreshadowed what was to come later in the match by breaking Sampras early in the first set. Hewitt's returns made a massive difference. It's as though Hewitt could read Sampras' mind by the 2nd set. I think that this is what caused Pete to panic during the 2nd and 3rd sets.

Getting through Sampras and Safin in the same tourney was an extremely difficult task for the 30 year old Sampras.

This was definitely a sad day for us Americans.

This was one of PETE's best slam runs though, despite his loss in the final. Beating the three prior USO champs in consecutive matches (Rafter, Agassi, Safin).

This surely cancels out one of his weaker slam victories. The guy was capable of beating the big guns consistently. Just a shame that he met his nemesis in Hewitt, the young S&V-killer, in the final.

 

[HBK4life]

I remember highlights from this being played over and over and over and over and over and over on all Best Buy TVs. It almost made me renounce tennis.

 

[Waspsting]

... It's a shame that people don't remember this match the way they do Safin-Sampras the year before because Hewitt didn't dominate him the same more "stylish" way that Safin did. I'd love to see how Hewitt would have done in an earlier era before they changed the game so much.

Safin in '01 final and Hewitt here... both top drawer showings

Sampras played a lot better in '01. For starters, he served normally by his standard. Here, he's distinctly off. Something like a typical Rafter or Henman showing here... which hardly makes it weak, but suffers compared to his norm

In '01, lots and lots of third ball half-volleys. Great job by Sampras to even make so many first 'volleys'. Then Safin would make the pass, having forced a weak 'volley'.
Here, bulk of third balls are firmly struck returns around net high. Sampras misses a lot of them, poor job by him to miss so many. On up side for Hewitt, the non-return passes he makes are harder than the ones Safin had to because the first volley is comfortable

On serve, Safin with the huge serve of his own while Hewitt's is average. I tend to not hold it against Pete for struggling to return Safin's, but do a bit more against Hewitt

In baseline rallies, Safin systematically broke down Pete's BH with exceptional ball striking BH cc. Here, Hewitt plays dual winged and Pete's more sloppy off the ground (as opposed to Safin just being the cleaner hitter)

Sampras was red hot on his serves entering this match. I don't even recall him being broken once during the USO, despite facing Safin a round earlier. I know they mentioned that Sampras had a long streak of holding serve, something like 80 consecutive service games without getting broken.

From memory (commentary on copy I watched wasn't in a language I understood), think he went unbroken since second round. I distinctly remember he went through Rafter, Agassi and Safin without losing serve from fourth round onward

Hewitt's returns made a massive difference. It's as though Hewitt could read Sampras' mind by the 2nd set

Definitely. I haven't seen anyone read Sampras' serve to any noticeable extent, bar Hewitt. Both here and in their '00 Queen's final, seems to be able to. Would be interested to hear what he had to say about it

Getting through Hewitt and Safin in the same tourney was an extremely difficult task for the 30 year old Sampras.

I think he's just gassed by the end, but have doubts if he'd have gotten so had he taken the first set

Never felt this semi and final back to back days they do at US Open was ideal. This one isn't too bad, but if one semi goes 5, the other straights and they play the final next day... that's unnecessarily problematic

This was one of PETE's best slam runs though, despite his loss in the final. Beating the three prior USO champs in consecutive matches (Rafter, Agassi, Safin).

And that's every active former champion. With Sampras himself winning the rest, the last champion outside those guys was the retired Stefan Edberg in '92. Hadn't noticed that before

I remember highlights from this being played over and over and over and over and over and over on all Best Buy TVs. It almost made me renounce tennis.

Glad you didn't

You'd probably appreciate this thought. I was imagining Andre Agassi watching this final. I'll bet the thought, "Why don't you ever serve to me like this?" passed through his head

 

[Waspsting]

Hewitt beat Sampras 6-2, 6-4 in the Indian Wells semi-final, 2002 on hard court

Hewitt would go onto win the title, beating Tim Henman in the final. This was the last match the two played, the previous one having been the US Open final. Hewitt won the last 4 to lead the head-to-head 5-4

Hewitt won 69 points, Sampras 49

Sampras serve-volleyed most off the time off first serves and occasionally off seconds

