Match Stats/Report - Vilas vs Marks, Australian Open final, 1978

[Waspsting]

Guillermo Vilas beat John Marks 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the Australian Open final, 1978 on grass

It was Vilas’ first title at the event and he would go onto defend it the following year. This would be Marks’ only Slam final

Vilas won 136 points, Marks 125

Vilas serve-volleyed off all but 1 first serve and off most seconds, Marks off all serves

Serve Stats
Vilas...
- 1st serve percentage (78/126) 62%
- 1st serve points won (52/78) 67%
- 2nd serve points won (30/48) 63%
- Double Faults 6
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (28/126) 22%

Marks...
- 1st serve percentage (80/135) 59%
- 1st serve points won (52/80) 65%
- 2nd serve points won (29/55) 53%
- Double Faults 8
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (43/135) 32%

Serve Patterns
Vilas served...
- to FH 13%
- to BH 86%
- to Body 2%

Marks served...
- to FH 38%
- to BH 54%
- to Body 9%

Return Stats
Vilas made...
- 84 (38 FH, 46 BH), including 8 runaround FHs
- 4 Winners (4 FH), including 1 runaround FH
- 43 Errors, all forced...
- 43 Forced (27 FH, 16 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- Return Rate (84/127) 66%

Marks made...
- 92 (24 FH, 68 BH), including 11 runaround FHs
- 7 Winners (1 FH, 6 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 28 Errors, comprising...
- 3 Unforced (3 BH)
- 25 Forced (4 FH, 21 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- Return Rate (92/120) 77%

Break Points
Vilas 4/10 (7 games)
Marks 2/8 (5 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Vilas 47 (15 FH, 6 BH, 14 FHV, 6 BHV, 6 OH)
Marks 37 (7 FH, 10 BH, 9 FHV, 6 BHV, 5 OH)

Vilas had 25 from serve-volley points -
- 9 first volleys (7 FHV, 2 BHV)
- 14 second volleys (5 FHV, 4 BHV, 5 OH)
- 1 third volley (1 FHV)
- 1 re-approach volley (1 FHV)

- 20 passes - 4 returns (4 FH) & 16 regular (10 FH, 6 BH)
- FH returns - 1 cc, 2 dtl, 1 runaround inside-out
- regular FHs - 3 cc, 1 cc/inside-in, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out (that opponent possibly left), 4 lobs
- regular BHs - 1 cc, 2 dtl (1 at net), 3 lobs

- regular (non-pass) FH - 1 cc

Marks had 18 from serve-volley points -
- 3 first volleys (3 FHV)
- 11 second volleys (3 FHV, 5 BHV, 3 OH)
- 4 third 'volleys' (1 FHV, 1 BHV, 1 OH, 1 BH at net)

- 16 passes - 7 returns (1 FH, 6 BH) & 9 regular (6 FH, 3 BH)
- FH return - 1 runaround cc
- BH returns - 2 cc, 3 inside-out, 1 inside-in
- regular FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 3 inside-out (1 at net), 1 lob
- regular BHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl, 1 longline/down-the-middle (a net chord pop over)

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Vilas 39
- 14 Unforced (2 FH, 1 BH, 4 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 OH)
- 25 Forced (14 FH, 6 BH, 2 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 53.6

Marks 53
- 17 Unforced (1 FH, 3 BH, 6 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 OH)... with 1 BH at net
- 36 Forced (12 FH, 10 BH, 6 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 BH1/2V, 1 OH)... with 1 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 52.4

(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
Vilas was...
- 75/112 (67%) at net, including...
- 70/101 (69%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 52/77 (68%) off 1st serve and...
- 18/24 (75%) off 2nd serve

Marks was...
- 83/136 (61%) at net, including...
- 79/127 (62%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 52/80 (65%) off 1st serve and...
- 29/47 (62%) off 2nd serve
---
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Good serve-volley from both players. Clean hitting (including on the return) and very fast court coverage from Vilas stand out. Marks by contrast pokes and pushes at returns and is average of movement. Both volley well enough (Vilas perhaps slightly better), but Vilas categorically greater power and speed give him advantage in volley-pass contest - and ultimately the win

