Pete Sampras beat Andre Agassi 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in the Wimbledon final, 1999 on grass
It was Sampras' 6th Wimbledon title and second time winning 3 in a row. Agassi had recently completed his career Grand Slam by winning the French Open, would go onto win the upcoming US Open and finish the year ranked number 1. Sampras had been year end number 1 for the previous 6 years
Sampras won 106 points, Agassi 85
Sampras serve-volleyed off all serves
Serve Stats
Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (55/93) 59%
- 1st serve points won (48/55) 87%
- 2nd serve points won (19/38) 50%
- Aces 17 (2 second serves), Service Winners 5
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (43/93) 46%
Agassi...
- 1st serve percentage (42/98) 43%
- 1st serve points won (31/42) 74%
- 2nd serve points won (28/56) 50%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (36/98) 37%
Serve Patterns
Sampras served...
- to FH 53%
- to BH 44%
- to Body 2%
Agassi served...
- to FH 35%
- to BH 62%
- to Body 3%
Return Stats
Sampras made...
- 56 (16 FH, 40 BH), including 4 return-approaches
- 4 Winners (3 FH, 1 BH)
- 31 Errors, comprising...
- 11 Unforced (2 FH, 9 BH)
- 20 Forced (13 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (56/92) 61%
Agassi made...
- 45 (21 FH, 24 BH), including 1 return-approach
- 4 Winners (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 21 Errors, all forced...
- 21 Forced (12 FH, 9 BH)
- Return Rate (45/88) 51%
Break Points
Sampras 3/9 (6 games)
Agassi 0/4 (2 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sampras 31 (8 FH, 5 BH, 9 FHV, 4 BHV, 5 OH)
Agassi 22 (9 FH, 7 BH, 1 FHV, 3 BHV, 2 OH)
Sampras had 18 from serve-volley points
- 8 first 'volleys' (4 FHV, 1 BHV, 3 FH at net)
- 10 second volleys (3 FHV, 3 BHV, 4 OH)... 1 BHV was a diving shot
- 2 from return-approach points - both FHVs
- FHs - 1 cc return, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out and 2 inside-in returns
- BHs - 3 cc (1 return) and 2 dtl (1 pass)
Agassi's regular FHs - 2 cc, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out and 1 net chord dribbler
- FH passes - 2 cc and 2 inside-out returns
- regular BH - 1 inside-out
- BH passes - 2 cc, 1 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out return and 1 inside-in return (that Sampras left)
- 1 from a serve-volley point, a second volley OH
- the FHV was played net-to-net
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sampras 22
- 11 Unforced (3 FH, 4 BH, 4 BHV)
- 11 Forced (1 FH, 2 BH, 4 FHV, 2 BHV, 2 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.1
Agassi 26
- 16 Unforced (9 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV)... the FHV was a non-net shot
- 10 Forced (5 FH, 5 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46
(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
Sampras was...
- 49/72 (68%) at net, including...
- 45/66 (68%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 28/35 (80%) off 1st serve and...
- 17/31 (55%) off 2nd serve
---
- 3/4 (75%) return-approaching
Agassi was...
- 11/12 (92%) at net, including...
- 3/4 (75%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 2/3 (67%) off 1st serve and...
- 1/1 off 2nd serve...
---
- 1/1 return-approaching
Match Report
Sampras covers almost all his bases and certainly the ones he absolutely needs to while Agassi serves not well in a convincing result
Look at Agassi's 43% first serve in count. And that's with an at best, above average first serve and decent second. Sampras by contrast serves at 59% while bombing down both serves and serve-volleying behind all of it. On strength of this alone, match seems heavily loaded against Agassi... its kept as close as it is (just 1 break per set) by patchy returning from Pete
Sampras starts match near serving 2 'first' serves. He has 2 double faults after his first 8 service points, but no more for the opening set while sending down 7 aces (and 1 service winner). It seems likely to shut down Agassi completely
It doesn't. When he can make the return, Agassi pounds it but Sampras proves equal to making low first volleys. And is fleet in covering net for second volleys. Still, Agassi makes his chances. He has an early break point on back of forcing a couple 'volley' errors (1 is a half-volley), which are power served away. Later, he reaches 0-40... same response from Pete
Bad game from Agassi to get broken - a third ball BH inside-out winner attempt error (his first service point in match had been a winner with same shot), a double fault and missing a deep-ish FH third ball sees him broken to 15. First point of the game though was a superb Pete BH cc winner from regulation position
Sampras breaks to love to start the second too. BH dtl winner and error forcingly wide and deep FH cc return are his major contributions. He also hangs in in a baseline rally to hit a deepish BH that Agassi nets and Agassi makes a hash of FHV winner attempt from no-man's land to open court on break point
Sampras wins 23/26 points from late in first set to early in second
Great diving BHV winner from Pete a bit later. Agassi does well to not go down 2 breaks when on break point, he manages to get a strong pass off to a deep and powerful BH return after its almost past him that forces volleying error. No problems on serve for Pete though and he continues to do so to see out set
More of the same in third, with Pete in a groove on serve. He eases back a bit on attacking returning, still having chances on back of Agassi errors. The break comes late in the set and is particularly poor from Agassi - 3 regulation third ball misses (all at least attacking shots) and a double fault. And Sampras serves out match, finishing with 2 aces - the one on match point a second serve
It was Sampras' 6th Wimbledon title and second time winning 3 in a row. Agassi had recently completed his career Grand Slam by winning the French Open, would go onto win the upcoming US Open and finish the year ranked number 1. Sampras had been year end number 1 for the previous 6 years
Sampras won 106 points, Agassi 85
Sampras serve-volleyed off all serves
Serve Stats
Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (55/93) 59%
- 1st serve points won (48/55) 87%
- 2nd serve points won (19/38) 50%
- Aces 17 (2 second serves), Service Winners 5
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (43/93) 46%
Agassi...
