Match Stats/Report - Norrie vs Basilashvili, Indian Wells final, 2021

[Waspsting]

Cameron Norrie beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the Indian Wells final, 2021 on hard court

To date, this is the sole Masters final for both players

Norrie won 79 points, Basilashvili 67

Serve Stats
Norrie...
- 1st serve percentage (43/72) 60%
- 1st serve points won (33/43) 77%
- 2nd serve points won (14/29) 48%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (18/72) 25%

Basilashvili...
- 1st serve percentage (45/74) 61%
- 1st serve points won (25/45) 56%
- 2nd serve points won (17/29) 59%
- Aces 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (5/74) 7%

Serve Patterns
Norrie served...
- to FH 23%
- to BH 76%
- to Body 1%

Basilashvili served...
- to FH 24%
- to BH 72%
- to Body 4%

Return Stats
Norrie made...
- 69 (29 FH, 40 BH), including 10 runaround FHs
- 3 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH)
- 1 Forced (1 BH)
- Return Rate (69/74) 93%

Basilashvili made...
- 52 (22 FH, 30 BH), including 7 runaround FHs
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 12 Unforced (1 FH, 11 BH)
- 5 Forced (5 BH)
- Return Rate (52/70) 74%

Break Points
Norrie 5/8 (7 games)
Basilashvili 3/6 (4 games)

Winners (excluding serves, including returns)
Norrie 7 (3 FH, 1 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Basilashvili 24 (15 FH, 7 BH, 2 BHV)

Norrie's FHs - 1 dtl, 2 drop shots (1 unintentional)
- BH pass- 1 dtl

Basilashvili's FHs - 3 cc, 1 cc/inside-in, 3 dtl/inside-out, 4 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl, 2 longline, 1 longline/inside-out
- BHs - 4 cc, 3 dtl (1 pass)

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Norrie 36
- 26 Unforced (14 FH, 11 BH, 1 BHV)
- 10 Forced (3 FH, 7 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 43.5

Basilashvili 54
- 53 Unforced (36 FH, 16 BH, 1 FHV)... the FHV was a swinging, non-net shot
- 1 Forced (1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.2

(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
Norrie was 3/5 (60%) at net

Basilashvili was 4/7 (57%) at net, with...
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Match of fluctuating fortunes, with Norrie eventually blunting and frustrating Basilashvili to gain the win on a slow court

Eye stealing key to result is Basil’s FH - which has match high 15 winners (all other shots put together have 16) and 36 UEs (all other shots, 43 and next highest his BH with 16). Effective change in Norrie’s play triggers the shift from nailing winners to spraying errors

Quiet, background key is Norrie with 93% return rate (Basil has 74%). Off the top of the my head, can’t think of anyone with that high a rate on a hard court. Rafael Nadal in his very best performances against weak servers on clay might hit that level, and a few others in previous eras on the slowest of clay against the weakest of servers have higher

Near unique stat is Basil’s error breakdown of 53 UEs, 1 FE (and the FE is a volley, only 1 UE is).

There’s a tiny of number of very short matches where player has no FEs (finals of ‘17 Halle and ‘22 Cincy), but not while making 54 errors. Better way of expressing it is Norrie forcing just 1 error in the match. He’s got 7 winners and total 7 aggressive UEs (attacking or winner attempt). Of course, not aggressive, but wouldn’t expect him to go whole match forcing literally next to 0 errors

That stat tells half the story of Norrie’s showing. Passively keeping ball in play, certainly not aggressive. When he comes out with a FH dtl winner from normal rally, comes as a jarring surprise (same when he misses such a shot)

Other half relates to quality of his showing, which with his style, pertains to consistency and defence. Defence is decent, not overly tested. Consistency varies - never sloppy but often not a wall either, and at his best, pretty wall-like

And smart. Highlight reel of match centers on Basil dispatching FHs to the ad court from the center of the court. Sort of inside-out, but not really. He’s been marked with 4 inside-out winners, 1 inside-out/dtl, 3 dtl/inside-out, 2 longline, 1 longline/inside-out. Put it all under the umbrella of “… from center of court to the ad court”, with emphasis on “from center of court”

Rallies of the lefty Norrie playing blunt angled BH cc’s to center of court, and the right-handed Basil playing them back to him, until he chooses to dispatch ball other way for winner. Norrie picks up on it and adjusts by hitting wider BH cc’s. Not attackingly wide, but enough to push Norrie to center of ad court (as opposed to hovering on its left side at widest and more often, in center of the full court)

From that position, Basil’s point ending FH becomes textbook dtl. And he’s nowhere near as good pulling that trigger as he is the angled, inside-out’ish shots from center of court. Good move from Norrie

