Match Stats/Report - Muster vs Krickstein, Monte Carlo final, 1992

[Waspsting]

Thomas Muster beat Aaron Krickstein 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in the Monte Carlo final, 1992 on clay

It was Muster’s first title at the event, and he would go onto win in ‘95 and ‘96 also. It was Krickstein’s only Masters event final

Muster won 90 points, Krickstein 60

(Note: I’m missing serve direction and corresponding return data for 3 points
Points in question
- Set 1, Game 6, Point 2
- Set 1, Game 9, Point 10
- Set 3, Game 9, Point 5)

Serve Stats
Muster...
- 1st serve percentage (55/74) 74%
- 1st serve points won (36/55) 65%
- 2nd serve points won (15/19) 79%
- Aces 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (11/74) 15%

Krickstein...
- 1st serve percentage (43/76) 57%
- 1st serve points won (20/43) 47%
- 2nd serve points won (17/33) 52%
- Aces 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (8/76) 11%

Serve Patterns
Muster served...
- to FH 29%
- to BH 66%
- to Body 5%

Krickstein served...
- to FH 42%
- to BH 55%
- to Body 3%

Return Stats
Muster made...
- 68 (40 FH, 26 BH, 2 ??), including 10 runaround FHs
- 1 Winner (1 FH), a runaround FH
- 6 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (1 FH, 4 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 1 Forced (1 FH)
- Return Rate (68/76) 89%

Krickstein made...
- 63 (22 FH, 40 BH, 1 ??), including 4 runaround FHs
- 10 Errors, comprising...
- 9 Unforced (6 FH, 3 BH), including 3 runaround FHs
- 1 Forced (1 BH)
- Return Rate (63/74) 85%

Break Points
Muster 7/11 (7 games)
Krickstein 1/5 (3 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Muster 29 (15 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV, 7 OH)
Krickstein 13 (6 FH, 5 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)

Muster's - FHs - 2 cc (1 runaround return), 5 dtl, 3 dtl/inside-out, 4 inside-out (1 bad bounce related whiff), 1 drop shot
- BHs - 1 cc pass, 2 dtl (1 pass, 1 at net)

Krickstein's FHs - 1 cc, 2 dtl, 1 inside-in, 1 drop shot, 1 lob
- BHs - 3 dtl (2 passes - 1 slice that flicked net chord), 1 at net), 1 drop shot, 1 lob (sliced)

- the BHV was a lob from just behind service line but has been marked a net point

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Muster 39
- 32 Unforced (12 FH, 18 BH, 1 FHV, 1 OH)
- 7 Forced (2 FH, 4 BH, 1 OH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.8

Krickstein 50
- 36 Unforced (15 FH, 20 BH, 1 OH)... with 1 OH on the bounce from the baseline
- 14 Forced (7 FH, 6 BH, 1 Over-the-Shoulder)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45.8

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

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Muster was 21/30 (70%) at net, with...
- 1/1 forced back

Krickstein was 6/12 (50%) at net, with...
- 0/2 forced back/retreated

Match Report
Muster is pointedly aggressive with FH shot-making and net approaches in crushing an out-matched Krickstein. If the result isn’t surprising, Muster’s style of play is. He wouldn’t be playing this way in rampaging through the field on clay a few years later

Muster’s showing is as close to a typical, high end Gustavo Kuerten showing as his own.

Typical Muster showing would be a grind down, persistent power hitting off both sides, with FH seeing more action and Muster backing away to hit those occasionally. FH inside-out main weapon. All done with gusto and an animalistic vigour

Gusto and animalistic vigour are here, but the shot-making would be highly unusual for him in ‘95/’96. He regularly lashes FH dtl winners. Shot-making (just going for the shot from routine normal position) style, not point construction (working the court open to leave clear shot choice). Goes BH dtl aggressively too, but less often and is apt to mishit such balls

Not just dtl from side of court. There are 3 dtl/inside-out winners - adventurous shots from closer to center line, where cc would be normal shot choice (especially for percentage grinder like Muster is reputed to be), but he goes for and nails the winner in other direction. To go with 5 regular dtl winners

He’s got 15 FH winners (Krick has 13 total), 8 of them dtl based. That’s 0.6 FH winners per game
He’s got 29 winners total, which comes to 1.16 per game

Also, frequents the forecourt. 30 approaches from Muster. Usually power-hitting his way up, but rarely, just manufacturing an approach from neutral position

I haven’t seen Muster play this way. Its folly to draw conclusions from one match, but if this is an indicator of how he was playing around this period, then there were a lot of big changes from here to ‘95/96
Not that what made him so effective in those later years is absent. The vigorous, hard-hitting stuff is still there. And that alone would be enough to beat down Krickstein

