Match Stats/Report - McEnroe vs Agassi, WCT Finals quarter-final, 1989

[Waspsting]

John McEnroe beat Andre Agassi 4-6, 3-0 retired in the WCT Finals quarter-final, 1989 on carpet in Dallas, USA

McEnroe would go onto win the title, beating Brad Gilbert in the final. This would be Agassi's only entry at the event. This would be the last edition of the event

McEnroe won 41 points, Agassi 37

McEnroe serve-volleyed off all but 2 first serves and about a third off the time off seconds

Serve Stats
McEnroe...
- 1st serve percentage (29/44) 66%
- 1st serve points won (25/29) 86%
- 2nd serve points won (4/15) 27%
- Aces 6
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (19/44) 43%

Agassi...
- 1st serve percentage (20/34) 59%
- 1st serve points won (13/20) 65%
- 2nd serve points won (9/14) 64%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (5/34) 15%

Serve Patterns
McEnroe served...
- to FH 31%
- to BH 64%
- to Body 5%

Agassi served...
- to FH 48%
- to BH 52%

Return Stats
McEnroe made...
- 28 (15 FH, 13 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 6 return-approaches
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 4 Errors, all unforced...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (28/33) 85%

Agassi made...
- 23 (11 FH, 12 BH), including 5 runaround FHs
- 3 Winners (3 BH)
- 13 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 11 Forced (5 FH, 6 BH)
- Return Rate (23/42) 55%

Break Points
McEnroe 1/1
Agassi 1/6 (3 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
McEnroe 10 (3 FH, 1 BH, 4 FHV, 2 BHV)
Agassi 12 (3 FH, 6 BH, 1 BHV, 2 OH)

McEnroe had 3 from serve-volley points - 1 first volley (1 BHV) & 2 second volleys (2 FHV)

- 1 from a return-approach point, a FHV

- FHs - 2 dtl (1 return), 1 inside-out
- BH pass - 1 cc

Agassi's FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 1 lob
- BH passes - 4 dtl (1 return), 2 inside-in returns

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
McEnroe 18
- 13 Unforced (4 FH, 7 BH, 2 FHV)
- 5 Forced (3 FH, 2 FHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 44.6

Agassi 11
- 3 Unforced (1 FH, 2 BH)
- 8 Forced (2 FH, 5 BH, 1 FHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 43.3

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

Net Points & Serve-Volley
McEnroe was...
- 25/36 (69%) at net, including...
- 19/25 (76%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 17/21 (81%) off 1st serve and...
- 2/4 (50%) off 2nd serve
---
- 2/6 (33%) return-approaching

Agassi was 6/8 (75%) at net

Match Report
Fun little truncated match. Agassi looks good to win, before quitting for unknown reasons. He’s thoroughly in control of the baseline and his return has McEnroe spooked. McEnroe places 2st serves well and volleys neatly. Court is quick

Not sure why Agassi retires
Seems completely fine in 1st set
Has a chat with Chair after getting broken for 0-2 in 2nd set. Not sure what he’s saying. The break game is normal enough, with a hint of Agassi playing quickly
Plays a very harried game after that, loses it to love
And that’s that
He’s got Mac not 1st serve-volleying in that last game for only time. 1st serve-volleying being the only thing of Mac’s that’s been effective

It’s a good match for long as it lasts

Good serve placement by Mac, Agassi wallop returns he can reach. He can’t reach many 1st serves from his on-baseline position and Mac gets 43% freebies
Nice, tricky volleying from Mac as he work volleys to corner against strong passes

Agassi with flourishing groundies, has his way from baseline - Mac lighter of shot, moved around, bossed about. Mac looks for ‘big’ FHs (by his standard), which aren’t actually that troubling, but BH finds itself on forefront and is outmatched. Push-slices BHs quite feebly and Agassi in cozy control, until BH gives up error. He’s fluently quick too, in contrast later years