Vilas serve-volleys 99% of time off first serves and 57% off seconds
Marks 100% of the time

On the ‘volley’ -
Vilas has 26 winners, 11 UEs, 5 FEs
Marks has 21 winners, 14 UEs, 14 FEs

On the pass in play -
Vilas has 16 (10 FH, 6 BH) winners, 20 FEs (14 FH, 6 BH)
Marks has 9 (6 FH, 3 BH) winners, 22 FEs (12 FH, 10 BH)
… adding return winners Vilas goes to 20 winners, Marks 16.

On the volley, Vilas better in all areas. Especially FEs
On the pass, Vilas better. Especially in winners

Backcutting into Vilas’ advantage is -
Unreutnred serves - Vilas 22%, Marks 32%

10% freebie advantage < Vilas’ volley-pass one… and Vilas wins

Main key to Vilas’ volley-pass advantage is power of passes, including returns.
Vilas pounds returns, Marks mostly pushes and pokes them. Marks’ way does have benefit of minimizing Vilas’ freebies, though it looks like he returns as he does due to limitation of ability, not a calculated choice

Power on the return and pass isn’t the only difference.
Vilas is also very good at handling shoelace volleys. Better than Marks
And Vilas’ quickness is a factor in his passing better

Unusually - more than unusually, possibly uniquely for 4 sets on grass - there are 0 aces in the match. Not even anything judged to be a service winner
Despite that, serving is not weak. ‘Weak’ here defined as a situation which one looks at and anticipates a mountain of return-pass winners. Serves are good to give force or at least encourage not-strong returns. Stefan Edberg often had low aces, but his serve did its job. Something along those lines (as opposed to imaginary Michael Chang of early ‘90s serve-volleying, which would be begging for a thrashing) going on here

1st serve-volleying success - Vilas 68%, Marks 65%
2nd serve-volleying success - Vilas 75%, Marks 62%

Very good outcomes from server, and due to good serve-volley play, not weak return-passing

Vilas just being a little better in all areas. He leads first serve in by 3%, first serve won by 2% and second serve won by 10%

Vilas’ is generally known for consistency of shot rather than power.
There’s power aplenty here. His return-passing is along lines of a good Jimmy Connors showing, with superb lobbing thrown in

Vilas’ serve game
Vilas serves at healthy 62%
Serve-volleys 99% off first serves (all but once, the exception coming right at the end), 57% off seconds
Wins 68% first serve-volleying, is 0/1 staying back
Wins 75% second serve-volleying, and 67% staying back. Along with 13% double faulting

Above average serve. Swings them out wide in typical lefty fashion, at average power
Almost completely targets BH of Marks, directing 86% of serves to that wing

On the ‘volley’, Vilas has -
- 26 winners (14 FHV, 6 BHV, 6 OH)
- 11 UEs (4 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 OH)
- 5 FEs (2 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)

Marks returning at 77% has 7 return-pass winners. And on pass in play has -
- 9 winners (6 FH, 3 BH)
- 22 FEs (12 FH, 10 BH)

Marks’ usually pokes and pushes returns in play. Swung returns are below average of power. Even when takes a strong cut, not too powerful. Occasionally, he’s able to step in and time the block return well enough to have it go through wide for winner, but its exception
Essentially, way Marks returns, he’s depending on Vilas making UEs and/or indecisive volley that leaves him with good passing look. In other words, to break with this kind of returning requires server to volley badly

