Match Stats/Report - Lendl vs McEnroe, Australian Open quarter-final, 1989

[Waspsting]

Ivan Lendl beat John McEnroe 7-6(0), 6-2, 7-6(2) in the Australian Open quarter-final, 1989 on hard court

Lendl would go onto win the title, beating Miloslav Mecir in the final. McEnroe was playing in the event for the first time since 1985. This would be the pair’s last Slam meeting

Lendl won 115 points, McEnroe 83

McEnroe serve-volleyed off all but 2 first serves and a little more than half the time off second

(Note: I’m missing 2 points -
Set 1, Game 1, Point 1 - a Lendl service point that he lost
Set 3, Game 9, Point 3 - a McEnroe service point that he lost. Based on post-point footage, its been marked a first serve point, presumed to have been serve-volley and returned. Likely a volley error)

Serve Stats
Lendl...
- 1st serve percentage (51/88) 58%
- 1st serve points won (42/51) 82%
- 2nd serve points won (30/37) 81%
- ?? serve points won (0/1)
- Aces 8
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (25/88) 28%

McEnroe...
- 1st serve percentage (65/109) 60%
- 1st serve points won (47/65) 72%
- 2nd serve points won (19/44) 43%
- Aces 3
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (38/109) 35%

Serve Patterns
Lendl served...
- to FH 41%
- to BH 58%
- to Body 1%

McEnroe served...
- to FH 27%
- to BH 66%
- to Body 7%

Return Stats
Lendl made...
- 68 (22 FH, 45 BH, 1 ??), including 3 runaround FHs
- 8 Winners (3 FH, 5 BH)
- 35 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (2 FH, 1 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 32 Forced (8 FH, 24 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- Return Rate (68/106) 64%

McEnroe made...
- 61 (23 FH, 38 BH), including 23 return-approaches
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 14 Unforced (5 FH, 9 BH), including 5 return-approach attempts
- 3 Forced (2 FH, 1 BH)
- Return Rate (61/86) 71%

Break Points
Lendl 2/6 (4 games)
McEnroe 0

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Lendl 50 (17 FH, 30 BH, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
McEnroe 18 (1 BH, 7 FHV, 5 BHV, 5 OH)

Lendl had 41 passes - 8 returns (3 FH, 5 BH) & 33 regular (9 FH, 24 BH) -
- FH returns - 1 dtl, 2 inside-out
- BH returns - 1 cc, 2 dtl, 2 inside-in
- regular FHs - 4 cc, 3 dtl, 2 inside-out
- regular BHs - 8 cc, 2 cc/down-the-middle (1 at net that hits McEnroe), 8 dtl, 4 inside-out, 1 lob, 1 running-down-drop-shot cc at net

- regular (non-pass) FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 2 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl
- regular BH - 1 dtl

McEnroe had 15 from serve-volley points -
- 8 first volleys (5 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
- 7 second volleys (1 FHV, 3 BHV, 3 OH)

- 1 from a return-approach point, a FHV

- BH return pass - 1 dtl

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Lendl 24
- 5 Unforced (3 FH, 2 BH)... with 1 BH pass attempt
- 19 Forced (8 FH, 11 BH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46

McEnroe 36
- 23 Unforced (10 FH, 6 BH, 7 FHV)... with 1 FH pass at net attempt
- 13 Forced (1 FH, 5 BH, 3 FHV, 2 BH1/2V, 2 BHOH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.1

(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
Lendl was...
- 11/14 (79%) at net, including...
- 0/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve

McEnroe was...
- 65/122 (53%) at net, including...
- 53/84 (63%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 42/60 (70%) off 1st serve and...
- 11/24 (46%) off 2nd serve
---
- 5/23 (22%) return-approaching

Match Report
Top drawer passing display makes Lendl unbeatable over decent playing, net seeking McEnroe, who has done very well (or/and been lucky) to keep most of match competitive. McEnroe's return-approaches are potentially deadly and another day, headline for match could be "Mac masterclass return-approaching". Instead, it and his net play in general is blasted to kingdom come. Court is slow

Lendl with 50 winners, 24 errors (5 UEs, 19 FEs). Even in 100% serve-volleying matches, 2 winners per error is very rare, and I can’t think of a match that isn’t off that type that has anything close to a ratio like this. Mac serve-volleys off about half his second serves here, along with virtually all firsts

