Michael Stich beat Stefan Edberg 2-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in the Grand Slam Cup semi-final, 1993 on carpet in Munich, Germany
Stich was the defending champion and would go onto lose the final to Petr Korda
Stich won 133 points, Edberg 119
Stich serve-volleyed of all first serves and all but 4 seconds. Edberg serve-volleyed of all but 1 first serve and all but 3 seconds
Serve Stats
Stich...
- 1st serve percentage (72/119) 61%
- 1st serve points won (59/72) 82%
- 2nd serve points won (19/47) 40%
- Aces 16, Service Winners 4
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (53/119) 45%
Edberg...
- 1st serve percentage (67/133) 50%
- 1st serve points won (45/67) 67%
- 2nd serve points won (34/66) 52%
- Aces 10 (2 second serves), Service Winners 2 (1 second serve)
- Double Faults 9
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (40/133) 30%
Serve Patterns
Stich served...
- to FH 45%
- to BH 43%
- to Body 11%
Edberg served...
- to FH 40%
- to BH 32%
- to Body 28%
Return Stats
Stich made...
- 84 (36 FH, 48 BH)
- 6 Winners (2 FH, 4 BH)
- 28 Errors, all forced...
- 28 Forced (15 FH, 13 BH)
- Return Rate (84/124) 68%
Edberg made...
- 62 (25 FH, 37 BH), including 14 return-approaches
- 7 Winners (3 FH, 4 BH)
- 33 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 FH)
- 32 Forced (16 FH, 16 BH), including 2 return-approach attempts
- Return Rate (62/115) 54%
Break Points
Stich 6/10 (8 games)
Edberg 4/8 (4 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Stich 35 (11 FH, 11 BH, 11 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Edberg 39 (5 FH, 8 BH, 10 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 13 BHV, 2 OH)
Stich had 17 from serve-volley points
- 9 first 'volleys' (5 FHV, 4 FH at net)
- 6 second volleys (5 FHV, 1 OH)… 1 FHV was a lob
- 1 third volley (1 FHV)
- 1 re-approach volley (1 BHV)
- FHs (all passes) - 4 cc (1 return), 2 dtl (1 return) and 1 lob
- BH passes - 3 cc (2 returns), 4 dtl (1 return), 1 inside-out, 1 over and around net post and 1 running-down-drop-volley cc at net (finely played)
- regular BH - 1 net chord dribbling return
Edberg had 22 from serve-volley points
- 15 first volleys (7 FHV, 8 BHV)
- 5 second volleys (2 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
- 2 third volleys (1 BHV, 1 OH)
- 4 from return-approach points (1 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 1 BHV, 1 BH at net)
- FHs (all passes) - 5 dtl (3 returns)
- BHs (all passes) - 2 cc, 1 cc/longline and 4 dtl returns
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Stich 36
- 6 Unforced (3 FHV, 3 BHV)
- 30 Forced (7 FH, 10 BH, 4 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 8 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53.3
Edberg 36
- 15 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH, 6 FHV, 5 BHV)… with 1 BH at net
- 21 Forced (2 FH, 8 BH, 4 FHV, 7 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 52
(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
Stich was...
- 60/98 (61%) at net, including...
- 56/91 (62%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 39/52 (75%) off 1st serve and..
- 17/39 (44%) off 2nd serve
---
- 1/1 retreated
Edberg was...
- 78/127 (61%) at net, including...
- 65/108 (60%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 35/56 (63%) off 1st serve and...