Mac 1st serve-volleys off all but 2 1st serves (the last 2) and 4/9 2nd serves
Wins 81% 1st serve-volleying and 50% 2nd

43% freebies, healthy 6 aces or 21% of 1st serves, while serving at 66%
The price of Agassi’s on-baseline return position; wide stuff tends to be beat him. Nice spot serving from Mac at good in-count and it requires care. Agassi still has 3 return winners and anything else he can reach, he belts. High in count, with conservative placement would very likely lead to Agassi surging. Credit Mac for excellent balance of in count and quality of serves

His 2nd serve takes some stick. Enough to get him to stay back 9/13 times and double fault twice

Mac on the volley with 6 winners, 2 UEs, 2 FEs
Agassi on the pass with 4 winners (1 FH, 3 BH), 7 FEs (2 FH, 5 BH)

In typical Agassi fashion, returns he makes are testing simply on power grounds, Mac works the volleys to sides of court nicely
Not easy volleys for Mac, not easy passes for Agassi - a good tussle

Agassi with 3 additional return-pass winners. At 55% return rate, nominally not worth it, but making the returns he makes counts, it works for him
In all Mac wins 66% service points
43% of all his serve are unreturned
When the return is made or he double faults, wins just 10/25 or 40% of the points

Average serve from Agassi. 15% freebies and all Mac’s 4 return errors have been marked UEs. He does make a few tough returns. Mac also able to get off 6 return-approaches, though he can only win 2 such points. These are either chip-charges and odd very early smacked return-approaches

Average serve, steady returning with choice attacks. Mac potentially getting better of this mini-contest
He’s not getting the better of baseline rallies that follow; Agassi wins 65% 1st serve points, and 64% 2nds

In baseline rallies -
- Winners - Agassi 2, Mac 3
- Errors forced - Agassi 1
- UEs - Agassi 3, Mac 11

Surprising to see Mac with 3 winners. All the winners from both players are FHs. Mac looks for (relatively) big ones, and unusually swipes a couple of powerful FH inside-outs

Agassi though is very comfy keeping ball in play, especially FH cc’s. Mac’s BH is puny push-slices, he’s uncomfy against Agassi’s firm force (its not overly powerful) and gives up errors sooner or later
Mac’s BH has 7 UEs - more than double Agassi’s total. For that matter, the 4 FH UEs he has is more than Agassi’s total too

Simply, Agassi better baseliner, very comfy rallying, moving ball around. Mac uncomfy and just matter of time before gives up UE. Uncomfy enough that getting forward doesn’t suggest itself

Mac’s 4/5 rallying to net, Agassi 6/8
Mac takes his chances with pushed dtl shots. He doesn’t manufacture approaches from neutral position. Agassi could easily come in more after pushing Mac back, but little need for him too. Couple nice volleys from him

Match Progression
Agassi breaks to open the match. And dominates the set after that, though he can’t break

1st point of the match is 1st serve - bang, BH inside-in return pass winner
2nd point is another 1st serve - bang, FH return that may as well be a winner
Rest of match, Mac wins 25/27 1st serve points
But its too late for this game, and he’s broke to 15 with a double fault

Mac gets to deuce in his first return game, with Agassi making 2 ground UEs. So he has 1 more for rest of match. Couple of return UEs (1 first, 1 second) doesn’t help Mac and Agassi holds with aggressive baseline play on last 2 points

Very unusual, big FH inside-out winner from Mac in game 4, but he’s ground down from baseline in the game

Mac has to save 4 break points across 2 games that last 12 and 8 points
Getting good 1st serves in help him do that. Needs to pluck up a 1st 1/2volley on the most dangerous one, and stays close to net to snap away 2nd FHV winner to back it up

In between, Agassi holds to love, including striking pair of pass winners against chip-charges. The FH lob one is a fantastic shot, as he races forward to near service line to make it. Don’t think I’ve seen a clean lob winner from that far up the court - it sails high over Mac’s head and lands well inside

On the serve-out, Agassi looks to finish with a flourish by taking net and gets passed BH cc
Just comes in point after and dispatches smash winner; could probably do this from any baseline point if he wanted

What happens in 2nd set?

