Match Stats/Report - Moya vs Corretja, French Open final, 1998

[Waspsting]

Carlos Moya beat Alex Corretja 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 in the French Open final, 1998 on clay

This would be Moya’s only Slam title. Corretja would also lose the final in 2001 to Gustavo Kuerten. The two would meet again in the Year End Championship final at the end of the year, with Corretja coming back from 2 sets down to win

Moya won 107 points, Corretja 88

Serve Stats
Moya...
- 1st serve percentage (48/89) 54%
- 1st serve points won (36/48) 75%
- 2nd serve points won (23/41) 56%
- Aces 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/89) 24%

Corretja...
- 1st serve percentage (56/106) 53%
- 1st serve points won (36/56) 64%
- 2nd serve points won (22/50) 44%
- Aces 2 (1 not clean)
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (19/106) 18%

Serve Patterns
Moya served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 62%
- to Body 8%

Corretja served...
- to FH 23%
- to BH 76%
- to Body 1%

Return Stats
Moya made...
- 84 (43 FH, 41 BH), including 25 runaround FHs & 1 return-approach
- 2 Winners (2 FH), including 1 runaround FH
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 11 Unforced (8 FH, 3 BH), including 7 runaround FHs
- 6 Forced (5 FH, 1 BH)
- Return Rate (84/103) 82%

Corretja made...
- 68 (32 FH, 36 BH), including 10 runaround FHs
- 16 Errors, comprising...
- 9 Unforced (3 FH, 6 BH), including 1 return-approach attempt
- 7 Forced (3 FH, 4 BH)
- Return Rate (68/89) 76%

Break Points
Moya 6/18 (10 games)
Corretja 2/6 (4 games)

Winners (excluding serves, including returns)
Moya 29 (15 FH, 3 BH, 7 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)
Corretja 18 (8 FH, 5 BH, 1 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)

Moya's FHs - 3 cc (1 return), 1 dtl, 2 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl, 6 inside-in (1 runaround return), 2 drop shots
- BHs - 1 cc pass, 2 dtl (1 at net)

Corretja's FHs - 2 cc, 2 dtl (1 pass, 1 at net), 2 inside-out (1 pass at net), 1 inside-in, 1 net chord dribbler
- BHs - 1 cc pass, 2 dtl, 1 inside-out, 1 lob

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

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Moya 51
- 32 Unforced (19 FH, 11 BH, 2 BHV)
- 19 Forced (15 FH, 2 BH, 1 BH1/2V, 1 OH)... with 3 FH running-down-drop-shot at net & the OH was a flagrantly forced, baseline shot on bounce against an at net smash
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.3

Corretja 54
- 31 Unforced (12 FH, 16 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)... with 1 BH at net
- 23 Forced (10 FH, 10 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)... with 2 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.2

(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)

(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
Moya was ...
- 29/40 (73%) at net including...
- 1/3 (33%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 0/1 return-approaching

Corretja was...
- 13/24 (54%) at net including...
- 2/2 serve-volleying, both 1st serves
---
- 0/1 retreated

Match Report
Its FHs, FHs all the way for Moya in a classic style clay court match of muscling, top-spinny baseline action where his FH is the only shot bosses action and does significant damage. He also has stronger serve though that’s not decisively important

First serve in count is virtually equal (Moya 54%, Cor 53%)

First serve points won - Moya 75%, Cor 64%
Second serve points won - Moya 56%, Cor 44%

Big differences - and its almost all because of Moya’s FH

2 other big differences are in winners and net points

Winners - Moya 29, Cor 18
15 of Moya’s are FHs, so its role there is self-evident

Net points - Moya 29/40, Cor 13/24 (sans small serve-volleys, i.e. rallying to net, Moya 28/37, Cor 11/22)

That’s also all about the FH - its able to boss Cor back or aside to set up approaches (usually also being the hefty approach shot too). Cor has no corresponding way to create strong approaches, so comes in less and comes in off weaker shots

