Match Stats/Report - Sampras vs Stich, Wimbledon quarter-final, 1992

[Waspsting]

Pete Sampras beat Michael Stich 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the Wimbledon quarter-final, 1992 on grass

Sampras would go onto lose in the next round to eventual runner-up Goran Ivanisevic. Stich was the defending champion and Sampras would win the next 3 editions of the event

Sampras won 84 points, Stich 61

Both players serve-volleyed off all serves

Serve Stats
Sampras...
- 1st serve percentage (46/82) 56%
- 1st serve points won (38/46) 83%
- 2nd serve points won (23/36) 64%
- Aces 9, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (46/82) 56%

Stich...
- 1st serve percentage (38/63) 60%
- 1st serve points won (25/38) 66%
- 2nd serve points won (15/25) 60%
- Aces 7
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (22/63) 35%

Serve Pattern
Sampras served...
- to FH 40%
- to BH 56%
- to Body 4%

Stich served...
- to FH 27%
- to BH 70%
- to Body 3%

Return Stats
Sampras made...
- 38 (9 FH, 29 BH)
- 7 Winners (1 FH, 6 BH)
- 15 Errors, all forced...
- 15 Forced (5 FH, 10 BH)
- Return Rate (38/60) 63%

Stich made...
- 34 (16 FH, 18 BH), including 2 return-approaches
- 36 Errors, all forced...
- 36 Forced (13 FH, 23 BH)
- Return Rate (34/80) 43%

Break Points
Sampras 4/5 (4 games)
Stich 0/2 (2 game)

Winners(including returns, excluding serves)
Sampras 17 (2 FH, 9 BH, 4 FHV, 2 BHV)
Stich 14 (3 FH, 4 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 6 BHV)

Sampras had 6 from serve-volley points -
- 4 first 'volleys' (1 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 FH at net)
- 2 second volleys (2 FHV)

- 10 passes - 7 returns (1 FH, 6 BH) & 3 regular (3 BH)
- FH return - 1 inside-in
- BH returns - 1 cc, 2 dtl, 1 inside-out (which Stich probably left), 2 inside-in
- regular BHs - 1 dtl, 1 inside-out at net, 1 longline

- 1 other FHV can reasonably be called a pass

Stich had 11 from serve-volley points -
- 6 first 'volleys' (2 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 3 BHV)... 1 FHV can reasonably be called an OH
- 4 second volleys (1 FHV, 3 BHV)
- 1 third volley (1 FHV)

- 3 FH passes - 2 cc, 1 inside-out

Errors(excluding returns and serves)
Sampras 23
- 6 Unforced (1 FH, 1 BH, 4 BHV)... with 1 FH at net & 1 BH at net
- 17 Forced (2 FH, 6 BH, 4 FHV, 3 BHV, 2 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53.3

Stich 18
- 2 Unforced (1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 16 Forced (4 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 2 BHV, 2 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 50

(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...
- 54/76 (71%) at net, including...
- 51/70 (73%) serve-volleying, comprising..
- 28/36 (78%) off 1st serve and...
- 23/34 (68%) off 2nd serve
---
- 0/1 forced back

Stich was...
- 35/55 (64%) at net, including...
- 33/53 (63%) serve-volleying, comprising..
- 18/31 (58%) off 1st serve and...
- 15/22 (68%) off 2nd serve
---
- 2/2 return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Sampras pulls out clusters of winning returns to break regularly and score a one sided win over a well-playing Stich, who serves well enough and while not returning often, returns well when he does

It’s a strange combo and thus, a statistically strange match. If all you knew was that Pete wins 2 more points than he serves, Stich 2 less, 3,2 & 4 probably wouldn’t be the scoreline you imagined. Forget scoreline, you wouldn’t even know who won the match from that, given 2 big serving, 100% serve-volleyers and the surface

Pete wins 57.9% of the points, but also serves 56.6% of them
That might happen if he’s regularly extended to hold serve, but manages to keeping doing it. Helps if he breaks in short games too

Break points - Pete 4/5 (4 games), Stich 0/2 (2 games)
So he does break in short games, but doesn’t struggle through long holds. He also serves the extra game