After Mac holds, Agassi’s broken. He’s playing a little quickly in the game and has a chat with the Chair at end of it

Plays a very harried, throwaway type game that he loses to love after that. Its an all 1st serve game and interestingly, Mac stays back off the last 2. Why change, when you’ve won 23/25 of the last 1st serve points serve-volleying and it’s the only thing that you’ve excelled at?

No matter - the 1st draws an aggressive return error, and Mac comes away with FH dtl winner point after
And that’s that. Agassi calls it a day

Summing up, fun little outing
McEnroe hitting his spots nicely with the first serve and working volleys wide the same. Strikes a good balance in making returns and attacking with the second shot too - though it doesn’t come to much. Some surprisingly big FHs, but his BH is puny and gets bullied

Agassi with an intimidating, booming return, though he stands so close that good placement beats him. Would not want to ease up on serve placement to him. Some great passes, and cozily in control of baseline rallies, with quick movement and flourishing, firm groundies that are too good for opponent

Pity match is cut short. As its played out, would expect Agassi to win full encounter

Stats for the final between McEnroe and Brad Gilbert - Match Stats/Report - McEnroe vs Gilbert, WCT Finals final, 1989 | Talk Tennis

 

[jrepac]

ah, WCT....those were the days. There had to be SOME reason why he quit mid-match, no?

 

[Judge Holden]

Interesting to see Agassi with double the backhand winner count vs. forehand when I got the sense his forehand was appreciably stronger at this stage of his career especially on outright pace. E.g. basically inverting that tally in his match vs Wilander at RG 1988 SF.

Some composite of: court speed not allowing as many run-around attempts, deuce side returns, McEnroe approaching off of backhands down the line/cross court forehands?

 

[Waspsting]

Interesting to see Agassi with double the backhand winner count vs. forehand when I got the sense his forehand was appreciably stronger at this stage of his career especially on outright pace. E.g. basically inverting that tally in his match vs Wilander at RG 1988 SF.

Some composite of: court speed not allowing as many run-around attempts, deuce side returns, McEnroe approaching off of backhands down the line/cross court forehands?

Just an oppurtunities thing

Agassi's winners
- FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 1 lob
- BH passes - 4 dtl (1 return), 2 inside-in returns

So 3 BH returns, with Mac serving there 64% of the time (and probably higher proportion than that when he's serve-volleying, where 2/3 returns are from

Agassi on the pass with 4 winners (1 FH, 3 BH), 7 FEs (2 FH, 5 BH)

Mac apparently volleying and approaching to the BH, which is standard procedure
Agassi does actually look to runaround for FH return and has 5 such returns, which is subtantial in such a short match

In baseline rallies, FHs easiest way for him to find Mac's BH, which he breaks down without much trouble. No need to go for winners

The Wilander '88 French match... lot more of the winners would be in baseline rallies (as opposed to passes)?
In baseline rallies, would be surprised to see Agassi with more BH than FH winners, which is where stronger side comes through
But when we're talking passes, proportion of winners by wing is often more an indicator of where the opponent is going to (presumably, which side he thinks is weaker) than which side is stronger

 

[buscemi]

ah, WCT....those were the days. There had to be SOME reason why he quit mid-match, no?

According to Agassi, "he aggravated a muscle pull on the upper portion of his left leg during the match."

 

[bigbadboaz]

his forehand was appreciably stronger at this stage of his career

Was this true, or more his mentality? He definitely favored the forehand - makes sense being the next big Boletteiri name after Arias - but did he actually improve the backhand over the first few years of his career or just embrace the idea of using it?

