Match Stats/Report - Sampras vs Bjorkman, Paris final, 1997

[Waspsting]

Pete Sampras beat Jonas Bjorkman 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the Paris final, 1997 on carpet

It was Sampras’ second and last title at the event and he would go onto win the Year End Championship shortly after. It would turn out to be Bjorkman’s sole Masters final

Sampras won 123 points, Bjorkman 100

Sampras serve-volleyed off all but 2 first serves, Bjorkman the majority of first serves

Serve Stats
Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (76/120) 63%
- 1st serve points won (57/76) 75%
- 2nd serve points won (22/44) 50%
- Aces 12 (1 not clean), Service Winners 4
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (39/120) 33%

Bjorkman...
- 1st serve percentage (50/103) 49%
- 1st serve points won (36/50) 72%
- 2nd serve points won (23/53) 43%
- Aces 5
- Double Faults 7
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (22/103) 21%

Serve Patterns
Sampras served...
- to FH 50%
- to BH 38%
- to Body 12%

Bjorkman served....
- to FH 29%
- to BH 67%
- to Body 4%

Return Stats
Sampras made...
- 74 (20 FH, 54 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 5 return-approaches
- 17 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (4 FH, 4 BH), including 3 return-approach attempts
- 9 Forced (2 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (74/96) 77%

Bjorkman made...
- 78 (40 FH, 38 BH), including 1 runaround BH & 5 return-approaches
- 7 Winners (2 FH, 5 BH)
- 23 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (3 FH, 1 BH)
- 19 Forced (12 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (78/117) 67%

Break Points
Sampras 6/12 (7 games)
Bjorkman 2/12 (5 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sampras 24 (4 FH, 5 BH, 6 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 BH1/2V, 2 OH)
Bjorkman 32 (7 FH, 11 BH, 7 FHV, 7 BHV)

Sampras had 11 from serve-volley points
- 8 first 'volleys' (2 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 BH1/2V, 2 OH)... 1 FHV was a net chord dribbler
- 3 second volleys (2 FHV, 1 BHV)

- 1 from a return-approach point, a BHV

- 1 other FHV was a swinging shot

- 5 passes (2 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV)
- FHs - 1 cc and 1 lob
- BHs - 1 cc and 1 dtl
- FHV - a swinging shot

- regular FHs - 2 inside-out
- regular BHs - 2 dtl

Bjorkman had 10 from serve-volley points
- 7 first volleys (2 FHV, 5 BHV)
- 3 second volleys (2 FHV, 1 BHV)

- 1 from a return-approach point, a BHV

- 11 passes (6 FH, 5 BH) - 4 returns (2 FH, 2 BH) & 7 regular (4 FH, 3 BH)
- FH returns - 1 dtl and 1 inside-out
- BH returns - 1 inside-out and 1 inside-in
- regular FHs - 1 cc and 3 dtl
- regular BHs - 2 cc (1 at net) and 1 dtl at net

- regular (non-pass) FH - 1 cc at net
- regular BH - 1 cc, 3 dtl (2 returns), 1 inside-in return and 1 net chord dribbler

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sampras 43
- 24 Unforced (9 FH, 11 BH, 3 FHV, 1 BHV)... with 1 FH pass attempt & 1 BH pass attempt
- 19 Forced (8 FH, 4 BH, 3 FHV, 1 BHV, 2 BH1/2V, 1 OH)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net & 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7

Bjorkman 53
- 23 Unforced (7 FH, 13 BH, 3 BHV)
- 30 Forced (8 FH, 16 BH, 3 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)... with 1 FH running-down-drop-shot at net, 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net % 1 FHV pass attempt from close to baseline
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 44.3

(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
Sampras was...
- 54/79 (68%) at net, including....
- 41/60 (68%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 39/58 (67%) off 1st serve and...
- 2/2 off 2nd serve
---
- 3/5 (60%) return-approaching

Bjorkman was...
- 36/53 (68%) at net, including....
- 25/35 (71%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves
---
- 2/5 (40%) return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Match of 2 halves - the first dead even, and Sampras moving ahead (as much for Bjorkman falling behind as the winner edging forward) in the second. Action is basic and mundane on a slow for carpet court

Sampras' superior serve is key to result. Bjorkman returns creatively and well against it - better than the other way around, where Pete meets an average serve with average returning - but not well enough to override the net advantage on serve-return complex that Pete enjoys. Even then, biggest part of that advantage is Bjork's low in count. His match long 49% is if anything, flattering. After 3 sets, it stands at 38/84 at even lower 45%. Pete serves at 63% by contrast

