Match Stats/Report - Stich vs Ivanisevic, Stockholm final, 1993

Waspsting

Hall of Fame
Michael Stich beat Goran Ivanisevic 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(3), 6-2 in the Stockholm final, 1993 on carpet

It was Stich’s second and last masters title and he would shortly after go onto win the Year End Championship, beating Ivanisevic in the semi-finals along the way. Ivanisevic, the defending champion, would win the next masters event in Paris right after

Stich won 139 points, Ivanisevic 133

Stich serve-volleyed of all serves bar one second serve, Ivanisevic off

(Note: 1 Point has been partially tracked via audio. It’s an Ivanisevic first serve that was returned, a net point for Stich, ending unknown. Most likely, not a serve-volley and a Stich volley winner
Point has been marked first served, unknown return type, not serve-volley, Stich net point, Stich wins point
Missing point - Set 4, Game 6, Point 4)

Serve Stats
Stich...
- 1st serve percentage (90/136) 66%
- 1st serve points won (71/90) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (27/46) 59%
- Aces 15, Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 5
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (55/136) 40%

Ivanisevic...
- 1st serve percentage (72/136) 53%
- 1st serve points won (60/72) 83%
- 2nd serve points won (35/64) 55%
- Aces 31 (2 second serves - 1 whiff), Service Winners 3
- Double Faults 10
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (63/136) 46%

Serve Pattern
Stich served...
- to FH 34%
- to BH 57%
- to Body 9%

Ivanisevic served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 60%
- to Body 10%

Return Stats
Stich made...
- 63 (20 FH, 42 BH, 1 ??), including 5 runaround FHs
- 5 Winners (3 FH, 2 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 29 Errors, all forced...
- 29 Forced (7 FH, 22 BH), incluidng 1 runaround FH
- Return Rate (63/126) 50%

Ivanisevic made...
- 76 (28 FH, 48 BH)
- 4 Winners (1 FH, 3 BH)
- 39 Errors, all forced...
- 39 Forced (11 FH, 28 BH)
- Return Rate (76/131) 58%

Break Points
Stich 2/5 (4 games)
Ivanisevic 1/1

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Stich 36 (10 FH, 4 BH, 9 FHV, 9 BHV, 4 OH)
Ivanisevic 23 (8 FH, 6 BH, 1 FHV, 5 BHV, 3 OH)

Stich had 24 from serve-volley points -
- 10 first 'volleys' (3 FHV, 5 BHV, 2 FH at net)... 1 FH at net was a drop shot
- 13 second volleys (6 FHV, 4 BHV, 3 OH)
- 1 fourth volley (1 OH)

- 12 passes - 5 returns (3 FH, 2 BH) & 7 regular (5 FH, 2 BH)
- FH returns - 3 cc (1 runaround, 1 not clean)
- BH returns - 1 cc, 1 inside-out
- regular FHs - 1 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-in/cc, 1 longline, 1 lob
- regular BHs - 2 cc

Ivanisevic had 14 from serve-volley points -
- 8 first 'volleys' (1 BHV, 1 OH, 6 FH at net)
- 4 second volleys (3 BHV, 1 OH)
- 2 third volleys (1 FHV, 1 BHV)

- 8 passes - 4 returns (1 FH, 3 BH) & 4 regular (1 FH, 3 BH)
- FH return - 1 dtl
- BH returns - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out
- regular FH - 1 cc
- regular BHs - 1 cc, 2 dtl (1 one-handed)

Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Stich 42
- 13 Unforced (1 BH, 6 FHV, 6 BHV)
- 29 Forced (2 FH, 14 BH, 6 FHV, 4 FH1/2V, 3 BHV)... 1 FH1/2v can reasonably be called a FH at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53.8

Ivanisevic 37
- 11 Unforced (3 FH, 2 FHV, 6 BHV)... with 2 FH at net
- 26 Forced (6 FH, 12 BH, 4 FHV, 2 FH1/2V, 2 BHV)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shots at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53.6