Vilas does not volley badly. If anything, better than his numbers look

The 5 FEs stand out as low. In light of dynamics, could be for rarely facing difficult volleys (as opposed to making them well). This isn’t true. He certainly doesn’t face a ton of low or wide volleys, but makes far more than he misses. The quickness helps. And he does it like a natural volleyer, not all haggard and rushed. He’s more comfy looking on volley than typical Jimmy Connors showing (who doesn’t make volleying look easy), let alone Bjorn Borg (who tends to make even routine volleying look like hard work). He even makes the difficult shoelace volleys with fair authority (as in, not leave easy or too good look a pass). For the normal stuff, he gets in very close to net to be decisive

FHV better than BHV in all ways coming through in numbers, but also Marks’ limitations on the return. Lefty serve to BH in both courts get returned in most basic directions to grant FHVs most of the time. Vilas doesn’t move over to play them, its just where they come to him

The UEs aren’t small. They go up as match goes on. He’s not far off being unable to miss a volley for large chunks of match. He can’t keep up that level of consistency

And he volleys wide and with authority. Unhaggled about which way, more focused on getting volley wide. Hence Mark’s evenly distributed passing FEs

 

[Waspsting]

Marks’ passing, like most of his game, is average. Occasional good, wide blocked return-pass gets him 7 winners. Which isn’t high against 101 serve-volleys from a server with no aces. Not bad either though
With Vilas volleying even the better returns with authority, not great passing looks. 9 winners, 22 FEs on the pass in play is again, not too break threatening. Doing better of FH pass than BH is normal

Marks relying on Vilas messing up volleys to be a breaking threat + Vilas’ volley consistency varying across match = there are parts of match where Marks is a breaking threat
He’s got break points in 5 games. Just 2 less than Vilas

In baseline rallies, Vilas has the only winner and both players have 3 UEs
Rallying to net, Vilas is 5/11, Marks 4/9
And Marks with 3 return UEs

Pretty even. Vilas winning 12/18 stay back second serve points (and 0/1 firsts) isn’t due to big baseline superiority. He’s quicker and harder hitter in the rallies, but doesn’t lead to very large winning rate. Smaller than his 18/24 second serve-volleying, which is the highest winning rate behind any of the 4 serves

Gist - decent serving from Vilas, persistently targetting BH return, poked and pushed returning by Marks, Vilas volleying decisively and Marks unable to get much passing counter-play
Drops in Vilas’ volley consistency see Marks make in-roads. But Vilas remains strong against occasionally difficult low and/or wide volley throughout

Marks’ serve game
Marks’ full serve-volleys and he’s as orthodox, average as it gets. Even his appearance. He plays in a fishing hat (which only falls off once). I don’t think I’d recognize him from his face if I saw him again. He’s tall

Average serve, average movement, average volleys
Vilas returns and passes with clean hit power. Off both wings. Impressive stuff

On the ‘volley’, Marks has -
- 21 winners (9 FHV, 6 BHV, 5 OH, 1 BH at net)
- 14 UEs (6 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 OH, 1 BH at net)
- 14 FEs (6 FHV, 6 BHV, 1 BH1/2V, 1 OH)

Vilas returning at 66% has 4 return-pass winners. And on pass in play has -
- 16 winners (10 FH, 6 BH)
- 20 FEs (14 FH, 6 BH)

For Marks, high UEs, high FEs on the volley. Having more volley errors than winners isn’t likely to end well for him
For Vilas, excellent passing rate in play

32% unreturned serves is Marks’ protective cushion against that volley-pass contest. For Vilas, its price of powerful returning

Average serve means both of power and placement, so potential there for high damage with power returning. Vilas not going for the clean return winner, but for power. 4 return-winners is low against 127 serve-volleys from a server with no aces. His typical serves are slightly wide. Best to best to be said for them is they’re not in swing zone, though there’s some of that too

While Vilas hammers returns off both wings, his FH is proves a lot less reliable. 25 FH return errors (+2 runaround ones), to 16 BHs, despite Marks serving 38% to FH, 54% to BH
All 4 of his return winners though are FHs too (1 runaround). He’s very quick to get around to hit FH return and does so successfully 8 times. Marks did so 11 and he was facing very predictable serve pattern