Off first serve, Sampras serve-volleys 97% of the time (all but twice), Bjorkman 78%. Just 2 second serve-volley points (both by Sampras, both points he wins).
Serve-volleying success virtually same - Pete 68% total (67% off first serves), Bjork 71%. Pete's aces/service winners (Bjork has 5), pushes him slightly ahead on first serve points won (75% to 72%)

There's plenty of baseline action too with both players staying back off second serves

Bjorkman takes returns from just inside the court and against second serves, is usually moving forward slightly from there. Taking it early, but not able to hit too cleanly with regularity. Still, its bold. Pete responds by first serving quite a lot to the body (12% of total - 1st and second serves, mostly firsts), amidst general majority to FH (50% there, 38% to BH)

Pete returns orthodoxly, neither powerfully nor passively. He steps in to take second serves, but just rolls it back in play to start a neutral baseline rally. Such rallies turn into BH-BH who-blinks-first affairs, the hitting rarely getting up to 'hard-hitting'. Just very basic, neutral exchanges

0 return winners by Pete (passes or otherwise), despite all of Bjork's serve-volleying behind an at most, above average serve. Bjork has 7 - 4 passes, 3 against second serves with Pete on the baseline. And that's against a powerful serve

Pete's returns don't give Bjork difficult first volleys to make either. Routine, around net high (mostly slightly above it) stuff. Bjork's not in great control of his returns, but taking them as early as he does, they reach Pete around the service line, and Pete's not able to pack too much of a punch with his volleys from there and the early position of Bjork is good enough to not leave Pete with extra time to make the volleys, if not rush him

A slight oddity in difference between where Pete serves and where he volleys. 50% serves to FH is unusual, but its not unusual for Pete to target his opponents strenght (I'm not sure if it is generally Bjorkman's strenght in this case). Against large lot of body serves, Bjork moves towards center of court, regardless of which side that puts the ball (i.e. to his BH in ad court, his FH in deuce). Stats are suggesting Pete's onto something - he's drawn 3 FH return UEs to 1 BH and 12 FH FEs to 7 BHs... all in line with serving to FH being better option. Bjork also has 5 BH return winners, to 2 FHs

 

[Waspsting]

But he volleys to BH and Bjork has 16 BH FEs to 8 FHs (vast bulk of both would be passing shots). Tentatively, Bjork seems to be a BH > FH player and Pete serves accordingly, but volleys to BH

Still, the set where Pete holds easiest is the third set, and that's only one where he serves classically to BH most of time

When return is made against serve-volleying, not many problems for server on the first volley. Pete has no extra time due to Bjork's position, but gets comfortable height balls. Bjork gets regulation stuff, without the impetus of early returning position. Pete with 4 UEs on volley, Bjork with 3... solid enough by both

Not many difficult volleys like balls right to feet or bullet powerful stuff. Slightly wide, low-ish but short of feet, high but wide, moderate reaction volleys etc. makes up the tougher volleys. The kind of thing a top drawer volleying showing might run straight through

Neither volley that well. On the volley FE, Pete's got 7, Bjork 6. For FEs, they're not that tough

On follow up pass, Bjork's got better of things with Pete mostly ineffective. Of Pete's 5 passing winners -
- 1 is a swinging volley
- 2 are in service games - 1 of them as Bjork's approaching (he's not at net when ball goes by)
- 3 are in the last set, giving him 2 for first 3 sets (including the swinging volley)
... to go with 0 return winners and not challenging returns. He's also got very rare 2 passing UEs

Essentially, Pete's passing - including with the return - is mild enough that Bjork would have to mess up with UEs for Pete to win points. Which doesn't happen enough

Bjork gets 7 passing winners (+ 4 returns) off, even distributed across match, with his returns a bit more challenging to deal and the odd good pass in play. Advantage Bjork on the pass in play - but again, nothing too troubling for Pete to handle. He'd have to mess up a bit on the routine volley for Bjork to get breaks too and that also doesn't happen enough

In nuthsell - both volley-pass contests are mundane. So is Bjork serve-volley vs Pete return-pass. The only edgy part is Pete serve-volleying with power vs Bjork return-passing early... Bjork scores with some good strikes, but Pete retains sizable advantage, particularly as Bjork's position leaves him open to be aced more readily

Gist of serve-volley + volley-pass contests - near even. With Pete's 16-5 advantage in aces/service winners giving him head start and Bjork's low 49% in count (up from 45% for first 3 sets) a problem for him, relative to the 63% in serving of Pete. Advantage Sampras, amidst unflashy play

Both players staying back off all second serves (save twice by Pete), leaves plenty of baseline action too. Action is similar to first serve points, adjusted for it being from the back