Muster bludgeons groundies, Krick reacts. Doesn’t take long for Krick to be substantially reacting with his shots, and sometimes outright defending, with his shots getting softer as rally goes on, Muster’s corresponding harder (drop in Krick’s force triggering the change, not a rise in Muster’s)

Early on, Muster’s heavier with the top spin and ball bounces high. Krick struggles to hit high balls back with any authority. Seems to steel himself to do so, and when he hits back in such a way as to compete for advantage (as opposed to reactively), Muster responds with less top-spinny, more powerful hitting

And the shot-making. And the net play

Some oddities to Krick’s game. There’s not much discrepancy in strength of his groundies across wings, and in that light, he favours FH more than is justified. Players move-over to play FHs when its far stronger shot. Why waste energy moving around and compromise court position when FH is about same strength as BH?

Does it on the return too, where he takes to playing runaround FH returns against first serves

And he never looks to counter Muster’s OHs. Probably the best part of Muster’s net game is the back-pedalling OHs, which he plays well. But moving back and from well behind service line, good lof of them aren’t sure point-enders. But Krick literally stops playing as soon as Muster gets up for a smash - the sight seems to signal point over for him, though many of the smashes are worth defending against

You’d never see Michael Chang do this, but that’s not a good basis of comparison. Many players, especially clay courters, would keep their focus on during such situations. And what’s more odd is that lob is a favourite of Krick’s

Guy who loves to lob, but seems to concede the point as soon as OH is made… weird combo

Action & Stats
Both players serve gently, just start the point stuff. 14/16 combined return errors have been marked UEs

Krick playing spontaneous runaround FH returns to first serves tells you what you need to know about strength of serves. Not difficult, but unnecessary and not so easy (and Krick not good enough) to be clock-work easy. He’s got couple return errors trying. No real pressure on him to return strongly. Muster starts rallies power-hitting, not going for third ball winners

Gist of it is in high return rates - Muster 89%, Krick 85%. There are no double faults. Then they rally

Winners - Muster 29, Krick 13
Errors Forced - Musters 14, Krick 7
UEs - Muster 32, Krick 36

You blank out the names and look at these figures (throwing in net points of Muster 21/30, Krick 6/12) and you’d think this was a Guga showing, not Muster

 

[Waspsting]

It is a Muster base starting point for rallying, with fierce, powerful groundies that push Krick back and have him responding more feebly. Usual amount of back-away FHs - not too much, he’s not afraid to play BHs. Few attacking FH inside-outs thrown in. “Attacking” inside-outs, not kill shots, but his entire stock baseline game is pressuring, edging towards beat-down attacking

Then he lets loose with FH dtl winners both from corners or close to middle of court. Tries some of the BH, with less success (and power when he doesn’t miss the shots). Or hits his way to net to finish there

Krick’s beaten back, doesn’t seem to trust his BH and moves over to play FHs though that side isn’t any more strong. Plays a few drop shots. Doesn’t show interest in getting to net, but he’d have to be very proactive to do so, given how he’s beat back

Neutral UEs - Muster 13, Krick 21

Muster is still classically more consistent, but also, Krick’s UEs are tougher (drawn by more powerful shots). Muster could win this comfily just beating Krick down and bleeding errors out of him, in classic Muster fashion

There’s element of neutral cc rallies favouring the FH’er
Muster BH has 18 UEs, Krick FH 15. Not to discredit degree, but Muster’s BH isn’t overly secure and apt to miss routine ball in time

Krick’s BH is more error prone still. And faces fury of Muster’s rugged FH cc’s. And is least powerful shot on show. And ends with match high 20 UEs. Again, Muster could win this conventionally, by breaking down Krick’s BH

Outhit, Krick’s rarely in position to go on attack. Serve doesn’t draw weak returns and once rally begins, he’s either quickly relegated to counter-punching or strains to hold even in hitting, with his errors going up for the strain. Throws in a few good drop shots - he has a couple winners, plus a lob volley one from a drop shot play. Occasionally goes dtl adventurously (or desperately), almost always missing

Muster forcing more errors than Krick has winners another sign of Krick rarely being able to attack from back. And when he does, Muster’s masterful in the late ‘get’. He’s not super fast, but sliding and the ‘get’ shot technique are perfect

And then the highlights of Muster’s shot-making. If he looks to set up dtl plays with cc’s first, he doesn’t get the cc’s enough to drag Krick too wide. He does look to set up in this way by hitting harder, but Krick maintains good enough position, not far from center of court

5 dtl winners, 3 dtl/inside-out winners and that’s to say nothing of the 4 inside-out ones, from Muster’s FH. He’s also got 9 winner attempt UEs, 7 of which are groundies, virtually all FHs, most dtl based