On the pass, Lendl has 33 winners, 18 errors. Even without returns, where he has 8 more winners. Can’t think of any match - 100% serve-volley or otherwise - that’s better. Maybe something from Andre Agassi
Putting these numbers in context, Mac has 17 volley winners (along with 7 UEs and 7 FEs)

Mac’s at net 122/197 points in the match (with 1 point unaccounted for) or 62% of all points, and can win just 53% of those points. While typically getting squashed in baseline rallies too

He’s only broken twice and both are in second set. Doesn’t even face a break point in first set
In light of Lendl’s winners: errors ratio and Mac’s pale success in forecourt, that seems odd. Would expect 3, 3 and 3 or worse. So why isn’t it?

Highest concentration of Lendl’s passing success is against chip-charge returns, where Mac wins just 5/23 points. Plenty of old matches between the pair where Mac’s chip-charging habitually (even more so than here) and however well Lendl passes, one senses he can’t keep hitting passing winner after passing winner and that that if he has to to just hold serve, he’s bound to get broken. Sooner rather than later

Here, he does keep hitting them. More or less all match. In first set, has trouble returning, but thereafter, its zoning passing from Lendl. Mac’s approaches are good ones - and Lendl still keeps passing him like regularly. His rate of nailing winners is return games is good to threaten breaking too, and good job by Mac to keep it just 2 breaks

He himself has 0 break points, with Lendl winning 81% second serve points to go with 82% first serve ones. Basically, he’s passing Mac as readily as he’s squashing him from the baseline. And to repeat, against good approach shots. Amazing stuff from Lendl

Checked, moderate serving from Lendl, and good from Mac

Lendl not serving too big and not serving wide. Mac able to push returns taking them early, without being rushed. He’s even able to chip-charge first serves, which he does 7 times. Not desperately, but quite naturally

14/17 Mac return errors have been marked UEs. Rarely is Mac forced to lunge about to return. Lendl’s best serves go for aces, and he has 8. 28% unreturned rate is good figure from Mac’s point of view. Potentially stupendously good, given all the return-approaches

Alas, just 5/23 or 22% return-approaching for Mac, with 5 other errors trying. They’re good returns. Gets a few wide, gets a few deep and virtually 0 bad, sit-uppers. At worst, Lendl with a 50-50 look. Just much too good by Lendl on the pass

Easy to see Mac’s return showing being a brilliantly creative, balanced and well-executed ploy that sees him break and threaten to regularly. Instead, 0 break points and Lendl winning 81% of his service points

Pretty good serving from Mac. In first set, he’s got Lendl reaching and lunging about to return. Thereafter, Lendl gains better read. Not great movement from Lendl for return.

Mac serve-volleys off virtually all first serves (stays back twice), and wins 70% so doing
Off second serve, he serve-volleys 59% of time, winning 46%. Staying back, he wins still lower 40%

Contained, firm returning from Lendl, not hammer & tongs stuff. Against Mac, his norm is to blast every return, especially early on. Here, early on he’s stretched out to return and usually misses. Later, he settles into controlled firm and gets return-passes slightly under net. Not easy volleys to putaway, not difficult to put in play

Average volleying (by a normal standard) by Mac against it. He’s got 7 UEs, which would be just about middling. Doesn’t plonk volleys, but doesn’t place them wide or drop them dead either. He at least is capable of doing so against the returns he’s faced with. Mac’s volleys give Lendl normal looks on the pass. The kind you’d expect net player to win 55% off at least

 

[Waspsting]

On volley, Mac has 17 winners, 7 UEs, 7 FEs
On pass in play, Lendl has 33 winners, 17 FEs, 1 UE

Lendl’s figures are bonkers. And to be clear, if mode look he has is a 45% one, most of rest are worse than that. By no means is he faced with easy, lined up passes, but he just keeps nailing them again and again for winner after winner after winner

FH has 9 winners, 6 FEs
BH has 24 winners, 11 FEs (and a UE)

BH has 8 winners apiece cc and dtl and 4 inside-out. How often do you see someone hitting 4 BH inside-out passing winners? Mac not having trouble reading the passes, despite their variety. Sans the inside-outs, which wrong foot him some, he’s moving right way usually, but Lendl hits with beautiful crispness and balls’ through before Mac can reach them