First serve in - Norrie 60%, Basil 61%
First serve won - Norrie 77%, Basil 56%
Second serve won - Norrie 48%, Basil 59%

Average serves from both players, but there is a difference between first and second serves for both too

Basil with virtually equal points across his 2 serves is about Norrie’s uber consistent returning, effectively turning Basil into a 2 “1.5 serves” server. He doesn’t return with heat, but also doesn’t return weakly. Negligible, soft half-track returns to be dismissed at once and would take pointed intent for Basil to go for point ending shots off the third ball

At 93% return rate, that’s great returning.
Just 3 return errors from Norrie. The only FE is in the first game of match and other 2 come in back to back points. Couple of aces from Basil, and no double faults

Norrie with a normal gap of points won across his 2 serves. That’d be his 25% unreturned rate at work.

Average first serve, just 1 ace. 12/17 Basil’s return errors have been marked UEs. Moderate paced serves in reach or coverable by a step type stuff. Few misses against such stuff is normal and 25% freebies isn’t much to be giving up, and unlike Norrie, Basil does smack a few damaging, potentially point ending returns back deep

In absolute sense, giving up 25% freebies, with normal number of strong ones is a decent job
When opponent gives up 7%, without leaving easy initiative, its relative loss
Norrie’s return the star of the serve-return contest and very good job by him

Then they rally, and...

 

[Waspsting]

Winners - Norrie 7, Basil 24
Errors forced - Norrie 1, Basil 10
UEs - Norrie 26, Basil 53

Clear cut, match is on Basil’s racquet figures
Quality in Norrie’s brand of passive, counter-punching tennis centers of consistency and when required, defence

Clearly, he has relative consistency advantage. In absolute sense, his quality varies. By end, he’s close to being a wall. Earlier, he’s not too reliable from the back either. Defensively, a little slow at times and not with best shot-tolerance

Neutral UEs - Norrie 19, Basil 30
Good start, from Norrie’s point of view. Given styles of play, not too a bad one for Basil either, who’d look to make up the slack attacking. Some element, but not much of Basil’s UEs edging towards bossy, or looking to command (as opposed to grey neutral of just keeping ball in play) and equal amount of Norrie lightly pressured into his lot of UEs

Rallies tend to be long. Some of the errors that end them are soft from both players. Routine neutral rally and then someone just nets a ball

Attacking UEs - Norrie 5, Basil 13
Errors forced - Norrie 1, Basil 10
As Norrie rarely attacks and his attacks are mild (stuff like moving Basil to other side, more likely to not draw an error than otherwise), not too important for him. His game is about keeping his errors down and giving Basil room to miss. Basil not doing well here. He nails winners from normal positions, but doesn’t set them up or work Norrie over much

Basil’s attacks is largely hitting harder, a little deeper (or not), maybe mildly going a bit wide. Nothing too taxing to handle. Norrie’s FEs tend to be on mild side too

Winners - Norrie 7, Basil 24
Winner attempt UEs - Norrie 2, Basil 10
Again, for Norrie, not important. Of his 7 winners, 3 are net shots, 1 is (fantastic) pass, 1 is a fluke (a defensive get that ends up being a drop shot), 1 is a putaway ball set up by serve
Leaving 1, bona fida, baseline to baseline winner, a FH dtl. One of his misses is that too - and the shot choice stands out like a sore thumb

Basil’s not doing badly. Especially given he goes for winners from normal positions. Also, his UEs are concentrated at the end when he’s frustrated and worn down (his so being sign of success of Norrie’s game)

More deserving of criticism is this inability to attack FH dtl. Does very nicely dismissing FHs from middle of court to ad court, but when pushed a little wider into ad court himself, doesn’t fancy taking on FH dtl and switches to attempts to overpower with FH cc (which is thwarted)

If its smart by Norrie to change things up by playing wider BHs to take Basil away from middle of court where he seems so comfy, it isn’t a move that one would expect to shut-down a player whose FH shot making from center has been so good. Yet it does. Basil not so hot with the FH dtl, not even trying it out much

UEs paired by cc rallies -
- Basil FH 36, Norrie BH 11
- Norrie FH 14, Norrie BH 16

Majority of rallies are Basil FH - Norrie BH, as Basil would probably prefer. Norrie with a stilted looking, straight elbowed 2-handed BH. Blunt angled cc to middle of court or normal angled to deuce court. Near 0 offence off that wing. Its done its job by staying steady and has had to deal with greater power of Basil’s FH

On the other diagonal, Norrie does mildly attack. Lots of spin to his shots, he changes up longline and does move Basil around some. Norrie’s BH not always comfy against the spin, but upto hitting back with force. In due time, probably related to getting a frustrated, Norrie lashes out aggressively with BH too. He’s go 5 cc winner and 2 dtl, with a few aggressive errors thrown in