At least not-easy first volleys for Marks. He’s only got 3 first volley winners, 15 post-first
Often as not, more than just not-easy. Marks average of consistency and handling difficult volleys

It seems an odd choice for him to volley to Vilas’ FH so much, which is the more powerful side. Perhaps influenced by the discrepancy in return errors. It doesn’t matter too much as Vilas is very effective passing off both wings, and in fact, ends up with slightly worse ratio of winners to FEs on the FH

Lot of great power passing from Vilas, but highlight are the lobs. He’s got 4 FH and 3 BH lob winners. Perfect shots clearing the tall Marks to leave him no chance

16 winners, 20 FEs would be great passing numbers at any time. Even more so here because the FEs are often low percentage shots. On even look pass, Vilas nails winning pass far more often than 50-50. His speed allows him to reach potential volley winners and at least have take a shot in the dark at those. Close to 1:1 on the pass, with relative high lot of the misses being such shots

If Marks’ consistency and ability to handle tough volleys hover around average, quality of both routine and difficult volleys made is better than that. Relatively good quality shoelace volleys made, but that still leaves good-look pass or one with time on hand and Vilas is outstanding in following up. Vilas’s speed is crucial to running down and taking reasonable shot from wide routine volleys too. In short, Vilas’ passing is better than Marks’ volleying

Gist - 32% freebies keeping Marks’ head above water. Vilas passes substantially better than Marks volleys. Getting broken is almost inevitable so it’s a question of how rarely for Marks

Match Progression
Vilas getting better of good, competitive first set
Just the 1 break but both players have it tough to hold. Vilas holds 12 and 8 point games, Marks 8, 18 and 8 while being broken to 30 early on
Vilas with the odd stay back second serve point. He’s very quick and passes powerfully

Average serving from both (which doesn’t change much) and average volleying quality too (which does). Marks is troubled by clean hit, power returns even at good height - and there’s good chunk of low returns too that draw weak volley or error

Nice low first volley by Marks to start the match, which he follows up with a second volley BHV winner. Vilas with a lovely FH lob winner in the opener too
Marks works his way to net to dispatch FHV winner and strikes a BH inside-in return pass one to get to 15-30 game after, before Vilas holds

It’s a nice platform for the real competition
Vilas breaks for 2-1 with a wonderful FH cc pass winner and forcing a lowish FHV error. Marks completes the job with double fault and a horrendous putaway FHV miss

Next 4 games last 12 (2 break points for Marks), 8, 8 and 18 (3 break points for Vilas) points. Mix of good and not so good (more the former)
Marks misses return to a good wide second serve on his first break point. And can’t do much with the return against a good first serve on the second
Gorgeous BH lob winner from Vilas game after, but he misses 4 returns
Game 6 is excellent, with several fine passes by Marks
And the 18 pointer ebbs and flows, the way 18-pointers tend to do
Marks endures another deuce hold on his next go around. And Vilas makes some tough volleys to serve out the set

Vilas’ return and passing remains very crisp in second
Forces 2 second volley errors to start the second set, with Marks doing well to make the first ‘volleys’. Again, Marks finishes the job for him with a very easy second BHV putaway miss and a double fault

This set lacks the edginess of the first. Same 6-4 scoreline. First set had 83 points, second 45

More or less routine holds, ‘til the end when the two trade breaks. Good game from Marks to level for 4-4 (2 BH cc pass winners - 1 a return, and a net to to net OH one after drawing first shoelace volley)
An even better one from Vilas to move ahead again 5-4 (forcing 3 volley errors and a masterful FH inside-out pass winner). And Vilas serves out to 30

Action is similar in the third, with Marks volleying consistency improving. And 1 bad game from Vilas near the end sealing the result

Two trade 12 point holds early on (Vilas saving 3 break points, Marks 2). Both fine games
Unlike game 8, when Vilas gives up sole break of set. 3 volley UEs (1 a little tricky) set him down break point and Marks strikes runaround FH cc return-pass winner on it