Mostly 1-shot passing from Lendl, going for the winner at once. Few are set up by a lob. Mac gently OH’ng them on full stretch and Lendl following up with booming winner. Another set up is a return right at the body of incoming Mac, that forces a cramped, weak volley. Return right to body can’t possibly be deliberate, can it? Still, Lendl does it 3-4 times, and always puts away the rejoinder

Some context is helpful in placing Lendl’s passing. In general, he likes to go for the winner at once (as opposed to make opponent play a volley) and he seems to prefer missing a big pass to leaving a routine, let alone easy volley. The opposite approach to Mats Wilander

This would be a day when such a passer has a perfect day. All credit for the showing. Good to keep in mind that this coin’s other side is making a hash of big passes, with opponent knowing he won’t have to make more than volley. Can look dumb when it doesn’t come off

It can’t come off any better than it does here - glorious stuff from Ivan Lendl

In baseline rallies -
- Winners - Lendl 6
- Errors forced - both 2
- UEs - Lendl 4, Mac 15

... along wiht rallying to net points - Lendl 11/13, Mac 7/15

Funnily, it doesn’t go the way it starts off. At the very start, Lendl aims everything to Mac’s BH, and Mac hits a couple winning, wide BH cc. Looks like there might be baseline contest

That 1-2 games is as long as that lasts and thereafter, Lendl regally commanding baseline contest. Firm, hard hitting stuff off both wings and Mac can’t keep the ball in play for long. Lendl can probably take net anytime he wants, but has little need to

Both net points he loses are to deal with drop shots (he’s also passed by the return on his sole serve-volley). And he continues to pass well when that’s called for. No slicing or chipping BHs suggests he’s wary of Mac manufacturing approaches

Way he passes, no need to be

Match Progression
Neck & neck first set. No breaks, no break points. Both players with 1 deuce hold, but not a single love hold. Lendl serves 35 points for his 6 holds, Mac 37

Mac looking a little better. He’s able to take net from rallies or off the return, occasionally even against first serves to somewhat pressure Lendl, whose upto handling it, but for how long? Mac also troubling Lendl with wide serving. 16/37 of his regular game serves don’t come back, or 43% - and that’s with Lendl not returning with much power. By contrast, Mac’s very comfy returning even Lendl’s first serve

In second game, Mac’s flubs a half-volley, leaving an easy putaway at net pass. Lendl runs up and with endless choice, slaps the ball down in Mac’s direction and hits him on the foot after bouncing. Its pretty tame by standards of the match-up, and history of Lendl drilling Mac point-blank around the body

Pair trade deuce holds to move to 2-2. Lendl’s hold is interesting. He looks to play FHs to Mac’s BH constantly, and Mac comes away with winning wide BH cc’s on consecutive points. Point after that, Lendl returns favour. 4 forced errors in baseline rallies all match - and 3 of them are in succcessive points

Comfy holds from there to tiebreak

Lendl with perfect tiebreak
Nails BH cc pass winner first point against a god, wide dtl return
Perfectly guided BH cc return-pass winner on the stretch
Forcing a BH1/2V error with power return. Big serve that doesn’t come back, third ball BH dtl winner, a remarkable FH cc pass winner while stretched out and outhitting Mac to take net and putaway BHV winner

He carries on in same vein all next set
Loses 1 service point for 4 holds and breaks twice, smacking passing winners in both serve and return games
Breaks to 15 to start, including 3 passing winners (BH cc, FH inside-out return, BH inside-in return). Breaks again for 5-2 with 3 more winners (running FH dtl, FH dtl pass set up by a lob and BH dtl return pass)

That’s just the breaks. There’s plenty more of the same going on in rest of games. Serve out to love features 2 amazing passing winners - BH inside-out against a deep return approach to start game, running FH cc agaisnt a wide one. Most wins-16/17-service-points type streaks feature overbearing serving and high unreturneds. Lendl’s run here could easily be an amazing Mac returning run instead, with regular, pressuring net play

He doesn’t slow down much in third set either, though that goes through to tiebreak. This time, Lendl has better of set and serves 30 points for 6 holds, to Mac’s 36. Just a couple of break point in the set, and they come in game 11, brough up by 3 consecutive BH passing winners (dtl, lob and cc)