UEs and FEs are close - Moya with 1 more UE, Cor 3 more FEs. Moya’s FH has match high UEs and FEs, but the UE count is deceptive
Usually, pairing cc opposed shots gives best idea of how players’ shots stack up of consistency. Here UEs by wing -

- FH - Moya 19, Cor 12
- BH - Moya 11, Cor 16

… but this isn’t usual dynamics. Moya plays FHs at will, all the time, sweeping aside to hit FHs to balls directed to his BH. Basically, his FH takes up the role of stock BH as well as doing its own stock and attacking stuff. In that light, its almost more appropriate to compare Moya’s FH UEs to both of Cor’s shots because its Moya’s FH that’s up against Cor’s BH more often than BH vs BH

In that light, Moya’s FH still getting the better of consistency (while doing far more damage than both of Cor’s shots ), but his BH hasn’t done too well (given how infrequently its called upon), but he plays BHs so rarely that it doesn’t matter much

Neutral UEs are virtually equal - Moya 20, Cor 18, so no consistency compensation for not being damaging for Cor there

The only real chink in Moya’s FH is on the FE front where it has match high 15 (Cor has 10 of each wing, Moya’s BH has just 2). That seems logical - by moving around to take FHs in ad court, he leaves his FH side open and vulnerable to wide shots, but again, that’s not the reason

His FH FEs are mostly drawn by Cor’s wide FH cc shots amidst normal FH cc rallies. The back-away FH’ng isn’t behind it. Scope to do better here - on clay in particular, resistance to being forced into error is a important skill, and Moya’s FH isn’t top drawer on that front

Even on the return. Moya runsaround to hit FHs in both courts regularly. Small matter of 25 runaround FHs (and 7 errors trying) means he ends with 2 more FH returns than BHs (and 9 more FH errors) despite Cor serving 76% to BH

 

[Waspsting]

Corretja plays a stock clay court game. Muscling, top spinny shots off both sides. Might have been a good match of the grinding variety but for Moya’s matching him on the stock stuff - and going considerably over it in terms of controlling, commanding and attacking with the FH

While Cor plays orthodoxly, Moya’s always looking for FHs, regardless of where Cor hits. He plays FH cc’s in deuce court and sweeps aside silkily in ad court to play FHs. Goes inside-out or inside-in with equal facility doing the latter, both pressuringly-neutral (his FH is heavier ‘neutral’ shot than either Cor’s FH or BH), or attackingly

With error rates equal, net difference is made up by the damage Moya’s FH does - whether its hitting winners or setting up or/and making a strong approach he can finish behind

Inside-in is best point ending shot - he’s got 5 winners (not counting a return) to 3 inside-out based ones and he uses inside-in more often to attack than pressure. By contrast, plenty of FH inside-outs that simply challenges Cor’s BH to a grind

Cor simply doesn’t seem to have power to be damaging. One chance that’s there for him is when Moya hits runaround FH return in ad court, leaving whole court open. It doesn’t come along too readily because Moya often (though not always) hammers these returns so that Cor’s third ball shot is a reactive or defensive one, but there are chances to attack BH line against the less powerful ones. Cor doesn’t have the power to manage, though he tries some. Moya’s able to recover to middle of court and turn dynamics back to neutral with his first running shot

Wide FH cc + shot into open court is another possiblity for Cor to attack. The wide FH cc’s work to draw errors, but when it doesn’t, again, his lack of power to continue with the attack is on who. His next groundie is usually a neutral - and its back to square 1, grinding

Moya’s runaround FH returns in deuce court are neutral shots, though he top spins them in deep. Slight struggle for Cor dealing with the deeper ones here too

Finally, excellent volleying from Moya. He comes in off good approaches, but its still a task to get volleys through the clay. He does so well - against both high balls or angling volleys from slightly under net. He doesn’t take chances and plays volleys to a number of balls that are possibly going out on FHV side