(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
Stich was...
- 84/118 (71%) at net, including...
- 81/114 (71%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 55/74 (74%) off 1st serve and...
- 26/40 (65%) off 2nd serve
---
- 2/3 (67%) forced back

Ivanisevic was...
- 58/91 (64%) at net, including...
- 55/83 (66%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 25/35 (71%) off 1st serve and...
- 30/48 (63%) off 2nd serve

Match Report
Fast court + 2 big serving, serve-volleying monsters = a point here, a point there and long term wearing down affair, amidst thorough server domination. Stich wins the the crucial point-here, point-there to move ahead and Ivanisevic gets worn down more to complete the result

“2 big serving, serve-volleying monsters” isn’t quite right. More like 1 obscenely big server who happens to move forward after dropping his obscenities and a strong serving, serve-volleyer. For Goran, serve does all the work, his ‘volleying’ (much of it is groundstrokes at net) is a hodgepodge; Misses and makes and and makes well and doesn’t make well anything and everything he’s faced with - putaway balls, easy balls, routine balls, low balls, powerful balls. Lot of double faults too

Stich by contrast serve-volleys classically. Excellent, strong serve though its made to look ordinary next to Goran’s bombs and excellent volleying to back it up. And it has to be

Goran hammers returns for what passes as regularly in a serve-bot match. The intent is always there though. Mode volley for Stich is firm, considerably under net, edging towards troublingly so - and from there, plenty of tough ones - low volleys, shoelace volleys, powerful wide passes. Tough task to cope, but he manages. While serve force is centerpiece of match, Stich’s volleying is the aesthetic and playing highlight of it

Stich returns however and in whatever way he can, stubbornly remaining on baseline to take the return no matter how many aces fly by. That position + Goran’s serve speed means any return that comes back is liable to catch Goran in unsettled position at least. Even volleys above net are played while moving forward faster than is comfortable to be volleying from. In extreme cases, he’s about half-way to service line when return is made (and more often than that, missed). Resulting in mishmash of ‘volley’s that follow

All against backdrop of high unreturned rates (40% for Stich, 46% for Goran). And neither player passes well in terms of percentages… not a lot of good looks at the pass, but just as a percentage, one would look and expect to nail a few more than either player manages

By set, Goran has better of the first and regularly rains down big returns (while ‘botting through his holds) to earn his break. What he taketh, he can give way too - and he flirts with handing it back on the serve-out

Second set is even. The aces continue to flow from Goran but the big returns don’t land as often and he’s erratic in forecourt. The change equalizes play and tiebreak prospects. The ‘breaker stays on serve for 13 points before Stich lands a running FH dtl pass winner - the kind of shot both players fail to make throughout match

Goran’s ace’ing fury subsides in third set, even as Stich delivers a few more. The serving from both players is more returnable than earlier (particularly Goran’s), but server still has loaded hand. There’s an element in learnt helplessness and perhaps mental weariness in returners being just as ineffective as before. Stich had been showing frustration when returning for most of match, and Goran joins him in it, even outdoes him in expression of the emotion. Stich looks better (as in, more likely to win return points) going into another ‘breaker and coolly delivers to take it

Goran’s serve weakens in 4th set, along with his mood getting worse and Stich breaks twice to seal his win

Match also features the one of the rarest sights in tennis; Goran Ivanisevic smiles. Down 40-0 and game good as over, he reaches a running BH pass and carelessly bangs it 1-handed. Carelessly, and perfectly for a dtl winner, which amuses both players

Serve-Volley, Serve & Return
Stich stays back off 1 second serve on which he takes net early
Goran 1st serve-volleys 35/39 or 90% of the time and 2nd serve-volleys 48/53 or 91%

Unreturned rates - Stich 40%, Goran 46%
Aces/Service Winners - Stich 16, Goran 34 (1 second serve)
Ace/Service Winner rate off 1st serve - Stich 18%, Goran 46%
Double faults rate off 2nd serve - Stich 11%, Goran 16%