Basic Stats -
- 1st serve in - Pete 56%, Stich 60%
- 1st serve won - Pete 83%, Stich 66%
- 2nd serve won - Pete 64%, Stich 60%

Pete’s numbers are shut-down ones, so it isn’t surprising he’s held serve throughout. But Stich’s are not at all broken 4/13 games ones

What gives? Almost perfect clusters of winning returns by Pete to break whenever he does. When he’s not breaking, he’s as shut out as Stich is
With so comfy a scoreline as 3, 2 & 4, would expect a solid trend of the winner getting into return games. Not at all what happens

Sans the 4 games he’s broke, Stich’s basic stats shift to 60% first serves in, 88% first serves won, 76% second serves won - even better than Pete's shutdown numbers
(figures for 4 games he’s broken in are 60% in, 17% first serves won, 25% second serves won)

Might think pulling off 4 break games, while otherwise being rendered helpless might be related to Pete taking it a little easy in return games. Normal enough, especially on grass and particularly with Pete Sampras (albeit, probably not in 1992)

Nope. Pete plays all return games with similar focus. This isn’t one of his half-asleep other than when he’s not return showings
Just a freakish concentration of returning success by Pete coming together just-so to give him easy win. No trend to account for it, no strategic concentration of effort either

The breaks are all to Pete’s credit. Poor Stich has a lowly 2 UEs (and 3 double faults). 3/5 total UEs are in break games. Remaining 13 are all won by strong plays by Pete. Brilliant returns and passes in the games in question

So much for Pete’s returning. What about Stich’s?
Stich with very low 43% return rate (or conversely, Pete with 56% unreturneds). Pete by contrast returns at 63%

That’s low enough to make his breaking unlikely. Strangely enough though, what few returns he can make, he makes very well. Regularly down to Pete’s feet, and beautifully timed to be powerful despite contained swing. Even the blocks are flying fast

As Pete’s return showing indicates, trends don’t necessarily equal outcome. Would be strange for 43% return rate to lead to many breaks, but Stich does get sufficient winning returns and potentially winning ones’ off. Pete isn’t particularly good at handling the difficult low volleys

Doesn’t come to anything. Would need luck for it do so. Pete’s showing though is proof that its possible

Match long stats are of limited value, due to everything mentioned above. In context of 100% serve-volleying -

from Servers point of view -
Unreturned serves - Pete 56%, Stich 35%
Double faults rate per second serve - Pete 6%, Stich 12%
‘Volley’ winners - Pete 6, Stich 11
‘Volley’ UEs - Pete 6, Stich 2
‘Volley’ FEs - Pete 9, Stich 6

- Pete’s 56% freebie rate leaves him lots of room to falter on volley. 6 UEs isn’t small, but fat freebie cushion is enough to accommodate it. The volley FEs are high. Misses a few more tough ‘volleys’ then he’s able to put back in play, but makes the ones he does with decent authority (deep, wide, not leaving lined up passes)

Oddly, he’s more able to make the half-volley than he is low-ish volley, let alone shoelace ones. Pretty good half-volleying, room for improvement on the less tough, higher stuff

Stich with more work to on the volley. He does it very well. Just 2 UEs is superb, and having lower FEs than Pete while having to volley so much more is excellent (practically, it doesn’t matter as those FEs are concentrated to get him broken). More secure than Pete on volley and not worse at handling the tough ones. The FEs he makes are also very, very difficult. Best hope would be putting them in play anyway possible and almost certainly, leave a very good look pass. Pete’s FEs are to easier balls that its possible to make with fair authority. Stich doesn’t face too many such balls

 

[Waspsting]

from Returner’s point of view -
Return-pass winners - Pete 7
Return rate - Pete 63%, Stich 43%
Regular pass winners - Pete 4, Stich 3
Regular passing errors - Pete 8, Stich 10
0 return winners from Stich is surprising, given how solidly strong the returns he makes are. Pete with a healthy 7 (1 of them Stich probably misjudges and leaves)

Strong as Pete’s serving is, Stich probably has returned not well of consistency. He doesn’t blast returns, he plays them normally - blocking, guiding, a slight swing when he can afford to

He’s made 18 BH returns, made 23 errors. Pete has 29 and 10
On FH, Stich with 16 successful returns to 13 errors. Pete has 9 and 5