- 30/52 (58%) off 2nd serve
---
- 9/14 (64%) return-approaching
- 1/4 (25%) forced back
Match Report
This match is a three part tale - the beginning, the transition and the end. All of them are high quality, entertaining and beautiful - Stich steadily so, Edberg fluctuating from otherworldly sublime to merely good
When I say Stich is 'steady', that's relative to Edberg. Stich serves big, serve-volleys just short of always, returns firmly, makes 6 UEs in the match, passes well... you'd call this 'brilliant' ordinarily. What he's not doing is stuff like volleying balls into corners for winners from under the net, return-approaching against one of the biggest serves in the game and half-volleying winners past the serve-volleyer, seemingly teleporting to net, hitting every pass as to give a tough volley etc... stuff Edberg does quite regularly, especially in the first two sets
Beginning - Sets 1 & 2
Stefan Edberg's play in the first two sets is like something out of a dream
He serves huge, as big as Stich. 22/41 serves are unreturned or 54% with 8 aces (1 a second serve) and 2 service winners (1 a second serve)
He has 20 winners (10 groundstrokes, 10 volleys/OHs) to 9 total errors (3 unforced, 6 forced)
He returns like I've never seen him return. Return rate of 65% against the all out serve-volleying of Stich... and Stich barely sees a routine volley, let alone an easy one. Every return that comes back comes back wide or low or very hard (or some combination of the 3). Those that don't go for winners, force errors and those that don't force errors draw defensive volleys/half-volleys that Edberg launches into. If that isn't enough, he comes in behind those returns to volley away winners net-to-net
And all this against the back drop of Stich playing well. Serves as he usually does (well), returns well, volleys particularly well (makes lots of difficult low and wide volleys). There's no scope for him to pass well or otherwise because his returns are whisked away for winners like clockwork. Best he can manage is to get racquet on ball on the dead run and on the stretch... that's what constitutes a 'passing chance'
Stich's left looking bewildered, in an amused 'what-am-I-supposed-to-do-here-exactly?' sort of way
Transition - Set 3
Play turns here
From Edberg's point of view, his serving rhythm goes down. Even while holding serve for first 3 games, he's making a lot of lets and the in the third of those games, can't make a first serve in 6 points (though still holds)
First two sets, Edberg served at 59%. Next 3, its 47%. That actually isn't too big a deal (he'd won 92% first serve points and 65% second serves)… if he'd kept returning and volleying the way he did, it wouldn't have mattered what his serve percentage was like
Its not just the first in count going down, but the rhythm and quality of the serves. He'd looked at least even with Stich's serve in the beginning. Third set onwards, Stich clearly serves stronger
Stich also starts returning more firmly. He'd returned about as well as he was allowed earlier... now he's 'allowed' a bit more. And makes the most of it
Edberg starts faltering on volleys. As in misses a few routine ones
Biggest change is in the Stich serve - Edberg return match up. That turns Stich's way for good and it looks more like what you might have expected: a huge server banging down unreturned serves regularly on a fast court while serve-volleying behind it (as opposed to a huge server getting nothing but balls wide and at his feet, with return-approaching thrown in for good measure). Stich maybe serves a bit better than before (its hard to tell with his ever languid action), but more a drop in Edberg's returning level (which never looked sustainable) accounts for the change
Ending - Sets 4 & 5
Stich dominating. Though fourth set has just 1 break (as opposed to 2 in the tighter 3rd set), Edberg can't get a sniff on return and wins just 4 points in 5 games
Edberg games come to be more and more of a struggle though
Some not good volleying misses from Edberg and ill timed double faults (a problem he faces most of the match) and some incredible low percentage, full run passes from Stich
Stich wins the last 6 games of the match. There's some luck involved with net chord dribblers, but he's far and away the superior player at the end. His steadiness in forecourt is exemplary, far more so than Edberg's and his returning is at its firmest.... the standard return being firm, leaving less than easy first volleys on average
Stich was the defending champion and would go onto lose the final to Petr Korda
Stich won 133 points, Edberg 119
Stich serve-volleyed of all first serves and all but 4 seconds. Edberg serve-volleyed of all but 1 first serve and all but 3 seconds
Serve Stats
Stich...
- 1st serve percentage (72/119) 61%
- 1st serve points won (59/72) 82%
- 2nd serve points won (19/47) 40%
- Aces 16, Service Winners 4
- Double Faults 4
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (53/119) 45%
Edberg...
- 1st serve percentage (67/133) 50%
- 1st serve points won (45/67) 67%
- 2nd serve points won (34/66) 52%
- Aces 10 (2 second serves), Service Winners 2 (1 second serve)
- Double Faults 9
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (40/133) 30%
Serve Patterns
Stich served...
- to FH 45%
- to BH 43%
- to Body 11%
Edberg served...
- to FH 40%
- to BH 32%
- to Body 28%
Return Stats
Stich made...
- 84 (36 FH, 48 BH)
- 6 Winners (2 FH, 4 BH)
- 28 Errors, all forced...
- 28 Forced (15 FH, 13 BH)
- Return Rate (84/124) 68%
Edberg made...
- 62 (25 FH, 37 BH), including 14 return-approaches
- 7 Winners (3 FH, 4 BH)
- 33 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 FH)
- 32 Forced (16 FH, 16 BH), including 2 return-approach attempts
- Return Rate (62/115) 54%
Break Points
Stich 6/10 (8 games)
Edberg 4/8 (4 games)
Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Stich 35 (11 FH, 11 BH, 11 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH)
Edberg 39 (5 FH, 8 BH, 10 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 13 BHV, 2 OH)
Stich had 17 from serve-volley points
- 9 first 'volleys' (5 FHV, 4 FH at net)
- 6 second volleys (5 FHV, 1 OH)… 1 FHV was a lob
- 1 third volley (1 FHV)
- 1 re-approach volley (1 BHV)
- FHs (all passes) - 4 cc (1 return), 2 dtl (1 return) and 1 lob
- BH passes - 3 cc (2 returns), 4 dtl (1 return), 1 inside-out, 1 over and around net post and 1 running-down-drop-volley cc at net (finely played)
- regular BH - 1 net chord dribbling return
Edberg had 22 from serve-volley points
- 15 first volleys (7 FHV, 8 BHV)
- 5 second volleys (2 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
- 2 third volleys (1 BHV, 1 OH)
- 4 from return-approach points (1 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 1 BHV, 1 BH at net)
- FHs (all passes) - 5 dtl (3 returns)
- BHs (all passes) - 2 cc, 1 cc/longline and 4 dtl returns
Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Stich 36
- 6 Unforced (3 FHV, 3 BHV)
- 30 Forced (7 FH, 10 BH, 4 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 8 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53.3
Edberg 36
- 15 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH, 6 FHV, 5 BHV)… with 1 BH at net
- 21 Forced (2 FH, 8 BH, 4 FHV, 7 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 52
(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
Stich was...