Bunch of perfect passing winners by Lendl at end of set. Completes regular games with another BH inside-out pass winner, and knocks another one away early in the tiebreak. Mac’s expression of frustration is understandable and amusing

Wrong footing FH inside-out pass winner puts Lendl up 3-2 and a mini-break. Follow sup with perfect BH cc pass winner. Reels off last 2 points returning with more winning passes - a running-down-drop-volley lob at net and another FH inside-out clean winner

Summing up, great showing Lendl, especially on the pass and more specifically still, the BH pass. Limited to passing, ‘great’ is an understatement. Contender for best passing display ever, nailing winners right, left and center from mode normal or little worse than normal looks

Otherwise, toned down, average serving and he gets better of opponent from baseline as firmer hitter and more secure

McEnroe turning more and more to net play as he’s outdone from baseline. Volleying is average quality of decisiveness. Serves pretty well in getting shot wide, especially early on. Returns well, with boldy and well executed return-approaches, including against first serves that on another day could be the master-play that puts him ahead, but Lendl’s supremo passing completely outdoes it here

Stats for the final between Lendl and Miloslav Mecir - Match Stats/Report - Lendl vs Mecir, Australian Open final, 1989 | Talk Tennis

 

[BringBackWood]

Thanks @Waspsting, pretty astonishing numbers. Where to watch this match in acceptable picture quality?

 

[Pheasant]

Wow. Nice recap, Waspsting. I didn’t get to catch this match, unfortunately. By the sound of it, it’s probably a good thing that I missed it as a Mac fan. This looks like a pure unadulterated beatdown by Lendl.

 

[jrepac]

I don't believe this one was on TV here in the US....I recall having high hopes for Mac...Lendl was coming off his peak (slightly). But "squashed" would be the right word here. I always thought Mac was nearly untouchable in tiebreaks....not so much here.

 

[WCT]

41 passing shots is pretty amazing over just 3 sets. Don\t recall ever watching this match.

 

[Waspsting]

Thanks @Waspsting, pretty astonishing numbers. Where to watch this match in acceptable picture quality?

the youtube versions are ok to be going on... but I'm guessing you've seen those and find them dodgy?

Wow. Nice recap, Waspsting. I didn’t get to catch this match, unfortunately. By the sound of it, it’s probably a good thing that I missed it as a Mac fan. This looks like a pure unadulterated beatdown by Lendl.

He got it even worse in Canada final later in the year. First set of that one is actually scary (its nice that the first 'similar threads suggestion' is of that match)

What with the 2 tiebreaks, I didn't think this one was as bad as 'unadulterated beat-down' or what the numbers make it look
Lendl is very, very impressive

Still, I think watching it in real time, I'd have been wary that it'd mindful that it'd take just 1 game of missing passes for him to get broken. Could be as little as missing 2 passes in 3 points, or even missing 1 and Mac putting away a volley winner
Guy can zone and hit passing winners like they're putaway volleys but he still hasn't found a way to break in 2 sets. Wouldn't have expected him to be able to keep passing as he does

If your looking for a Mac win, he took the WCT Finals semi this same year. Quite a pinch job - Lendl's regularly in return games, Mac rarely, but Mac snags his chances and Lendl is kept one-step behind breaking over and over again. Couple of bad line calls help
Pretty spectacular blow-up by Lendl in that one too

I don't believe this one was on TV here in the US....I recall having high hopes for Mac...Lendl was coming off his peak (slightly). But "squashed" would be the right word here. I always thought Mac was nearly untouchable in tiebreaks....not so much here.

Practically speaking, I think this was his shot at winning another Slam post-'85, given how rest of tournament played out

Muster and Mecir next 2 rounds. I'd like Mac's chances against both

41 passing shots is pretty amazing over just 3 sets. Don\t recall ever watching this match.

Bonkers

I'm often critical of Lendl's passing choices but this is close to perfect

33 non-return winners, 18 errors would be an amazing yield in baseline rallies, let alone on the pass.
Even 18 Winners, 33 errors would be good yield for pass

Completely bonkers

 

[Moose Malloy]

Thanks @Waspsting, pretty astonishing numbers. Where to watch this match in acceptable picture quality?

some brief clips here, in great quality at 22 min mark. great doc. interesting to hear how the players hated the Nassau balls used at the AO in those years.

