Ivan Lendl beat Mats Wilander 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(3) in the French Open final, 1987 on clay
Lendl was the defending champion and this was his third and final French title. Wilander would go onto win his third the year after. This was the pair's 4th match at the venue, with Lendl having won in 1984 while Wilander had triumphed in 1982 and 1985
Lendl won 126 points, Wilander 115
(Note: I'm missing 3 games - 2 served by Wilander, 1 by Lendl. Lendl won two of those games - so broke serve at least once. Its likely that was the only break. A Wilander games cuts off at deuce, which he went onto hold, so at least 2 other points
Missing games - first three of second set and. Missing points of Game 1, Set 3 - point 7 onward
All missing games have been excluded from stats unless otherwise stated)
Serve Stats
Lendl...
- 1st serve percentage (60/124) 48%
- 1st serve points won (46/60) 77%
- 2nd serve points won (33/64) 52%
- Aces 7 (1 not clean), Service Winners 6
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (23/124) 19%
Wilander...
- 1st serve percentage (68/117) 58%
- 1st serve points won (42/68) 62%
- 2nd serve points won (28/49) 57%
- Aces 3, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (26/117) 22%
Serve Patterns
Lendl served...
- to FH 35%
- to BH 54%
- to Body 11%
Wilander served...
- to FH 58%
- to BH 33%
- to Body 8%
Return Stats
Lendl made...
- 88 (59 FH, 29 BH), including 4 runaround FHs & 6 return-approaches
- 5 Winners (5 FH)
- 22 Errors, comprising...
- 7 Unforced (7 FH)
- 15 Forced (7 FH, 8 BH)
- Return Rate (88/114) 77%
Wilander made...
- 100 (49 FH, 51 BH), including 13 runaround FHs & 1 return-approach
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 8 Forced (4 FH, 4 BH)
- Return Rate (100/123) 81%
Break Points
Lendl 6/9 (8 games)…. including a deduced { 1/1 (1 game)}
Wilander 4/10 (6 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Lendl 53 (21 FH, 8 BH, 11 FHV, 6 BHV, 7 OH)
Wilander 25 (3 FH, 9 BH, 1 FHV, 9 BHV, 3 OH)
Lendl's regular FHs - 3 cc (1 return), 3 dtl (2 returns), 7 inside-out (1 return), 1 inside-in, 1 dtl/inside-out and 1 at net
- FH passes - 3 cc (1 return), 1 inside-out and 1 lob
- regular BHs - 2 dtl, 1 running-down-drop shot dtl at net and 1 inside-out/dtl
- BH passes - 4 dtl
- 3 from serve-volley points - 2 first volley FHVs and 1 second volley OH
- 1 other FHV was from a return-approach point
- 2 other FHVs were drops, 3 were swinging (2 cc, 1 inside-out) and 1 net-to-net
- 1 OH was from the baseline
Wilander's FHs - 1 cc and 2 dtl passes
- regular BH - 1 dtl
- BH passes - 1 cc, 6 dtl and 1 inside-out
- 4 from serve-volley points -
- 3 first volleys (1 FHV, 2 BHV)
- 1 second volley (1 OH)
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Lendl 63
- 43 Unforced (21 FH, 21 BH, 1 BHV)
- 20 Forced (7 FH, 9 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.9
Wilander 47
- 23 Unforced (10 FH, 10 BH, 1 FHV, 2 OH)
- 24 Forced (7 FH, 10 BH, 5 FHV, 2 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.1
(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 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...
- 41/56 (73%) at net, including...
- 6/6 (100%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
--
- 3/6 (50%) return-approaching
- 1/1 forced back/retreated
Wilander was...
- 35/58 (60%) at net, including...
- 15/24 (63%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
--
- 0/1 return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back/retreated
Match Report
Excellent match and different from the pairs first two encounters at the venue. There's an element of attacker vs defender in this one - Lendl the attacker, Wilander the defender
Note both players having more winners than unforced errors in play (Lendl 53/43, Wilander 25/23)… very rare for a clay court match, where UEs tend to plentiful and winners relatively rare. Even in high quality encounters
Phase 1: Who-Blinks-First
First half of the first set is the feeling out phase and is typical of the match up. Arduously long rallies, based around BH crosscourt shots. 50 shot rallies are common. Wilander ends an 83 shot one with a BH dtl winner, but in this part of the match, most points end with an unforced error. And its usually Lendl who blinks - at 3-3 (1 break of serve each), he has 14 to Wilander's 6 (he relative frequency remains in tact throughout the match - at the end, Lendl has 43 and Wilander 23, but playing dynamics change)
Despite the typical, long, who-blinks-first dynamic at the start, both players are hitting their shots better than in previous years and with more variety. The foundation is still BH cc but there are frequent change-ups. One or the other hits at a smaller angle to the FH, FH crosscourts for a while, one or the other switches to FH inside-out to the others BH cc, odd BH longline switch ups and so on. Some slicing thrown in - particularly from Lendl, who both drive-slices as well as plays the normal slice - and relatively few moonballs
Watching the passive action and comparing it to the pairs exchanges in their '82 and '84 matches, it does seem that both players have improved with time. Comparatively, '82 was essentially moonbally with very few change ups and '84 was not as firm of shots or as varied
One change from those years though is that its quite clear who the more consistent player is: Wilander. He's just that much more secure in his shots
Phase 2: Lendl attacks, Wilander stays the same
Perhaps sensing this game wasn't going his way, Lendl switches to a more attacking method. He starts to look to dictate more with his FH and starts coming to net, where he volleys very well all match. Plus, his first serve percentage, which had been very low, picks up, allowing him to use the first delivery as a weapon
There are still occasional long rallies, but nothing like the first phase - or as often. Before the rally can go on too long, Lendl will attack. He breaks to go up 4-3 with serve volleys and net play but Wilander breaks back despite more attacking play. Lendl gains the decisive break by blasting a pair of return winners off second serves and taking the net to force passing errors
Lendl dominates the second set with his new strategy. Its not going well for Wilander, who initiates the last shift in the action
Phase 3: Lendl stays the same, Wilander attacks more
For the last two sets, Wilander plays more aggressively. He doesn't have Lendl's weapons though, and his capacity to expand is constrained compared to the champion's.