- 60/98 (61%) at net, including...
- 56/91 (62%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 39/52 (75%) off 1st serve and..
- 17/39 (44%) off 2nd serve
---
- 1/1 retreated
Edberg was...
- 78/127 (61%) at net, including...
- 65/108 (60%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 35/56 (63%) off 1st serve and...
- 30/52 (58%) off 2nd serve
---
- 9/14 (64%) return-approaching
- 1/4 (25%) forced back
Match Report
This match is a three part tale - the beginning, the transition and the end. All of them are high quality, entertaining and beautiful - Stich steadily so, Edberg fluctuating from otherworldly sublime to merely good
When I say Stich is 'steady', that's relative to Edberg. Stich serves big, serve-volleys just short of always, returns firmly, makes 6 UEs in the match, passes well... you'd call this 'brilliant' ordinarily. What he's not doing is stuff like volleying balls into corners for winners from under the net, return-approaching against one of the biggest serves in the game and half-volleying winners past the serve-volleyer, seemingly teleporting to net, hitting every pass as to give a tough volley etc... stuff Edberg does quite regularly, especially in the first two sets
Beginning - Sets 1 & 2
Stefan Edberg's play in the first two sets is like something out of a dream
He serves huge, as big as Stich. 22/41 serves are unreturned or 54% with 8 aces (1 a second serve) and 2 service winners (1 a second serve)
He has 20 winners (10 groundstrokes, 10 volleys/OHs) to 9 total errors (3 unforced, 6 forced)
He returns like I've never seen him return. Return rate of 65% against the all out serve-volleying of Stich... and Stich barely sees a routine volley, let alone an easy one. Every return that comes back comes back wide or low or very hard (or some combination of the 3). Those that don't go for winners, force errors and those that don't force errors draw defensive volleys/half-volleys that Edberg launches into. If that isn't enough, he comes in behind those returns to volley away winners net-to-net
And all this against the back drop of Stich playing well. Serves as he usually does (well), returns well, volleys particularly well (makes lots of difficult low and wide volleys). There's no scope for him to pass well or otherwise because his returns are whisked away for winners like clockwork. Best he can manage is to get racquet on ball on the dead run and on the stretch... that's what constitutes a 'passing chance'
Stich's left looking bewildered, in an amused 'what-am-I-supposed-to-do-here-exactly?' sort of way
Transition - Set 3
Play turns here
From Edberg's point of view, his serving rhythm goes down. Even while holding serve for first 3 games, he's making a lot of lets and the in the third of those games, can't make a first serve in 6 points (though still holds)
First two sets, Edberg served at 59%. Next 3, its 47%. That actually isn't too big a deal (he'd won 92% first serve points and 65% second serves)… if he'd kept returning and volleying the way he did, it wouldn't have mattered what his serve percentage was like
Its not just the first in count going down, but the rhythm and quality of the serves. He'd looked at least even with Stich's serve in the beginning. Third set onwards, Stich clearly serves stronger
Stich also starts returning more firmly. He'd returned about as well as he was allowed earlier... now he's 'allowed' a bit more. And makes the most of it
Edberg starts faltering on volleys. As in misses a few routine ones
Biggest change is in the Stich serve - Edberg return match up. That turns Stich's way for good and it looks more like what you might have expected: a huge server banging down unreturned serves regularly on a fast court while serve-volleying behind it (as opposed to a huge server getting nothing but balls wide and at his feet, with return-approaching thrown in for good measure). Stich maybe serves a bit better than before (its hard to tell with his ever languid action), but more a drop in Edberg's returning level (which never looked sustainable) accounts for the change
Ending - Sets 4 & 5
Stich dominating. Though fourth set has just 1 break (as opposed to 2 in the tighter 3rd set), Edberg can't get a sniff on return and wins just 4 points in 5 games
Edberg games come to be more and more of a struggle though
Some not good volleying misses from Edberg and ill timed double faults (a problem he faces most of the match) and some incredible low percentage, full run passes from Stich
Stich wins the last 6 games of the match. There's some luck involved with net chord dribblers, but he's far and away the superior player at the end. His steadiness in forecourt is exemplary, far more so than Edberg's and his returning is at its firmest.... the standard return being firm, leaving less than easy first volleys on average