 

[Judge Holden]

Was this true, or more his mentality? He definitely favored the forehand - makes sense being the next big Boletteiri name after Arias - but did he actually improve the backhand over the first few years of his career or just embrace the idea of using it?

I think he did improve it, at least technically-speaking. The backswing got more compact and the follow-through became more seamless by losing the IMG hitch, and I think he took the ball even earlier. Watching these old matches [have probably seen more Agassi matches than any other player I didn't see during their career] I was noticing this by around 95 and the stroke was probably a bit cleaner than that by the 2000s.

The confidence boost/alteration in playstyle was probably more important to the shot though than those adjustments, though I think they helped at least a bit.

@Waspsting, what's your opinion on this?

 

[bigbadboaz]

IMG hitch?

 

[Judge Holden]

IMG hitch?

Pause at the end of the backswing and a lack of top-hand grip strength. Look at Courier for a great example of just general jerkiness beyond this specific hitch, Rublev as well for a textbook one [not IMG but he plays like this era of IMG player.] Early-career Agassi had a bit of it.

These backhands are all prone to being rushed while stationary/breaking down on the run -- if your backswing isn't in sync with the rest of the shot you have to get set up earlier.

 

[Waspsting]

I think he did improve it, at least technically-speaking. The backswing got more compact and the follow-through became more seamless by losing the IMG hitch, and I think he took the ball even earlier. Watching these old matches [have probably seen more Agassi matches than any other player I didn't see during their career] I was noticing this by around 95 and the stroke was probably a bit cleaner than that by the 2000s.

The confidence boost/alteration in playstyle was probably more important to the shot though than those adjustments, though I think they helped at least a bit.

@Waspsting, what's your opinion on this?

Both his shots got more compact over time. I'm not sure exactly when

In this match, its the FH that strikes me as being particulalry flourishy, or whatever the opposite of 'compact' is. The kind of shot you look at and think you could drive a train through that
In the Davis Cup match with Becker later in the year, he plays a number of BHs that look even more airy-fairy. Full open chested, golf shot like thing

Fast forward to '95, he's playing with minimal back swing and follow-through. The power seems to come from on the up taken, firm punch. not a big swing and follow through

He always had power off both sides. Commentators usually seem to signal out his BH more than his FH as better shot

In his younger days, he was naturally more free spirted. And a player with great shots off both wings whose free spirited will lead with FH more
Fast forward to the '00s. He's happy to play firm BH cc's til he gets an error. Hitting just well enough to keep opponent from attacking, not attacking himself and relying on being more consistent

In mid '90s, he was more apt to look to use BH cc to overpower, was quite willing to finish dtl or use power cc'ing to open court for more aggressive play (off either wing)

Lot of changes in Agassi's game through the years. The clean hitting remained a constant

Story from commentary in either '00 or '01 Wimby. McEnroe and someone else are in the booth
Mac mentions having played Agassi in 1986, Agassi's first year on tour
Other guy asks him do you remember what you said about his game after that match?
Mac says no
According to other guy, Mac came off court declaring this was the best FH he'd ever seen
(strangely, other guy telling the story gives it more credibility to me than if Mac had)

I think bigger change than improvements in his shots over the years was greater willingess to lead with BHs, rather than more chancey, aggressive FHs

In absolute terms, virtualy everyone has better FH than BH

In relative terms - how one's BH stacks up to opponents BH vs how ones FH stacks up to opponents FH - Agassi probably with better BH and it was a good shift to learn that and use it to best advantage

Borg and Lendl had reputations for best FH in the world
Both led with BHs at least as often as not, because that's where they had biggest relative advantage over their opponents. Especially Borg

 

[Judge Holden]

Fast forward to '95, he's playing with minimal back swing and follow-through. The power seems to come from on the up taken, firm punch. not a big swing and follow through

Keys to why he developed quite a good slice and continually improved his classical volleying to where it was solidly above average off of both wings -- those shots demand compactness and efficiency of motion to be effective.