Serve Stats
Hewitt...
- 1st serve percentage (34/51) 67%
- 1st serve points won (26/34) 76%
- 2nd serve points won (13/17) 76%
- Aces 4 (1 second serve)
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (10/51) 20%

Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (46/67) 69%
- 1st serve points won (26/46) 57%
- 2nd serve points won (11/21) 52%
- Aces 3
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (16/67) 24%

Serve Patterns
Hewitt served...
- to FH 54%
- to BH 42%
- to Body 4%

Sampras served...
- to FH 43%
- to BH 52%
- to Body 5%

Return Stats
Hewitt made...
- 47 (25 FH, 22 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 2 Winners (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 13 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 9 Forced (1 FH, 8 BH)
- Return Rate (47/63) 75%

Sampras made...
- 40 (23 FH, 17 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 6 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- 2 Forced (2 FH)
- Return Rate (40/50) 80%

Break Points
Hewitt 3/7 (5 games)
Sampras 0

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Hewitt 23 (16 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 2 OH)
Sampras 15 (3 FH, 2 BH, 2 FHV, 4 BHV, 4 OH)

Hewitt's had 10 passes - 4 returns (2 FH, 2 BH) & 6 regular (5 FH, 1 BH)
- FH returns - 1 cc and 1 inside-in/cc
- BH returns - 1 cc and 1 dtl
- regular FHs - 2 cc, 1 dtl and 2 lobs
- regular BH - 1 cc

- non-pass FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out, 4 inside-out (1 at net) and 2 inside-in

Sampras had 7 from serve-volley points
- 2 first 'volleys' (1 FHV, 1 FH at net)... the FHV was possibly not clean & the FH at net can reasonably be called a FH1/2V
- 5 second volleys (3 BHV, 2 OH)... 1 BHV can reasonably be called a BHOH

- FHs - 1 dtl and 1 inside-out
- BHs - 1 dtl pass and 1 longline at net

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Hewitt 17
- 9 Unforced (6 FH, 3 BH)... with 1 FH pass attempt
- 8 Forced (3 FH, 5 BH)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.8

Sampras 32
- 25 Unforced (11 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 4 BHV)
- 7 Forced (1 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 2 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.2

(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
Hewitt was 8/10 (80%) at net

Sampras was...
- 29/49 (59%) at net, including...
- 21/38 (55%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 19/34 (56%) off 1st serve and...
- 2/4 (50%) off 2nd serve

Match Report
Slow down the court, throw in some strong winds and this is a continuation of the previous match between the two. With the gap between the two even bigger - Hewitt is top notch, Sampras badly outmatched and not far from outright poor

There's more variety in baseline action in this one. And less serve-volleying. With the serve curbed by court speed and winds, Sampras is left to rely on his court skills and they're not a patch on Hewitt's

2 & 4 is routine enough. Hewitt has break point to complete a hidden bagel from 3-2 in first set to 6-2, 2-0 in the 2nd.

0 break points for Sampras. Hewitt winning 58% of the points while serving 43% of them

Strong winds shape play. They're present throughout and keep a check on both players hitting, including the serve. There's a strange point where winds pick up drastically in the middle of a rally and suddenly, a normal rally is turned into one where balls are being blown sideways drastically

First set is short, with 5.25 points per game. Sampras is broken twice to 30, otherwise easy holds

In second set, average game lasts 7.6 games. Sampras is broken to 30 to open it - and rest of his games last 8, 10, 8 and 12 points (he holds them all). Hewitt also endures 2 deuce games

2 beautiful points to start 3rd game of first set - first ending with a Hewitt FH lob winner, the second a lovely Sampras first 'volley' FH at net winner (skirting being a FH1/2V). 2 easy BHV misses by Pete though set him back. On second break point, he misses a tough BHV. Weirdly, the Chair, whose microphone isn't working, had called 'let', but no one heard him and continued playing. Doesn't look like a let, neither player has any complaints and the Chair stays silent about it after the event

An even better FH lob winner form Hewitt seals the second break - with Pete helping out by missing third ball FH inside-in, double faulting and missing a routine BHV before it

2 more FH inside-in errors and another double fault set Pete back in his first service game of second set before Hewitt wraps up with a BH return pass cc winner against a rare 2nd serve-volley to break. No more breaks in the match, but plenty of action in the prolonged games. Appropriately, match finishes with a Hewitt passing winner, a FH cc