Its overcast and breezy day. Breeze is strong enough for first set and half as to effect play. Both players have to adjust shots late during this period. For consistency’s sake, errors made in such situations have been marked UEs, but this does inflate the UE count and action is therefore at least a little better than numbers

Both players with low in count. Moya’s first serve is bigger. He’s got 5 aces from 48 first serves, to Cor’s 2 from 56 (1 of them not clean). Forced return errors also favour the winner (Moya drawing 7, Cor 6) in light of Cor having more first serves

Moya’s first serve also draws weaker returns, allowing him to start rallies from better positions than Cor’s does - and of course, he has the tool to make something of it that Cor doesn’t

0 double faults from Moya. Never a bad thing

Moya’s runaround returns also gives him an edge that Cor’s returns don’t. The ones in ad court are risky and he misses some, but harder hit ones keep Cor honest despite the open court. The ones in deuce court tend to be deep and heavily spun and Cor’s has to hop back to play them. Cor’s returns don’t trouble Moya much by contrast

Match Progression
There’s a healthy breeze blowing throughout first set, strong enough to affect play. Both players are a little off balance at times against near routine, slightly wide balls, with a hint of late adjustments to their shots. Nothing drastic, but its there

Moya has a decent serve that’s damaging, Cor’s is near harmless and he serves at particularly low percentage (12/28 or 43%). Moya runsaround to hit FH returns in both courts and moves over to play FHs in rallies whenever possible. He’s a bit vulnerable to wide FH cc’s, Cor is shakey against looped deep returns

There’s some sloppiness in baseline rallies and no great shot resistance either. Probably wind related. Both things get better from both players as match wears on and wind dies down to inconsequential later on

Moya breaks 3 times, Cor 1. Couple of FH point ending shots (inside-in winner and wide error forcing cc) from Moya and couple of FH UEs from Cor results in a break to open proceedings

Lovely BH lob winner by Cor awhile later, where he more hits the ball high in the air than with top spin to achieve goal of going over Moya. Moya survives 10 and 8 point holds to move to 4-2, saving a break point in the latter game with strong serves. And then breaks again in an error ridden game with Cor missing an easy FHV on break point

Cor breaks to love with Moya serving for the set - a lovely BH inside-out and a wide FH cc drawing an error being his positive contributions, but Moya breaks right after to end the set anyway in another error strewn game

Cor steps up a bit in second set, hitting a strong groundie early in rallies to ‘boss’ play a bit. Moya though doesn’t fade and is still more often than not in control. Moya takes to coming to net more to finish behind his bossy points. Cor also comes to net more, usually when his first serve (which he still has low in count of 20/45 on) gives him a little advantage. Gradually, Cor slips back from bossing, while Moya keeps it up

Tough 10 point hold, saving 3 break points to start the set by Moya. The two trade breaks to leave things at 2-2 - Cor breaking to 15 in an error strewn game, Moya hitting back in more power-based 10 point game that he finishes with a big runaround FH return to the baseline that forces an error

Moya takes charge after that and Cor’s last 3 service games last 12, 8 and 6 points - the last of them a break. Moya holds readily in between, losing 3 points for 4 holds. Quick approaches as much as strong FHs lie behind Moya’s holds (FH usually being the hefty approach shot, so its still front and center of action)

Wind is a non-factor by the third set, which is more of the same. Moya still stronger, and still utilizing net approaches in conjunction with commanding FH for success. Cor though does have a good in-count for first time at 24/33 but his serve doesn’t bother Moya as much as the few that landed in in second set

No break points faced by Moya and just he one deuce game. Cor meanwhile survives 12 and 10 point holds (saving 4 and 1 break points respectively), while being broken once in middle of set. Moya serves out to love. Corretja is quick to cross the net to congratulate him as he’s lying on the floor, and seems almost as happy as Moya is