 

[WCT]

That was great. I didn't expect a documentary about Mcenroe from that tournament.

 

[dryeagle]

It’s hard to watch Mac or Connors vs Lendl in the second half of the 80s.

 

[jrepac]

It’s hard to watch Mac or Connors vs Lendl in the second half of the 80s.

there were a few good ones in there....and a few that made you just groan...

 

[Moose Malloy]

That was great. I didn't expect a documentary about Mcenroe from that tournament.

It really is quite remarkable the longevity that players from the 70s/80s have had in keeping enough public interest over the years that that they keep making documentaries, books, and even feature theatrical films.

However popular the big 3 are today, I have trouble believing there will be many docs made about them 40-50 years from now, like they keep doing with Ashe, King, Chris, Martina Connors, Mac, Borg, Becker(he got a 3 hour doc on Apple TV!), Vilas(he got a doc on Netflix!), etc. I wouldn't keep my fingers crossed on anyone doing a film on the Sampras-Agassi rivalry either.

 

[WCT]

It really is quite remarkable the longevity that players from the 70s/80s have had in keeping enough public interest over the years that that they keep making documentaries, books, and even feature theatrical films.

However popular the big 3 are today, I have trouble believing there will be many docs made about them 40-50 years from now, like they keep doing with Ashe, King, Chris, Martina Connors, Mac, Borg, Becker(he got a 3 hour doc on Apple TV!), Vilas(he got a doc on Netflix!), etc. I wouldn't keep my fingers crossed on anyone doing a film on the Sampras-Agassi rivalry either.

Can't say that I disagree with any of this. The one missing figure in the interviews is Pernfors. Well, Farrar is even bigger, but he's older. Perhaps age or condition was a factor or maybe they only did the interviews in Australia, Getting the umpire and referee was great.

 

[Mustard]

I think the big 3/4/5 will get big acclaim for decades too, especially so if following generations aren't as interesting. So many matches between them too.

In the open era, Lendl vs. McEnroe once had the male record of 36 completed matches. Nadal vs. Federer had 40 matches, Federer vs. Djokovic had 50 matches, and Nadal vs. Djokovic had 60 matches.

 

[medieval_remnant]

It’s hard to watch Mac or Connors vs Lendl in the second half of the 80s.

Do you think Mac was a part time player in the second half of the 80s? His movement was a atrocious

 

[jrepac]

Do you think Mac was a part time player in the second half of the 80s? His movement was a atrocious

well, he took that sabbatical, but played FT upon his return in mid '87....I didn't think his movement was awful, but he had bulked up a bit (deliberate strength training). Some felt it gave him more sting on the serve, but overall, to me he seemed a 1/2 step slower. So much of his game was based on closing to net QUICKLY, that it made a difference. I recall when he lost to Connors at the Canadian Open, I thought, this is not the same guy. He had not lost to Jimmy in years!

 

[jrepac]

well, he took that sabbatical, but played FT upon his return in mid '87

I think the big 3/4/5 will get big acclaim for decades too, especially so if following generations aren't as interesting. So many matches between them too.

In the open era, Lendl vs. McEnroe once had the male record of 36 completed matches. Nadal vs. Federer had 40 matches, Federer vs. Djokovic had 50 matches, and Nadal vs. Djokovic had 60 matches.

I agree. I think you will see stuff on the Big 3 in years to come. What they accomplished will not be seen again, at least not in my lifetime. My "Big 3" was always Connors, Mac and Borg, a fearsome threesome, no doubt. The big difference between the eras is that the tennis boom happened in the 70s lasting into the 80's, both in US and EU (thank you borg, steffi and boris for covering that side of the pond). But, by the time Andre and Sampras came on the scene, it was starting to fizzle. I think Andre helped keep US interest up a bit....more than otherwise. You can look at the Wimbledon viewership figures. which very much tell the story. Though '92 was also a high point, it appears. Unlikely you will ever see figures like in '80/81/22....crazy big #s...all Borg/Connors/Mac showdowns.

https://www.nielsen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/04/pr_wimbledon_thru07.pdf