Pete Sampras beat Thomas Muster 6-3, 6-4 in the Cincinnati final, 1997 on hard court
It was Sampras' second title at the event. He'd won Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier in the year.
Sampras won 64 points, Muster 42
Sampras serve-volleyed off all first serves
Serve Stats
Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (32/52) 62%
- 1st serve points won (26/32) 81%
- 2nd serve points won (13/20) 65%
- Aces 11, Service Winners 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/52) 40%
Muster...
- 1st serve percentage (28/54) 52%
- 1st serve points won (18/28) 64%
- 2nd serve points won (11/26) 42%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (13/54) 24%
Serve Patterns
Sampras served...
- to FH 33%
- to BH 62%
- to Body 6%
Muster served...
- to FH 10%
- to BH 87%
- to Body 4%
Return Stats
Sampras made...
- 39 (5 FH, 34 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 4 return-approaches
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 8 Forced (1 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (39/52) 75%
Muster made...
- 31 (13 FH, 18 BH), including 6 runaround FHs
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 9 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 7 Forced (6 FH, 1 BH)
- Return Rate (31/52) 60%
Break Points
Sampras 3/5 (4 games)
Muster 1/1
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sampras 22 (11 FH, 7 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)
Muster 7 (4 FH, 3 BH)
Sampras had 7 from serve-volley points -
- 6 first 'volleys' (3 FHV, 3 FH at net)
- 1 second volley (1 BHV)
- 2 from return-approach points (2 FHV)
- FHs - 2 cc, 1 dtl, 3 inside-out, 2 cc/inside-in
Muster's FHs - 3 inside-out and 1 lob
- BHs (all passes) - 2 cc and 1 inside-in return
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sampras 22
- 12 Unforced (5 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV)
- 10 Forced (2 FH, 4 BH, 1 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7
Muster 19
- 8 Unforced (2 FH, 6 BH)
- 11 Forced (6 FH, 5 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 43.8
(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 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...
- 27/37 (73%) at net, including...
- 17/24 (70%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 14/20 (70%) off 1st serve and...
- 3/4 (75%) off 2nd serve
--
- 3/4 (75%) return-approaching
- 1/2 forced back/retreated
Muster was...
- 3/3 (100%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
Match Report
Commanding showing from Sampras, winning from the baseline as much as the net
Muster returning - and mostly seeking to rally - from well behind the baseline shapes play. Sampras is able to make the most of his potential advantages from such a dynamic
Serving, Sampras utilizes the greater angles Muster's position afford to bang down 12 aces/service winners. The upside for Muster is he gets a better look at the serve. It doesn't really work - sans aces/service winners, he gets most balls back in play (just 9 return errors - 2 unforced, 7 forced), but in all, Sampras still has 40% unreturned serves
The potential upside for Muster would require Sampras to not be upto making volleys. That doesn't happen. Sampras is strong in forecourt all match. Just the 1 UE, and volleys are punched and placed decisively
With Sampras serve-volleying off all first serves, points beginning from baseline are limited to his second serve points and Muster's service points. Muster looks to play clay court like tennis. He plays from well behind the baseline and loops balls over - not threateningly, but with an eye for not missing anything. To be successful with such game would need Sampras to make a lot of groundstroke UEs
That doesn't happen either. Note Sampras with 11 groundstroke UEs (he also has 1 volley), to Muster's 8. In conjunction with UEFI (Sampras a moderate 46.7, Muster a low 43.8), that's a losing game for Muster. He's making UEs at about the same rate as Sampras, but not winning points forcefully, while Sampras is
Muster looks to play FHs as much as possible and backs away to do so. Not only does he play from well behind baseline, but also loops balls (not with undue topspin). He mostly hits inside-in/crosscourt to Sampras BH. No problems with Sampras' BH... it doesn't just hold steady (both players have 6 BH UEs), but packs a decent punch too (though Sampras has 0 BH winners). And anytime the ball falls on the FH, Sampras is forcefully powerful - even to regulation balls. And short balls, he attacks
That alone would probably put Sampras ahead but his approaches puts him well over. Pete's quick to take net after collaring baseline rallies... and volleys surely once there. Again, taking advantage of Muster's court position
Muster's offensive is based on FH inside-outs. He doesn't look to take offensive... occasionally he gets the chance and doesn't pull the trigger on those more often than not
Muster's serve is average. Odd balls swung wide, but mostly, even his first serve is not much trouble and predictably directed to BH (87% go there... other than Nadal serving to Federer, I haven't seen that high a rate by anyone). Sampras returns with seeming ease
General picture of play is -
- Sampras serving - gets a lot of cheap points
- Baseline rallies - evenly matched of consistency, but Sampras far more attacking and forceful
- Sampras taking net to boot, augmenting his advantage
Routine scoreline is not deceptive. Match is routine for Sampras... be it serve, return, groundstrokes or volleys - Muster has nothing to hurt him with, he has everything to hurt Muster with - and does
In first set, Sampras isn't happy with Muster's recently stencilled racquet discolouring the balls. Mid way in the second set, Muster grants Sampras an ace, that had been called a fault
Summing up, routine win for Sampras - serve clicking, baseline play both steady and attacking and volleying decisively. Muster with his average serve and passive baselining, doesn't really get into the match
Stats for their '95 Essen match on carpet, won by Muster - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...sampras-essen-indoors-semi-final-1995.648216/
It was Sampras' second title at the event. He'd won Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier in the year.