- Pete rolls returns back in play after stepping in. Bjork's second serve is average and potentially, thrashable. Pete's aggression on the return is limited to chip-charging, which he does 5 times (also 3 errors trying)
- Bjork stepping and looking to dictate with the return, to not bad effect as 3 winners attest (Pete has 0), against a good, at least tough to attack and at times, a mild weapon calibre second serve. Better job by Bjork here
- Double faults - Pete 3, Bjork 7. Pete serving one 7% of the time, Bjork 13%. Big advantage Pete, similar to his advantage on aces/service winners on first serve
- both players chip-charging 5 times (Pete wins 3, Bjork 2)... with Pete also making 3 errors trying (Bjork 0), effectively Bjork having 39 chances to Pete's 46... advantage Bjorkman

The rallies that develop are neutral BH cc of type. BH UEs read Pete 11, Bjork 13. Small number of Pete's are throw-away dtl misses when down in return games, Bjork's BH faltering towards end gets him into trouble

Most baseline rallies end with UEs. Pete's got 18 (sans 2 passing errors), Bjork 20
Rallying to net - Pete's 10/14, Bjork 9/13... virtually identical, with running-down-drop-volley errors accounting for nearly half the points lost

Gist - baseline play turns into who-blink-first 50-50 points. And goes about 50-50. Difference - more of them are on Bjork's serve because of low first serve in count, his staying back some off first serves (where he's slightly more aggressive but wins just 6/10 - again, near 50-50). Play - even. Advantage - Sampras, due to less of them being on his serve

Match Progression
Bright start from Bjorkman as he takes net to win first point of the match and adds a punishing return winner with Pete on baseline 2 points later, before Sampras holds the opener

Pete's in trouble and faces couple break points in his second service point, despite making 9/10 first serves. He service winners the first away but needs to make a good, wide BH pass to thwart chip-charging Bjork on the second before going on to hold

Bjork saves 3 break points game after, and Pete 2 more after that. The break comes after that, with Bjork's BH blinking three times in baseline rallies in game he makes just 1/6 first serves

Gorgeous first 'volley' BH1/2V winner by Pete as he serves out. Bjork also moves around a serve to take a BH return from in front of his body that draws a FHV UE from Pete in the game

Up a set, Pete does what he does and ups the ante on his returning. He does so by chip-charging, not blasting returns. It doesn't have a hand in his breaking to open the set, which happens through Bjork blinking from the baseline - 2 FHs, 2 BHs

Some excellent, early taken returns from Bjork in the set and Pete's stock volleying isn't convincing, easing ball over net without much force and leaving makeable passes. Combination of the 2 and Pete missing an attacking FH on break point sees the set evened at 3-3

Exciting, 12 point break game to close the set, where Bjork has 6 winners and Pete double faults on first break point. After dispatching a rare swing volley winner after coming in from rally, Pete plays another even stranger swing volley while serve-volleying the next point- and Bjork smacks away FH dtl pass. More winners from Bjork finally get him a break point, where Pete double faults. How often do you see 6 clean winners against Pete Sampras in a 12 point service game? Bjork's winners for the game -

- BHV chip-charging
- BH dtl return
- FH dtl pass
- running FH cc pass
- FH inside-out return pass
- FHV (set up by powerful return)

... and the double fault to end it. Pete is not a happy bunny at the end of the game

He adjusts in third set by serving wider, as opposed to towards the body as he'd done so far. It works. He wins 10/10 first serve points and has match high 45% unreturneds for the set to cruise on serve. Bjork meanwhile falters. 12/29 first serves in, double faults and faltering BHs all get him into trouble. He's broken for 2-3 missing 2 BHs and an attempted drop BHV. He's broken again to end the set, begingin and ending with double faults, with another regulation BH miss in between. 2-1 to Sampras and a genuinely bad set of tennis from Bjorkman

Despite the 6-1 scoreline, 4th set is actually more competitive than the 6-3 third set. Both have 2 break advantages

After breaking to open, Pete' has to save 4 break points in a 14 point hold, but breaks again to make it 4-0 after that. No more competitive thrills as Pete serves out to 15 to end the match awhile later

Summing up, a simple match, not bad but rather forgettable. Both players serve-volley off first serves (Bjorkman desisting some of the time), and both are in command so doing. Good job by Bjorkman to proactively take returns early and keep Sampras from thoroughly dominating, but it leaves him open to be aced, while Sampras' returning leaves play on Bjorkman's volley, where the latter is steady

Both stay back off second serves and points turn into standard BH cc rallies with honours about even

Main difference is Sampras serving at health 63% to Bjorkman's poor 49% - meaning, a considerably higher proportion of Sampras' service points are those he commands and about half of Bjorkman's are essentially 50-50 deals. In that light, Bjorkman does well to pinch a set

Stats for Sampras' second round match with Boris Becker - Duel Match Stats/Report - Sampras vs Becker, Paris final, 1995 & second round, 1997 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)