Difference in serve strength doesn’t account for it. About the same, and if anything, Stich with slightly better second serve. Both players win 68% second serve-volley points. Pete’s first serve is probably a little more powerful and better placed. 20% of them are aces, 18% for Stich, so its not by much. Its easier to differentiate Pete’s 2 serves from one another than it is Stich’s

Simply, Pete putting a lot more returns in play, with both players returning similarly - blocking and taking short swings. Higher lot of Stich’s returns being testing isn’t down to his being more aggressive with the shot

Stich briefly gets creative with return. 1 game, he takes first returns from just inside court. Another, makes suicidal return-approaches. Surprisingly, is successful in both games (he wins both return-approach points), but still can’t get through to break

Not much going on in the regular passing. Stich gets at most, average look at passes (more likely than not to lose point), Pete not much better. Call the passing a wash

Gist - statistically, Pete with 20% more freebies, Pete with 7 return winners to Stich’s 0 are standout differences

Practically, as stated before, it doesn’t matter much and trends captured by match long stats aren’t what decide the match. 4 very separate but almost equally brilliant return games from Pete do, none of them promised by how rest of match is

Stich’s behavior, even by his standard, is quite whiney. Makes fair fuss about bunch of close line calls

Match Progression
Sampras wins 12/14 points to start the match and move to 3-0 with a break

4 unreturend serves to hold to love to open

Brilliant return game - BH longline pass after drawing low volley with return, early taken BH inside-in return-pass winner and forcing Stich back to baseline takes him to 15-40. Even first point of game, that Stich won started with a 1/2volley and Pete having a good look at the pass. Stich double faults on break point

4 more unreturned serves to consolidate in a hold to 15

Stich has his chances too. There are half-volleys and powerful returns, and decent looks at passes (including with return) in game 4, that Pete holds after 8 points

And more of the same, plus Pete stumbling a bit on the ‘volley’ on the eventual serve-out. Down break point, Pete makes a good first 1/2volley and draw passing error, and unreturned serves see him through 12 point game

Break points for set - Pete 1/1 (with 2 more to follow if necessary), Stich 0/1
Pete averaging 7 points per hold, Stich 5 (+ being broken once). Typical, close set with marginal differences between the players - said difference being a brilliant game by Pete

Second set moves to 2-2 before Pete wins last 4 games. Lots of unreturend serves in the set, and Stich’s seems to have something to say about every other serve that’s close to line

4 blazing returns from Pete get him first break to love, with only 1 of the points needing a flollow up pass. All the points are won via ‘volley’ FEs to wide, low and usually powerful return-passes
Down 2-3, Stich is creatively takes first returns very early next game and is able to time them well enough to raise break point. Pete aces away the danger and wraps up with 2 more unreturned serves

Another blazing return game by Pete to break again. Passing winners from BH inside-in return, a very low percentage, full running BH dtl and FH inside-in return win 3 points, and the BHV UE from Stich earlier in the game is not-easy one

More creativity from Stich on the serve-out as he return-approaches with nothing to lose down 40-0. Gets him to 40-30, but Pete finishes with an unreturned serve

Another commanding game gains the only break in third set. Pete fights his way to net to come away with a FHV winner to start, does the same even more commandingly to finish with a simple, pushed BH inside-out pass winner at net to end. In between, Stich probably leaves a return that lands in for a winner and misses a routine FHV. It’s a good game from Pete, and would be challenging to hold against, and its in fact, the weakest of the 4 breaks he scores

In due time, Pete serves out to 15

Summing up, funny match. 4 concentrated bursts of returning brilliance from Sampras gives him a convincing win. Sans which, he can do little returning the big serving of Stich

Stich doesn’t make many returns, but makes the ones he does challenging, with high proportion low to opponents feet. Sampras just about good enough at coping with such ‘volleys’ to go through unbroken, without being great at handling them. He’s better at making half-volleys than he is low-ish and shoelace ones, and only so-so of routine volleying consistency

Stats for the final between Andre Agassi and Goran Ivanisevic - Match Stats/Report - Agassi vs Ivanisevic, Wimbledon final, 1992 | Talk Tennis (tennis-warehouse.com)