He send down harder and wider placed first serves. and starts approaching more himself. Finally, he starts serve-volleying quite regularly. He too becomes a bit more error prone, but just a bit - and retains the advantage in that area that he's enjoyed all match despite the more attacking game
Still, Lendl doesn't falter. He doesn't come in as much because Wilander's at net, but continues to bang down power serves and strong FHs. And some great passing shots. Wilander takes 3rd set with a late break in a game where he has 2 BHV winners and finishes with a great BH dtl passing winner after Lendl's approach had put him completely on defence
Play continues along these lines in the 4th. Players trade early breaks and match moves on with relatively comfortable holds thereafter. Wilander is serving bigger than he has at any point and serve-volleying all the time off first serves towards the end, and usually drawing return errors with the play
It takes him to the tiebreak, but there, Lendl is just too strong. Wilander had won 14/15 first serve points in the set - 9 of them serve-volleying and 2 with aces/service winners - but Lendl builds on winning opening point by taking both Wilander's first pair of service points. Wilander serve-volleys on both - the first he volleys to Lendl's BH (he was usually going BHV inside-out to open court, but would have been a difficult shot against this strong return) and its put away dtl for a winner, the second is a FH cc return pass. Lendl keeps his nose ahead for the rest of the set to take the match
Lendl was the defending champion and this was his third and final French title. Wilander would go onto win his third the year after. This was the pair's 4th match at the venue, with Lendl having won in 1984 while Wilander had triumphed in 1982 and 1985
Lendl won 126 points, Wilander 115
(Note: I'm missing 3 games - 2 served by Wilander, 1 by Lendl. Lendl won two of those games - so broke serve at least once. Its likely that was the only break. A Wilander games cuts off at deuce, which he went onto hold, so at least 2 other points
Missing games - first three of second set and. Missing points of Game 1, Set 3 - point 7 onward
All missing games have been excluded from stats unless otherwise stated)
Serve Stats
Lendl...
- 1st serve percentage (60/124) 48%
- 1st serve points won (46/60) 77%
- 2nd serve points won (33/64) 52%
- Aces 7 (1 not clean), Service Winners 6
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (23/124) 19%
Wilander...
- 1st serve percentage (68/117) 58%
- 1st serve points won (42/68) 62%
- 2nd serve points won (28/49) 57%
- Aces 3, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (26/117) 22%
Serve Patterns
Lendl served...
- to FH 35%
- to BH 54%
- to Body 11%
Wilander served...
- to FH 58%
- to BH 33%
- to Body 8%
Return Stats
Lendl made...
- 88 (59 FH, 29 BH), including 4 runaround FHs & 6 return-approaches
- 5 Winners (5 FH)
- 22 Errors, comprising...
- 7 Unforced (7 FH)
- 15 Forced (7 FH, 8 BH)
- Return Rate (88/114) 77%
Wilander made...