Pete serve-volleys 79% off first serves - winning 56% when he does, and 44% when he doesn't (to go with 3 aces)
Off 2nd serve, he serve-volleys 31% of the time - winning 50% when he does, and 69% when he doesn't (to go with 4 double faults)

His serve isn't strong. Early on, he's able to get them damaginly wide though pace is down. Hewitt's quick enough to move into position and hit those with reasonable comfort - or at least, not undue discomfort. What follow is virtually identical to US Open match

- typical, firm & and around net high returns by Hewitt (with low ones and 4 winners thrown in around it). At 75% return rate, that's outstanding
- Pete somewhat poor on making the regulation volleys (he's got 6 UEs on volley - same as his winners), but he does cut the volleys more aggressively than his norm. Probably wary of Hewitt's speed to reach ball for 2nd volley
- Hewitt chases down first volley anyway and hits some superb passes on the run. There are winners, but more than that, Pete has to make difficult 2nd volleys to finish points.

5/7 of Pete's serve-volleying winners are second volleys, which is unusual though less so for him. What is unusual even for him is that most are difficult, stretch volleys

In nutshell, excellent base returning by Hewitt, Pete a bit sloppy on the volley and Hewitt outstanding in reaching and making follow-up passes. With relatively few serves unreturned and the serve not too damaging to start with. Pete's kept to winning just 55% points serve-volleying - and most of those are unreturned serves. Volley vs pass battle is completely in Hewitt's favour

Rest of action is baseline starting point. Hewitt's showing is varied as well as impressive. In US Open, he'd been steady and firm of shot while Pete floundered. Here, winds keep the hitting checked for both players and

- Hewitt's still much more consistent. He's got 8 UEs (excluding a pass) to Pete's 19. Though its Pete's FH with match high 11 UEs, its hte BH that's a complete dud. Feeble shots, including pseudo-moonballs just lifted harmelessly into court, while still giving up healthy 8 UEs. He tries to attack a bit with the FH, but whether its early in rally or a tired of being in one getaway attempt, usually misses. 2 winners and forces 1 error with it to go with the 8 UEs

Baseline-to-baseline shots ordered by consistency
- Hewitt BH 3
- Hewitt FH 6
- Sampras BH 8
- Sampras FH 11

This time though, Hewitt's not just outlasting Pete. He moves over to take FHs and dispatches winners. Both short weak balls that aren't long in coming from Pete, or decent balls. Stands out next to Pete's inability to do the same. And he comes into net after to finish with volley. Wind makes hitting too hard an approach shot difficult, so Pete's usually able to get a pass off. Couple of good, stretch volley winners by Hewitt and a couple of tricky OHs in the wind - excellent net play

Hewitt with 23 winners to 17 total errors is a ridiculous figure. Usually that happens when there's a lot of unreturned serves, but those rates are low here (Hewitt 20%, Pete 24%)

FH is devastating. On the pass, 5 winners (excluding 2 returns), 4 errors (1 unforced). On non-pass, 9 winners, 5 UEs... both figures are as good as it gets. BH is fine too, but mundane by comparison - 3 winners - all passes (2 returns) to 4 passing FEs. Just 3 UEs, which is solid

Sampras' 25 UEs is a poor number - off both wings and in forecourt. Some good volleying, but better running them down and passing by Hewitt, amidst sloppy 6 UEs in forecourt. And just 3 'baseline' winners (1 at net), forcing 1 error to go with 19 UEs

Summing up, like a continuation of the US Open final with slower court and winds added. Hewitt returning testingly against serve-volleys, Sampras a bit off in forecourt and Hewitt outstanding in running balls down and making great follow-up passes the standout. Starting from the baseline, Hewitt manages to hit reasonably in the wind, remains consistent, plays smart to get to net and volleys well when there and most tellingly, is even able to dispatch balls with the FH. Sampras' is BH is impotent and the FH ineffective while both are also loose. Top stuff from Hewitt

 

[BGod]

Yeah it's crazy how well Hewitt matched up with Pete there. Which is why it was insane to see him lose to Escada (on replay), El Aynaoui, Martin & Clavet.