Taking all that together, Stich’s serve is humanly good and he has work to do on the volley. Double faults rate isn’t small either. With Goran hammering returns and relatively not-easy first volley to make (and often harder), Stich would need to volley well to hold regularly. Which he does, facing just one break point in the match

Goran’s 46% freebies is in lockdown service games territory, but high double faults and his choppiness on the volley leave some hope for Stich. Not great ones, but better than one might fancy having with a 50% return rate. He has break points in 2 games in first 3 sets, on top of breaking twice in the last set
 
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Waspsting

Hall of Fame
Volley & Pass
Stich on the ‘volley’

24 winners - 10 first volleys, 14 post-first - speaks to his having faced not easy first ‘routine’ volleys. He doesn’t volley in 2-part style - if its there to be putaway, he puts it away - but much of what he gets first up is low-ish that can be put in play without undue trouble, but not putaway (leaving aside the difficult first volleys he faces)

12 UEs and 13 FEs. The UE figure is decent, given they’re relatively not-easy. And he makes a lot more than 13 difficult volleys. He’s done well against Goran’s lot of power returns, wide and low

Goran on the pass has 8 winners. 4 of them are returns, and 1 is the throw-away 1-handed BH dtl

Almost all the damage he does is with the return shot. With Stich making a lot of difficult volleys and the not-easy ‘routine’ volleys under net, Goran’s left with reasonable passing chances afterwards
He’s got 18 ground FEs (virtually all passing errors). 4 passing winners in play, for that many errors, with reasonable looks is just bad percentage. Not good from Goran on the follow up pass

Goran has 15 ‘volley’ winners. 6 of them being first ‘volley’ FH at nets and another being an OH is indicator of how easy these are - out and out putaway balls. 2 are third volleys, indicator of his not being decisive in his finishing to routine volleys

9 UEs and 8 FEs on ‘volley’ to go with it. The UEs rate is about the same rate as Stich’s (he has 91 net points, to Stich’s 118), but his lot are easier volleys (including 2 FHs at net). The 8 FEs are as difficult as the ones Stich makes, but he faces a lot fewer of them as Stich can’t return with same force

So in both areas - dealing with routine volleys and tough ones - Goran trailing Stich

Stich with 12 passing winners - 5 returns, 7 in play. And 18 ground FEs
7 passing winners to 18 ground FEs is decent. He has fair looks at the passes, what with Goran’s ‘iffy volleying, so room for improvement there

Goran has done well to direct volleys to Stich’s BH, that has 14/16 ground FEs. On FH, Stich has 5 passing winners to just 2 errors, which is first class. Stich has a reputation for having stronger BH than FH (most such reputations are unjustified), so Goran at least seems to have the brains not to buy into such fairy tales and avoids the FH that’s done so well

Stich too for that matter volleys more to BH (Goran has 6 FH and 12 BH FEs), but there the choice is easier as Goran obviously strikes FHs much harder than BHs. He’s also not as in control of where to volley as Goran is because he’s facing tougher volleys. Goran not doing well on the pass of either side, unlike Stich

Gist of all this -
- Stich facing tougher volleys on average, with Goran facing a good lot of very easy putaways
- Evenly matched for basic consistency, with Stich having edge for his facing less easy returns
- Stich facing and making a lot more tough volleys than Goran. Goran’s about 50-50 missing and making them, Stich making a lot more than he misses (and he has to to stay even overall, because he faces significantly more)
- Neither player passing too well on whole. Goran particularly low hit rate. Stich’s doing spectacularly with the FH pass, but Goran’s smart in avoiding that side

Match Progression
Goran has better of first set. His serve is overwhelming to point where he rarely has to volley, but regularly gets big returns off wide or to Stich’s feet. Stich handles the difficult volleys pretty well, but naturally, misses a few