Otherwise, Muster power hits his way to net. Krick likes to lob and he’s good at it. Got 2 winners + another virtual one with Muster just glancing the ball. Or has Muster back-pedalling for the smash

Good, back-pedalling OHs by Muster. He has 1 UE on the shot, which isn’t too easy, while the FE is a virtual winner for Krick. Otherwise, lots of good smashes against tricky OH. 7 winners on the smash to 4 on the volley. Their going for winners is helped by Krick’s earlier mentioned attitude to give up as soon as he sees an OH, whether the shot justifies it or not

One statistical oddity. Muster wins very high 79% second serve points (he wins 65% firsts). No reason for it. Small-ish sample size of 19 points, but that's not small either. Krick not messing up aggressive returns, rallies not different of nature than other points

Match Progression
Muster carves his way to net on very first point, only to miss an easy FHV. He dispatches a FH dtl winner later in the game, before missing 2 routine returns from deuce

First break comes in game 5, with Muster moving to 0-40 with 2 net points (OH winner and BH passing error) and another FH dtl winner. He grabs the third break point after Krickstein retreats from net and Muster seizes it before taking the point

Having been pushed around and all kinds of uncomfy against high ball, Krick makes concerted effort late in set to step in and hit harder. To extent of not hitting softly, but Muster remains harder hitter

Lovely, drop-shot Muster in and BH slice lob winner combo from Krick and he hits first ace of match to hold for 3-4. He’s got break point next game, with Muster missing aggressive dtl shots of both wings, but its erased with FH dtl winner from up the court. Good, tough rally point after, ending with a Muster FH cc winner. He adds a back-pedalling OH winner couple points later before Krick misses second return to end game

Its Krick’s turn to get into the winners game as he reels off 3 in a row (lob BHV from just behind service line, FHV and FH lob) next game. And loses the game anyway, with Muster thwarting game point by defending energetically before Krich misses FH cc to open court. Other good rallies in the fine game too, though it ends with Krick missing a routine third ball BH

Muster has to save 2 break points to start second set, making the third competitive and good quality game in a row (all of which he wins). There’s nothing competitive about game after, with Muster breaking to love, and Krick missing 2 third balls. On break point, Muster’s lobs forces Krick back and he can’t put his over-the-shoulder retrieval back in play. Curiously, Muster remains on the baseline as Krick’s running back to baseline in very bad situation

Krick wins his only game of the set to love with 4 winners, including an ace, a pass and couple of drop shot related points

His next service game is also to love, but a break with 3 winners in a row ending it (runaround FH cc return, BH dtl pass and FH dtl)

Shot of the match to start the next game, with Muster managing a BH cc passing winner from a hopeless position. Rattled and without many options Krick goes for and misses BH dtl winners as Muster finishes the set with hold to 30

A very high quality set from Muster

Final set is more grindy than earlier, though Muster continues hitting handsome FH winners adventurously. There’s more Muster defending out of corners than rest of match, and Krick grabs his only break. Muster though remains tougher, more consistent and on top to break 3 times

Summing up, very good and very interesting match from Thomas Muster. While every bit as tough and menacing with his powerful groundstrokes as he’s renowned for, he’s also extremely aggressive, with adventuous FH shot-making and powering his way to net to end points

Krickstein is overwhelmed. Even trading stock groundies, he has short end of stick, with Muster not only more consistent, but more fiercly hard hitting and Krickstein’s attempts to challenge for control of rallies beaten back. That alone would settle result, and fireworks of Muster’s shot-making adds lustre to inevitable result

It this match is anything to go on, Muster tempered his game to a higher percentage, less aggressive one in his more successful, future years

 

[BeatlesFan]

I never could stand Krickstein, but he sure aged well. He doesn't look 56.

 

[Vincent-C]

Great match report as usual, Waspsting- thank you!

Has anyone else noticed the similarities between Krickstein's FH and Lindsay Davenport's?

 

[Waspsting]

I never could stand Krickstein, but he sure aged well. He doesn't look 56.

Nothing to do with the match, but the looks of both players struck me

Krickstein's prettier than most of the girls on tour, but more than him, Muster.

He actually looks young. His face and skin aged disproportionately from here to 1995
I've always thought of him as one of those 'never looked young' guys - Martin, Courier are other examples

 

[BeatlesFan]

Krickstein's prettier than most of the girls on tour, but more than him, Muster.

For once I have to disagree with Waspsting. Krickstein was never, ever anything to look at. Arguably below average in looks. He looks better now in his 50's than he ever did in his prime.

Now Muster..... gorgeous when young!

Meh......

Wow!