Match Stats/Report - Lendl vs Jaite, Monte Carlo final, 1988

[Waspsting]

Ivan Lendl beat Martin Jaite 5-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in the Monte Carlo final, 1988 on clay

It was Lendl's second title at the event. Jaite was ranked 15th at the time

Lendl won 144 points, Jaite 129 (assuming game that cuts off at deuce lasted 2 more points)

[Note: I'm missing 4 confirmed points and 1 other game breaks off at deuce (i.e. at least 2 other point)

Missing points - Set 1, Game 2, Points 1-2
Set 2, Game 7, Point 1
Set 4, Game 2, Point 1

Set 3, Game 10 cuts off at deuce after 6 points

On 6-7 points, I've made confident guesses regarding serve type]

Serve Stats
Lendl...
- 1st serve percentage (66/126) 52%
- 1st serve points won (45/66) 68%
- 2nd serve points won (32/60) 53%
- ?? serve points won 2/3 (67%)
- Aces 8 (1 second serve)
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (25/126) 20%

Jaite...
- 1st serve percentage (92/141) 65%
- 1st serve points won (48/92) 52%
- 2nd serve points won (29/49) 59%
- ?? serve points won 0/1
- Aces 2
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (15/141) 11%

Serve Patterns
Lendl served...
- to FH 25%
- to BH 68%
- to Body 7%

Jaite served...
- to FH 46%
- to BH 44%
- to Body 9%

Return Stats
Lendl made...
- 125 (74 FH, 51 BH), including 13 runaround FHs, 2 return-approaches & 1 drop-return
- 3 Winners (3 FH)
- 13 Errors, comprising...
- 10 Unforced (7 FH, 3 BH)
- 3 Forced (3 BH)
- Return Rate (125/140) 89%

Jaite made...
- 97 (31 FH, 66 BH), including 14 runaround FHs & 2 return-approaches
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (3 FH, 2 BH)
- 12 Forced (5 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (97/122) 80%

Break Points
Lendl 9/21 (14 games)
Jaite 7/20 (10 games) {the points won and games are accurate. Its possible there were more break points}

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Lendl 33 (17 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 BH1/2V, 2 OH)
Jaite 32 (7 FH, 9 BH, 6 FHV, 6 BHV, 4 OH)

Lendl's FH passes - 2 cc, 3 dtl and 1 longline and 1 running-down-drop-shot cc at net
- BH passes - 1 cc, 3 dtl and 1 lob
- regular FHs - 3 cc, 2 dtl (1 return), 2 inside-in (1 return), 2 drop shots (1 net chord dribbler) and 1 net chord dribbler return
- regular BHs - 2 cc and 1 dtl

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

- 1 OH was on the bounce

Jaite's FHs - 1 cc pass, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out, 2 inside-in, 1 inside-in/cc and 1 lob
- BHs - 2 cc (1 pass), 6 dtl (, 1 at net, 3 passes) and 1 net chord dribbler

- 3 from serve-volley points - 2 first volleys and 1 second volley (all BHVs)

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Lendl 75
- 36 Unforced (21 FH, 11 BH, 1 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)... with 1 BH at net, 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net & 1 non-net FHV
- 39 Forced (10 FH, 27 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)... with 4 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7

Jaite 82
- 58 Unforced (33 FH, 17 BH, 4 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)... with 1 FH pass attempt at net
- 24 Forced (6 FH, 8 BH, 5 FHV, 4 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.8

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

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Lendl was...
- 22/39 (56%) at net, including...
- 2/3 (67%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 0/2 return-approaching
- 1/3 (33%) forced back/retreated

Jaite was...
- 51/84 (61%) at net, including...
- 6/11 (55%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 6/10 (60%) off 1st serve and...
- 0/1 off 2nd serve
---
- 1/2 return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Well played match by both players and close of scoreline per set. Lendl is more consistent off the ground, has significant hitting advantage off the FH and has a much bigger serve. He plays somewhat within himself and soundly. Jaite is steady from the back too and takes to net play to attack with sound judgment. Lendl is just a bit better and seems to have an extra gear in hand

Match is open interpretation. Lendl with bigger serve comes through in 20% to 11% lead in unreturned serves. He has 8 aces to Jaite's 2. He forces 12 return errors to Jaite's 3. Lendl usually serves a huge first serve, looking to end the point with the shot... a good job by Jaite's to return at 80% against it

And Lendl is more consistent off the ground - usually the backbone of clay court tennis. He has 32 groundstroke UEs to Jaite's 50. Most of the advantage is in the FHs. Groundstroke UEs read -
- Lendl BH 11
- Jaite BH 17
- Lendl FH 21
- Jaite FH 33

The Jaite FH looks to be the weak link. Its not particularly weak... Lendl hits harder off that side but Jaite's neither hits weakly nor gives up errors easily. Not bad off the FH from Jaite's, but Lendl's just better

Bigger serve + greater consistency off the ground = Lendl superior, QED

It would be QED but for Jaite's sensibly attacking the net. He's at net a huge 84 times, winning 51 points there or 61%. He's not in undue hurray to get forward and rallies neutrally without discomfort from the back. Smart to realize however comfortable he is, long term he's likely to blink first more often than not and lose bulk of points from the back. Lendl also has ability to forcefully end points from the back, particularly off the FH, in a way Jaite doesn't

To compare, Lendl's at net just 39 times and wins 56%. A small, but not insignificant number of those would be to deal with drop shots (he has 5 running-down-drop-shot errors - 1 of them unforced). He's largely content to outlasting Jaite from the back or attempting to pass him as required. He makes little attempt to keep Jaite's back and rarely looks to come in himself