Goran’s first ace of the match is a second serve. He only serves 1 more for rest of match. He takes Stich to deuce in game 3. A beautiful, first BHV winner to wide, feet level ball among other volley winners gets Stich through that game, but he’s broken next time around aggressively (pair of passing winners - BH dtl return and running FH cc and couple of volleying errors - 1 reaction UE and 1 low-ish FE)

Goran makes heavy weather off the serve-out, starting by missing a FH at net an easy, putaway FHV to go down 0-30. He proceeds to not serve-volley off a first serve for the first time a bit later and Stich takes chance to take net and force an error to grab break point. Ace. Double fault brings up a second break point. Service Winner. Goran again stays back off a first serve but comes in early to close out the game and set

Goran strikes a throwaway, 1-handed BH dtl passing winner which makes both players smile in the opening game of second set

Stich has only break point of set in game 4, brought up by low returns. Amidst easy holds, he has slightly better of play, with Goran messing up forecourt shots when return comes back. It doesn’t often enough that its not a big problem

Goran’s taken to deuce in holding to reach tiebreak. 3 aces decorate the game.

Tiebreak. 13 straight points on serve - 10 of them unreturned, including the last 8 in a row. One of the other points is a first volley OH winner by Goran. Goran’s has a look at a fair pass on another point but misses his BH

It’s the 1 good shot that gets Stich the game and set. Good volley to corner by Goran, but Stich reaches it without undue strain and makes the FH dtl pass winner

In third set, Goran in particular but Stich also hit a lot of lets with their serves. Goran’s serve strength drops a bit, but its still in terror inducing range. Stich serves more aces than earlier. Easy holds remain the norm though

Goran holds to open, despite hitting 4 double faults (and possibly setting a world record for largest number of lets in a single game). Stich’s taken to 10 points to hold for 5-5. No break points in the set, but Stich’s been a little less helpless returning

Stich had been showing frustration since early second set when on receiving end of aces and unreturned serves. Goran joins him in doing so and typically, is more emphatic of expression. The crowd, who’ve been very polite all match - they applaud the aces and cheer lightly for return errors - mildly jeer Goran a couple of times… likely behind the reasoning “you can dish it out, but you can’t take it”

Tiebreak. A good one from Stich, who opens with a BH inside-out return pass winner. Adds another return point with a BH cc pass winner after drawing a first half-volley and goes on to take it 7-3

Goran’s frustrations are more evident still in 4th set and his serve is now down to Stich’s level. Still, its Stich’s fine play that wins him the set. He breaks for 2-0 - forcing FH1/2V error and hitting passing winners with FH lob (after drawing a half-volley) and FH cc return

Goran stays back on 3 points in a row to hold for 2-4. He doesn’t look tired, but his serve is down. He’s back to full serve-volleying next game, but is broken. Makes 2/8 first serves (including a double fault) and misses 2 BHVs (not too easy, but both marked UE). Stich throws in a couple passing winners - ending the match with a BH cc return winner

Summing up, a good match of contrasting serve-volley and return-pass styles. Ivanisevic’s weapons are the serve shot and the return shot. Serve is devastating and returns are often powerful, low or wide and even what isn’t is firm and not high

Stich’s serve is no gimme either, but his volleying takes the eye more. Beautiful of form and confronted with considerable difficulties by Goran hammer returns, he not only handles it but does so with grace and style. Rarely can he get much done returning and relies on his opponent double faulting and messing up in forecourt to make small inroads

Neither player are good on the pass in terms of hit rate. Not many good looks at passes, but just as a percentage, would look to get a few more winning ones off. Stich is better at it, particularly with the FH, but his opponent feeds the other side

Not much in result. Ivanisevic’s bigger server gives him considerable head-start and more chances to hit challenging returns. Stich is better on the volley - he’s very good, Ivanisevic just so-so - and on the pass. And Ivanisevic appears to get flustered more eventually, though both have their tearing-out-hair moments
 
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