With errors close, overall offence close (Norrie moderately, Basil when he lets go quite strong), things pretty even on that rally. It’s the other one where Norrie wins

Negligible net play - Norrie’s 3/5, Basil 4/7 in forecourt
Too little to gauge either players volleying. Both look comfy enough up front. Taking net to to attack when back court offence isn’t working too well and against opponent who seems to have no interest in going for shots from the back seems obvious move for Basil
Either it doesn’t occur to him or he’s no net player

Match Progression
Feeling out phase at start of match. Normal rallies ending with blinked up errors. 2 players have shared 13 UEs before Basil strikes first winner of the match, 21 points into it
Norrie’s already up a break by then, having drawn 4 FH UEs (edg’ily neutral or mildly attacking ones) in game 3, but Basil being done with feeling out changes things

From 1-3 down, Basil wins 5 games to take the set, with FH aggression putting him over as he evens out error contest

One of Norrie’s best service games to start the second set (draws 3 return FEs), and Basil answers with a 4 winners, love hold (third ball FH inside-out from center, BH cc from routine position, FH longline/inside-out and BHV) before breaking again to move ahead 2-1

Norrie’s defensive get to a powerful FH inside-out doubles as a perfect (unintentional) drop shot winner and he tries to liven up action, probably realing that Basil’s aggression is taking match away from him. It gets him broken, by among other things, a third ball FH dtl UE and a not-easy BHV one that gets low-ish but he has well covered on break point

6-3, 2-1 with a break up, points won read 35-24 in Basil’s favour
Rest of match, Norrie wins 11/15 games and leads points won 55-32

Norrie’s consistency goes up and he becomes very steady counter-punching and taking in the tail-up Basil’s now stronger hitting. And he plays wider BH cc’s, taking away the FH dtl/inside-out’ish winners Basil had been dispatching. Basil responds with attempts at beat-down FH cc’s instead, and Norrie blunts the move with his steadiness

Norrie breaks back at once to 30, again drawing 4 FH UEs, with Basil getting a little overconfident with the shot-making
Basil’s remaining service games for the set last 8 points (1 break point), 8 points and getting broken to love to end the set

Just changing dynamics accounting for the shift in momentum but the break is rare beauty from Norrie
For starters, he’d wrapped up his last hold to reach 5-4 with a nice, if easy, third ball FH drop shot winner. For him, rare

Breaks with some style. Drop shots Basil in, lobs him back, takes net himself and very neatly flicks off a low FHV winner to start, hitting a stunning, unlikely running BH dtl pass winner against a powerful FH cc approach to carry one. Basil misses a there-for-the-shot third ball FH winner attempt to fall to 0-40 and misses the kind of FH kill shot from middle of court he’d been making regularly earlier in match to finish

Norrie keeps up the steady in deciding set and Basil grows more frustrated as it goes on, especially after failing to break back near start

Norrie breaks for 2-0 early lead. Lovely rally to start the match, with Basil moving Norrie about, but Norrie unflinchingly responding. Finally, Basil carves a drop shot to bring Norrie in and swats a BH dtl pass by for winner. There’s some frustration in the shot itself
The frustration grows and he misses aggressive shots off the ground to lose last 3 points, with the last being cavalier BH dtl winner attempt

Ironically, he nails the same shot for winner to start the next game and advances to 0-40
Powerful return to baseline doesn’t finish Norrie off, and Bas misses his attacking FH inside-out to follow it to take care of first break point
Long rallies develop on next 2, with Norrie blunting Bas, who finally misses FH winner attempts (cc and dtl) to lose both points. Its losing this game that seems to send him into reckless

Basil wins only game of the set after saving break point to get on board. Norrie with a surprise FH dtl winner from normal position in middle of the game and Basil takes last 3 points with winners (BHV set up by series of FHs, BH cc and FH cc). He’s looking to blast point ending BHs by this stage

Norrie wins last 3 games, with Basil giving up aggressive ground UEs, with Norrie walled up. Bsil does dispatch one last FH inside-out/dtl winner from middle of court in penultimate game. It acts as a reminder of how regularly he’d scored with such shots earlier in the match. He gets broken with a careless, swinging FHV miss from no-man’s land after Norrie had prolonged another attack

Norrie serves out to 15, in an all UE game. Fittingly, the last 4 in a row from Basil - the last 3 FHs

Summing up, low-ish quality but interesting match
On the positives, Norrie’s returning consistency is near perfect. Takes him awhile to get into groove, but he’s impressively steady from the back when he gets there
Basilashvili FH shotmaking from middle of baseline dominates highlights reel and some good stuff there. Its thwarted by simply moving him slightly wider and he doesn’t have much of a second attacking move when taken away his happy spot, and is left frustrated and worn down by Norrie’s steady ground game