Summing up, good strong showing from Moya, with his FH always in the thick of things. He moves around to play it as much as possible or as he likes, both to return and in rallies. While all other shots are about consistency and keeping errors down, Moya’s FH has an extra layer or two over them in its ability to command rallies or end them. He allies it smartly to coming to net to finish points too, where he volleys with certainty

Corretja looks to play a steady game and. he’s as good as Moya on that front, but has no offensive weapon to keep up with the Moya’s versatile and impressive FH play

@I get cramps

 

[I get cramps]

I greatly appreciate your thorough analysis, @Waspsting.

Moyà claims to have recently seen matches from 1995 to 96 where he sees himself doing crazy stuff.

S & V with his first and even second serves on red clay. When Carlos was first seen playing in Argentina, they called him a "different" Spanish tennis player (Buenos Aires, 1995).

When Carlos moved to Barcelona to train as a player, already at a relatively advanced age, he did not dare to go up to the net even to close points for fear of being passed. He was 17 years old. Before you knew it, he became a player who repeatedly went to the net after hitting his forehand.

Carlos asserts that in 2003, 04, and 2005, he displayed a higher level of skill than during his most successful period. But in 2004, he lacked the fearlessness [and in my opinion the speed] that we saw in him in the AO 97, when, according to him, he played following his tennis instinct.

He's not thinking or following a pattern when he beats Boris and Michael in that slam. He's all about causing as much damage as possible and hitting as many forehands as hard as possible. Carlos didn't play with that same abandon again.

Carlos moved to Barcelona in '93 or '94, and that's when he met and started playing with Corretja, Costa, Bruguera, and the whole crew. Alex (2 years older than the Mallorcan) remembers the first time he trained with Carlos and how he didn't want to close plays at the net. "No," Carlos said, "you hit too hard when I have to volley." Corretja forced him to do it.

Digression: Carlos confesses that with all the knowledge he has gained over the years, and mainly because of the time he has been Rafa's coach if the present Moyà could be his coach of himself in his early twenties, he would fistfight him day after day. While he acknowledges that Nadal's discipline is admirable, he believes that if his younger self had possessed the same level of discipline, he would have retired at 25.

Now, Alex asks Carlos (and he will confirm what you have written): "How did you play me to win our Roland Garros final? Besides, you obviously have more tennis talent than I do."

All the players in the tournament had started by attacking my backhand, and you, however, started the points by going for my forehand."

Carlos: For two straightforward reasons. I had my plan, but you beat me a lot of times too.

You have a better backhand than me. Plus, the more forehands I hit, the more forehands you'd plug in proportion to the number of shots you hit. And if we trade forehands, I'm more than happy to do it.

If I hit my runaround forehands and cross-court forehands, your DTL'ers will have to be very good to prevent me from continuing to hit forehands. And I felt that to achieve that I needed to start the points by making you hit a backhand.

Alex: I couldn't hit two forehands in a row; otherwise, you would crush me. Then, it was fundamental to me to extend you on your forehand side to switch to your backhand side and force you to hit your backhand, which was postural rigid.

I also tried to play you with the slice to your backhand because you were standing straight up, not bending down well.

Another thing was that you were serving well, with a high percentage of first serves, considering how well you were serving.

Carlos: I didn't want to play long points with you because you were in better physical condition than me.

Carlos asked Jose Higueras for help when his career was at an impasse, and they agreed to work together, but the relationship was short-lived. If my memory serves me correctly, that was in 2000-2001.

I don't know, as neither Carlos nor Jose said, which of the two concluded that the Spaniard, having balance problems between his forehand and backhand (to put it mildly), needed a much better backhand.

The relationship had two problems: Carlos's back was in severe pain, and Higueras had a commitment with the USTA from which he could not escape.

Carlos still wonders if he was right to spend so much time perfecting his backhand. He thinks it messed with his self-image as a tennis player.