Good volleying form Jaite too. He looks natural enough at net and volleys aggressively away from Lendl, punching the ball through with vigour when its above net. Misses the odd easy one (he has 7 UEs), but leaves Lendl with a ton of very, very difficult passes. Lendl has 37 groundstroke FEs... about 90% of them are passing attempts. 27 of those are BHs, indicating Jaite being in control enough to choose where he wanted to go with approach shots and volleys

Lendl's smart in his passing method too. Generally, he tends to go for too much on the pass - very hard hit and wide - and consequently, misses passes. He's generally not willing to test the net player on the regulation volley. Here, his stronger passes are firmly hit and wide but well over the net. He's forced 10 volleying errors out of Jaite, and almost none are impossible volleys. Tests him a bit on the net and above-net high regulation volley, but Jaite proves strong on the volley, with just 7 UEs. In last set, Lendl goes with soft chip passes, looking to get ball in low. Misses most of those

Lendl starts match hitting cleanly and firmly off both sides without being attacking. Keeps this up for most of a set and a half, then takes something off his hitting. He's doesn't turn to outright moonball and slicing passivity, but doesn't hit particularly hard, slices and chip-drives more and more loopily puts balls in play for most of match. It doesn't make much difference to his error rate and Jaite's able to find net more comfortably against it. It looks like Lendl not only doesn't mind Jaite's at net, but possibly, even wants him there to pass. Easing off on the hitting doesn't bring any benefits

To be clear, Lendl doesn't go into all out who-blinks-first hitting. He still whacks the odd ball off both sides or dtl of the FH in particular, but within context of general safely putting ball in play

 

[Waspsting]

A very curious stat is Jaite leading second serve points won 59% to 53%. He's also won more 2nd serve points than first (just 52%). In light of the UE counts, its surprising he'd lead here, let alone such as high a winning rate as 59%

Much of it is explainable by his excellent second serving. Its good enough that, in conjunction with choice big first serves, its likely Jaite didn't get the most out of his serve

Early on, he sends down some huge first serves, not far off Lendl's firsts. But overwhelming bulk of time, just sends down a point starting first serve. It works, it the goal is to get high in count (he has 65% to Lendl's 52%). The odd big first serve though strongly suggests he's capable of doing a lot more with the first shot. If so, why wouldn't he? Most likely to keep Lendl from going to town on second serves

Lendl tries - but as just 41% 2nd serve returning points indicate - without success. He looks for a big cut FH return and stands in doubles alley in ad court and in center of deuce court for 2nd serve returns. Jaite's able to thwart him with both power and precision. Even with Lendl in extreme wide position, Jaite's able to get the serve to Lendl's BH, or far enough out that he's cramped to move around to hit FH. And he's also able to serve out wide to open FH side and Lendl has to run to get the ball. For all that, Jaite has just the 1 double fault. If you can do that to Ivan Lendl out for the blood on the 2nd serve return, you've got a lot going on the serve

So Jaite serving conservatively off first serve (likely to get high lot in and keep Lendl attacking the 2nds) and serving excellently off 2nds (that thwart Lendl from attacking it). Might have been better off banging down first serves, looking for a few easy points or strong starting third ball positions. I don't know much about Jaite's game - likely reason for not doing so is fear of Lendl's attacking returning. Great as he does second serving, its probably not something he could - or did - count on

Match Progression
Lendl breaks to 15 to start the match, snagging both points Jaite's at net for and walloping a FH winner. Jaite hits back breaks back awhile later to same score, snagging both both net points and walloping a FH winner of his own. Both players endure a further tough hold before Lendl serves to send set into tiebreak

From 30-15, couple of sloppy errors gives Jaite set point. Lendl comes to net on it but can't make a low BHV

3 breaks start the 2nd set. Jaite's got Lendl on the ropes to make it 4, but misses 2 easy volleys from 30-30. Thereafter, Jaite's regular at net, with a good amount of success. Most of the remaining service games are tough - including a couple of breaks which keeps Lendl one ahead. He's broken in 14 point game serving for the set, with Jaite hitting FHV winners on last 2 points

Tough serve-out for Lendl as he falls 0-40 down. He gets out the hole, including by forcing a reflex FHV miss, and takes net himself to see out the set

Third set follows similar line of action - tough service games for both players. Lendl eases off on his groundies some from clean hitting to looping or chipping/slicing more balls. Jaite, in latter part of set, stays back more than at any point in the match. Again Lendl fails to serve out the set at 5-4 but breaks right back in a poor game from Jaite. And again, Lendl has hard time serving out, being taken to 12 point and facing 2 break points. 1 he saves with a FH cc passing winner, before finishing the set with an OH winner

4th set is most comfortable for Lendl. He loses just 2 service points in 4 games, while running Jaite hard in return games. Poor last game from Jaite - an easy FHV miss and his only double fault of the match cost him points. He saves first break/match point with a FHV winner but next point, Lendl whacks away a FH cc pass winner to end the match

Summing up, a pretty good match. Lendl with huge first serve and Jaite returns it well to minimize the potential advantage. Off the ground, Lendl proves more steady and alternates between clean hitting and more passive, put-the-ball-in-play shots. Jaite takes net smartly and is effective up there. Lendl passes within himself - going wide but not looking to get ball low or softly chipping - and Jaite's upto handling it in forecourt.
Some excellent second serving from Jaite to thwart Lendl's attempts to attack with the return

Competitive contest with Lendl just a bit better, and probably having something in reserve in terms of power hitting or coming to net himself, that he isn't called on to turn to