Sampras won 64 points, Muster 42
Sampras serve-volleyed off all first serves
Serve Stats
Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (32/52) 62%
- 1st serve points won (26/32) 81%
- 2nd serve points won (13/20) 65%
- Aces 11, Service Winners 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (21/52) 40%
Muster...
- 1st serve percentage (28/54) 52%
- 1st serve points won (18/28) 64%
- 2nd serve points won (11/26) 42%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (13/54) 24%
Serve Patterns
Sampras served...
- to FH 33%
- to BH 62%
- to Body 6%
Muster served...
- to FH 10%
- to BH 87%
- to Body 4%
Return Stats
Sampras made...
- 39 (5 FH, 34 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 4 return-approaches
- 12 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 8 Forced (1 FH, 7 BH)
- Return Rate (39/52) 75%
Muster made...
- 31 (13 FH, 18 BH), including 6 runaround FHs
- 1 Winner (1 BH)
- 9 Errors, comprising...
- 2 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 7 Forced (6 FH, 1 BH)
- Return Rate (31/52) 60%
Break Points
Sampras 3/5 (4 games)
Muster 1/1
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Sampras 22 (11 FH, 7 FHV, 3 BHV, 1 OH)
Muster 7 (4 FH, 3 BH)
Sampras had 7 from serve-volley points -
- 6 first 'volleys' (3 FHV, 3 FH at net)
- 1 second volley (1 BHV)
- 2 from return-approach points (2 FHV)
- FHs - 2 cc, 1 dtl, 3 inside-out, 2 cc/inside-in
Muster's FHs - 3 inside-out and 1 lob
- BHs (all passes) - 2 cc and 1 inside-in return
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Sampras 22
- 12 Unforced (5 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV)
- 10 Forced (2 FH, 4 BH, 1 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.7
Muster 19
- 8 Unforced (2 FH, 6 BH)
- 11 Forced (6 FH, 5 BH)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 43.8
(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 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...
- 27/37 (73%) at net, including...
- 17/24 (70%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 14/20 (70%) off 1st serve and...
- 3/4 (75%) off 2nd serve
--
- 3/4 (75%) return-approaching
- 1/2 forced back/retreated
Muster was...
- 3/3 (100%) at net, including...
- 1/1 serve-volleying, a 1st serve
Match Report
Commanding showing from Sampras, winning from the baseline as much as the net
Muster returning - and mostly seeking to rally - from well behind the baseline shapes play. Sampras is able to make the most of his potential advantages from such a dynamic
Serving, Sampras utilizes the greater angles Muster's position afford to bang down 12 aces/service winners. The upside for Muster is he gets a better look at the serve. It doesn't really work - sans aces/service winners, he gets most balls back in play (just 9 return errors - 2 unforced, 7 forced), but in all, Sampras still has 40% unreturned serves
The potential upside for Muster would require Sampras to not be upto making volleys. That doesn't happen. Sampras is strong in forecourt all match. Just the 1 UE, and volleys are punched and placed decisively
With Sampras serve-volleying off all first serves, points beginning from baseline are limited to his second serve points and Muster's service points. Muster looks to play clay court like tennis. He plays from well behind the baseline and loops balls over - not threateningly, but with an eye for not missing anything. To be successful with such game would need Sampras to make a lot of groundstroke UEs
That doesn't happen either. Note Sampras with 11 groundstroke UEs (he also has 1 volley), to Muster's 8. In conjunction with UEFI (Sampras a moderate 46.7, Muster a low 43.8), that's a losing game for Muster. He's making UEs at about the same rate as Sampras, but not winning points forcefully, while Sampras is
Muster looks to play FHs as much as possible and backs away to do so. Not only does he play from well behind baseline, but also loops balls (not with undue topspin). He mostly hits inside-in/crosscourt to Sampras BH. No problems with Sampras' BH... it doesn't just hold steady (both players have 6 BH UEs), but packs a decent punch too (though Sampras has 0 BH winners). And anytime the ball falls on the FH, Sampras is forcefully powerful - even to regulation balls. And short balls, he attacks
That alone would probably put Sampras ahead but his approaches puts him well over. Pete's quick to take net after collaring baseline rallies... and volleys surely once there. Again, taking advantage of Muster's court position
Muster's offensive is based on FH inside-outs. He doesn't look to take offensive... occasionally he gets the chance and doesn't pull the trigger on those more often than not
Muster's serve is average. Odd balls swung wide, but mostly, even his first serve is not much trouble and predictably directed to BH (87% go there... other than Nadal serving to Federer, I haven't seen that high a rate by anyone). Sampras returns with seeming ease
General picture of play is -
- Sampras serving - gets a lot of cheap points
- Baseline rallies - evenly matched of consistency, but Sampras far more attacking and forceful
- Sampras taking net to boot, augmenting his advantage
Routine scoreline is not deceptive. Match is routine for Sampras... be it serve, return, groundstrokes or volleys - Muster has nothing to hurt him with, he has everything to hurt Muster with - and does
In first set, Sampras isn't happy with Muster's recently stencilled racquet discolouring the balls. Mid way in the second set, Muster grants Sampras an ace, that had been called a fault
Summing up, routine win for Sampras - serve clicking, baseline play both steady and attacking and volleying decisively. Muster with his average serve and passive baselining, doesn't really get into the match
Stats for their '95 Essen match on carpet, won by Muster - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...sampras-essen-indoors-semi-final-1995.648216/
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