- 1st serve percentage (42/98) 43%
- 1st serve points won (31/42) 74%
- 2nd serve points won (28/56) 50%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (36/98) 37%
Serve Patterns
Sampras served...
- to FH 53%
- to BH 44%
- to Body 2%
Agassi served...
- to FH 35%
- to BH 62%
- to Body 3%
Return Stats
Sampras made...
- 56 (16 FH, 40 BH), including 4 return-approaches
- 4 Winners (3 FH, 1 BH)
- 31 Errors, comprising...
- 11 Unforced (2 FH, 9 BH)
- 20 Forced (13 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (56/92) 61%
Agassi made...
- 45 (21 FH, 24 BH), including 1 return-approach
- 4 Winners (2 FH, 2 BH)
- 21 Errors, all forced...
- 21 Forced (12 FH, 9 BH)
- Return Rate (45/88) 51%
Break Points
Sampras 3/9 (6 games)
Agassi 0/4 (2 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sampras 31 (8 FH, 5 BH, 9 FHV, 4 BHV, 5 OH)
Agassi 22 (9 FH, 7 BH, 1 FHV, 3 BHV, 2 OH)
Sampras had 18 from serve-volley points
- 8 first 'volleys' (4 FHV, 1 BHV, 3 FH at net)
- 10 second volleys (3 FHV, 3 BHV, 4 OH)... 1 BHV was a diving shot
- 2 from return-approach points - both FHVs
- FHs - 1 cc return, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out and 2 inside-in returns
- BHs - 3 cc (1 return) and 2 dtl (1 pass)
Agassi's regular FHs - 2 cc, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out and 1 net chord dribbler
- FH passes - 2 cc and 2 inside-out returns
- regular BH - 1 inside-out
- BH passes - 2 cc, 1 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out return and 1 inside-in return (that Sampras left)
- 1 from a serve-volley point, a second volley OH
- the FHV was played net-to-net
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sampras 22
- 11 Unforced (3 FH, 4 BH, 4 BHV)
- 11 Forced (1 FH, 2 BH, 4 FHV, 2 BHV, 2 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.1
Agassi 26
- 16 Unforced (9 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV)... the FHV was a non-net shot
- 10 Forced (5 FH, 5 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46
(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
Sampras was...
- 49/72 (68%) at net, including...
- 45/66 (68%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 28/35 (80%) off 1st serve and...
- 17/31 (55%) off 2nd serve
---
- 3/4 (75%) return-approaching
Agassi was...
- 11/12 (92%) at net, including...
- 3/4 (75%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 2/3 (67%) off 1st serve and...
- 1/1 off 2nd serve...
---
- 1/1 return-approaching
Match Report
Sampras covers almost all his bases and certainly the ones he absolutely needs to while Agassi serves not well in a convincing result
Look at Agassi's 43% first serve in count. And that's with an at best, above average first serve and decent second. Sampras by contrast serves at 59% while bombing down both serves and serve-volleying behind all of it. On strength of this alone, match seems heavily loaded against Agassi... its kept as close as it is (just 1 break per set) by patchy returning from Pete
Sampras starts match near serving 2 'first' serves. He has 2 double faults after his first 8 service points, but no more for the opening set while sending down 7 aces (and 1 service winner). It seems likely to shut down Agassi completely
It doesn't. When he can make the return, Agassi pounds it but Sampras proves equal to making low first volleys. And is fleet in covering net for second volleys. Still, Agassi makes his chances. He has an early break point on back of forcing a couple 'volley' errors (1 is a half-volley), which are power served away. Later, he reaches 0-40... same response from Pete
Bad game from Agassi to get broken - a third ball BH inside-out winner attempt error (his first service point in match had been a winner with same shot), a double fault and missing a deep-ish FH third ball sees him broken to 15. First point of the game though was a superb Pete BH cc winner from regulation position
Sampras breaks to love to start the second too. BH dtl winner and error forcingly wide and deep FH cc return are his major contributions. He also hangs in in a baseline rally to hit a deepish BH that Agassi nets and Agassi makes a hash of FHV winner attempt from no-man's land to open court on break point
Sampras wins 23/26 points from late in first set to early in second
Great diving BHV winner from Pete a bit later. Agassi does well to not go down 2 breaks when on break point, he manages to get a strong pass off to a deep and powerful BH return after its almost past him that forces volleying error. No problems on serve for Pete though and he continues to do so to see out set
More of the same in third, with Pete in a groove on serve. He eases back a bit on attacking returning, still having chances on back of Agassi errors. The break comes late in the set and is particularly poor from Agassi - 3 regulation third ball misses (all at least attacking shots) and a double fault. And Sampras serves out match, finishing with 2 aces - the one on match point a second serve
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