Fantastic FH lob winner by Vilas on the serve out, but Marks holds to 30 to usher in fourth set

Marks shows signs of tiring in it and Vilas has better of it
Marks’ first service games takes 8 points and ends with Vilas missing FH pass, with Marks’ fisherman hat having fallen during the point. Vilas protests, but Chair calls the point for Marks. Commentators find Vilas’ protest frivolous on ground that hat falling didn’t effect Vilas’ shot; a different time

Vilas breaks next go around in another 8 point game. It’s a brilliant game with some brilliant shots and points, none better than a full running BH lob winner. Marks comes away with a third volley BHV winner too, but from 40-30, Vilas aggressively takes 3 points for the break

Crap game from Marks on go around after that, and he’s lucky to hold after surviving another break point

Marks’ last service point of the match sees him hold for 3-5. He adjusts to a net post deflected pass to come away with a memorable third ‘volley’, diving BH at net winner

Vilas has been holding easily the whole time, with Marks returning getting feebler. The serve out though proves nervy. There’s a double fault, a missed smash, easy BHV miss, an approach UE on the only first serve that Vilas stays back on in the match. He saves the only break point with an ordinary first serve that Marks BH cc return one

It takes 12 points, but Vilas holds through, with a tired Marks missing a return against a gentle, stay back second serve to finish

Summing up, impressive showing from Vilas, with the power of his clean ball striking on the return and pass standing out. He’s also typically quick, and volleys well. Especially in handling difficult (low and/or wide) ones

Marks plays a decent match too. His BH return is persistently targetted and the shot isn’t powerful. He’s not bad at net, but Vilas’ pointedly good passing is better than Marks’ volleying. And in due time, he tires some

 

[bobcolbert]

Thanks for this work. We can see that the numbers are quite close. The match was close. Marks played surprisingly well; it's no wonder he reached the final, even if he didn't confirm his form afterwards. The most impressive thing was the quality of Vilas' volleys and his serve-and-volleys. The Australian grass, a little slower than at Wimbledon and especially with a lower bounce, was easier for Vilas to master, but it still required a colossal amount of work. Vilas' record on grass is incredible.

 

[Mustard]

Played on 3 January 1979, the 1978 Australian Open final.

 

[WCT]

This is the 3rd Vilas Australian final that you have done. Interesting how he s/v so little in the Tanner match and played it so much in the last 2.

 

[Waspsting]

The most impressive thing was the quality of Vilas' volleys and his serve-and-volleys. The Australian grass, a little slower than at Wimbledon and especially with a lower bounce, was easier for Vilas to master, but it still required a colossal amount of work

I was most struck by his ball-striking, though volleying's good too
He his clean hitting reminded me of Agassi. Among the very best I've seen with wooden racquet. Everything right out the middle of racquet, everything powerful - other than those gorgeous lobs

Much of wooden racquet hitting is pitter-patter stuff (by todays standard). Not Vilas' here

There is a difference in the courts between here and Wimby
At Wimby, you'll inevitably see ankle balls. Not so much here

This is the 3rd Vilas Australian final that you have done. Interesting how he s/v so little in the Tanner match and played it so much in the last 2.

I did wonder watching the '77 match how he won twice and am glad to see all the serve-volleying because he plays a pretty feeble game in that first final
If he were winning titles playing that way, it wouldn't say good things about the Australian Open (and there's plenty not good things said about it anyway)

Another odd thing I was struck by was both Marks and Tanner volleying so much to Vilas' FH
His FH certainly isn't weak, and he seems to be normal FH > BH player. With a good BH, but not stronger than FH
Volleyer targetting BH is standard operating procedure, so usually there's a good reason not to (either exceptionally strong BH or relatively weak FH). Don't see such a reason against Vilas

 

[Hard Court]

That is a lot to chew on. Interesting that both served and volleyed constantly, especially for Vilas who was a baseliner. In other Australian Opens on grass, the players would often mix up more. Crazy that neither served an ace.