- 100 (49 FH, 51 BH), including 13 runaround FHs & 1 return-approach
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 8 Forced (4 FH, 4 BH)
- Return Rate (100/123) 81%
Break Points
Lendl 6/9 (8 games)…. including a deduced { 1/1 (1 game)}
Wilander 4/10 (6 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Lendl 53 (21 FH, 8 BH, 11 FHV, 6 BHV, 7 OH)
Wilander 25 (3 FH, 9 BH, 1 FHV, 9 BHV, 3 OH)
Lendl's regular FHs - 3 cc (1 return), 3 dtl (2 returns), 7 inside-out (1 return), 1 inside-in, 1 dtl/inside-out and 1 at net
- FH passes - 3 cc (1 return), 1 inside-out and 1 lob
- regular BHs - 2 dtl, 1 running-down-drop shot dtl at net and 1 inside-out/dtl
- BH passes - 4 dtl
- 3 from serve-volley points - 2 first volley FHVs and 1 second volley OH
- 1 other FHV was from a return-approach point
- 2 other FHVs were drops, 3 were swinging (2 cc, 1 inside-out) and 1 net-to-net
- 1 OH was from the baseline
Wilander's FHs - 1 cc and 2 dtl passes
- regular BH - 1 dtl
- BH passes - 1 cc, 6 dtl and 1 inside-out
- 4 from serve-volley points -
- 3 first volleys (1 FHV, 2 BHV)
- 1 second volley (1 OH)
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Lendl 63
- 43 Unforced (21 FH, 21 BH, 1 BHV)
- 20 Forced (7 FH, 9 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.9
Wilander 47
- 23 Unforced (10 FH, 10 BH, 1 FHV, 2 OH)
- 24 Forced (7 FH, 10 BH, 5 FHV, 2 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.1
(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 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...
- 41/56 (73%) at net, including...
- 6/6 (100%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
--
- 3/6 (50%) return-approaching
- 1/1 forced back/retreated
Wilander was...
- 35/58 (60%) at net, including...
- 15/24 (63%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
--
- 0/1 return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back/retreated
Match Report
Excellent match and different from the pairs first two encounters at the venue. There's an element of attacker vs defender in this one - Lendl the attacker, Wilander the defender
Note both players having more winners than unforced errors in play (Lendl 53/43, Wilander 25/23)… very rare for a clay court match, where UEs tend to plentiful and winners relatively rare. Even in high quality encounters
Phase 1: Who-Blinks-First
First half of the first set is the feeling out phase and is typical of the match up. Arduously long rallies, based around BH crosscourt shots. 50 shot rallies are common. Wilander ends an 83 shot one with a BH dtl winner, but in this part of the match, most points end with an unforced error. And its usually Lendl who blinks - at 3-3 (1 break of serve each), he has 14 to Wilander's 6 (he relative frequency remains in tact throughout the match - at the end, Lendl has 43 and Wilander 23, but playing dynamics change)
Despite the typical, long, who-blinks-first dynamic at the start, both players are hitting their shots better than in previous years and with more variety. The foundation is still BH cc but there are frequent change-ups. One or the other hits at a smaller angle to the FH, FH crosscourts for a while, one or the other switches to FH inside-out to the others BH cc, odd BH longline switch ups and so on. Some slicing thrown in - particularly from Lendl, who both drive-slices as well as plays the normal slice - and relatively few moonballs
Watching the passive action and comparing it to the pairs exchanges in their '82 and '84 matches, it does seem that both players have improved with time. Comparatively, '82 was essentially moonbally with very few change ups and '84 was not as firm of shots or as varied
One change from those years though is that its quite clear who the more consistent player is: Wilander. He's just that much more secure in his shots
Phase 2: Lendl attacks, Wilander stays the same
Perhaps sensing this game wasn't going his way, Lendl switches to a more attacking method. He starts to look to dictate more with his FH and starts coming to net, where he volleys very well all match. Plus, his first serve percentage, which had been very low, picks up, allowing him to use the first delivery as a weapon
There are still occasional long rallies, but nothing like the first phase - or as often. Before the rally can go on too long, Lendl will attack. He breaks to go up 4-3 with serve volleys and net play but Wilander breaks back despite more attacking play. Lendl gains the decisive break by blasting a pair of return winners off second serves and taking the net to force passing errors
Lendl dominates the second set with his new strategy. Its not going well for Wilander, who initiates the last shift in the action
Phase 3: Lendl stays the same, Wilander attacks more
For the last two sets, Wilander plays more aggressively. He doesn't have Lendl's weapons though, and his capacity to expand is constrained compared to the champion's.
He send down harder and wider placed first serves. and starts approaching more himself. Finally, he starts serve-volleying quite regularly. He too becomes a bit more error prone, but just a bit - and retains the advantage in that area that he's enjoyed all match despite the more attacking game
Still, Lendl doesn't falter. He doesn't come in as much because Wilander's at net, but continues to bang down power serves and strong FHs. And some great passing shots. Wilander takes 3rd set with a late break in a game where he has 2 BHV winners and finishes with a great BH dtl passing winner after Lendl's approach had put him completely on defence
Play continues along these lines in the 4th. Players trade early breaks and match moves on with relatively comfortable holds thereafter. Wilander is serving bigger than he has at any point and serve-volleying all the time off first serves towards the end, and usually drawing return errors with the play
It takes him to the tiebreak, but there, Lendl is just too strong. Wilander had won 14/15 first serve points in the set - 9 of them serve-volleying and 2 with aces/service winners - but Lendl builds on winning opening point by taking both Wilander's first pair of service points. Wilander serve-volleys on both - the first he volleys to Lendl's BH (he was usually going BHV inside-out to open court, but would have been a difficult shot against this strong return) and its put away dtl for a winner, the second is a FH cc return pass. Lendl keeps his nose ahead for the rest of the set to take the match
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