Match Stats/Report - Wheaton vs Agassi, Wimbledon quarter-final, 1991

[Waspsting]

David Wheaton beat Andre Agassi 6-2, 0-6, 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 in the Wimbledon quarter-final, 1991 on grass

Wheaton would go onto lose to Boris Becker in the next round. This would be his sole Slam semi showing. Agassi would win the title the following year

Wheaton won 133 points, Agassi 130

Wheaton serve-volleyed off all serves

Serve Stats
Wheaton...
- 1st serve percentage (82/133) 62%
- 1st serve points won (58/82) 71%
- 2nd serve points won (26/51) 51%
- Aces 15 (1 second serve), Service Winners 1
- Double Faults 14
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (56/133) 42%

Agassi...
- 1st serve percentage (83/130) 64%
- 1st serve points won (57/83) 69%
- 2nd serve points won (24/47) 51%
- Aces 1, Service Winners 2
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (30/130) 23%

Serve Patterns
Wheaton served...
- to FH 52%
- to BH 42%
- to Body 6%

Agassi served...
- to FH 54%
- to BH 44%
- to Body 2%

Return Stats
Wheaton made...
- 98 (50 FH, 48 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 14 return-approaches
- 10 Winners (5 FH, 5 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 27 Errors, comprising...
- 20 Unforced (14 FH, 6 BH), including 1 return-approach attempt
- 7 Forced (5 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (98/128) 77%

Agassi made...
- 63 (33 FH, 30 BH)
- 5 Winners (3 FH, 2 BH)
- 40 Errors, all forced...
- 40 Forced (23 FH, 17 BH)
- Return Rate (63/119) 53%

Break Points
Wheaton 6/11 (8 games)
Agassi 6/14 (7 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding serves)
Wheaton 37 (7 FH, 9 BH, 7 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 12 BHV, 1 BH1/2V)
Agassi 42 (19 FH, 10 BH, 5 FHV, 3 BHV, 5 OH)

Wheaton had 20 from serve-volley points -
- 13 first 'volleys' (4 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 5 BHV, 1 BH12/V, 2 BH at net)
- 6 second volleys (2 FHV, 4 BHV)... 1 BHV was a lob
- 1 fourth volley (1 BHV)

- 2 from return-approach points (2 BHV)

- FHs - 4 cc (3 returns), 3 dtl (2 returns - 1 runaround)
- BHs - 1 cc pass, 4 dtl (3 returns, 1 pass), 2 inside-out returns

Agassi had 23 passes - 5 returns (3 FH, 2 BH) & 18 regular (12 FH, 6 BH)
- FH returns - 2 cc, 1 inside-out
- BH returns - 1 cc, 1 inside-in
- regular FHs - 5 cc, 2 dtl (1 at net), 1 inside-out, 3 lobs, 1 running-down-drop-shot cc at net
- regular BHs - 3 cc, 2 lobs, 1 running-down-drop-shot cc at net

- regular (non-pass) FHs - 2 cc, 1 dtl, 1 inside-out
- regular BHs - 1 dtl, 1 dtl/inside-out

- 2 from serve-volley points (2 FHV), both first volleys

- 1 other FHV was a swinging inside-in/cc
- 1 other OH was on teh bounce

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Wheaton 44
- 20 Unforced (5 FH, 6 BH, 5 FHV, 4 BHV)
- 24 Forced (6 FH, 6 BH, 2 FHV, 2 FH1/2V, 8 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 48.5

Agassi 38
- 17 Unforced (8 FH, 8 BH, 1 FHV)... with 1 FH at net & 1 FH pass attempt
- 21 Forced (11 FH, 9 BH, 1 FHV)... with 2 FH running-down-drop-shot at net & 3 BH running-down-drop-shot at net
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 50.6

(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
Wheaton was...
- 81/126 (64%) at net, including...
- 68/103 (66%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 43/67 (64%) off 1st serve and...
- 25/36 (69%) off 2nd serve
---
- 6/14 (43%) return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back

Agassi was...
- 27/40 (68%) at net, including...
- 3/3 (100%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves

Match Report
Fitness is decisive factor, with Wheaton seemingly as energetic at the end as he was at the start while Agassi fades as fourth set goes on. In the fifth, the difference is more stark still, and Wheaton dominates it to take the match

Before that, Agassi serves for the match at 6-5 in the fourth and reaches 30-15 at his closest to victory. Chokes a little - he has 2 double faults all match, and one of them makes score 30-30, before netting an attempted, blasted third ball FH inside-in winner attempt to get broken. That shot isn’t too unusual from the way he was playing around the time

Overall match stats are very close, but that’s of limited value; tends to be the case in long matches (that is, matches where loser wins sets) that have one sided sets

Agassi delivering a bagel, Wheaton 2 braces. The 6-3 is a 1 break affair
Its not a great match and there’s substantial sloppiness in the breaks obtained by both players

Wheaton’s fiercely aggressive returning is most stand out feature of action
He has 10 return winners - 6 against first serves, 4 against seconds, and all with Agassi on the baseline. Agassi, who has target of full serve-volleyer, has just 5

Its not the full iceberg either. Wheaton regular hammers returns against both serves to on or near the baseline. Even Novak Djokovic doesn’t power similar length returns to this extent. One of the quiet, very impressive things in the match is the way Agassi handles such hits. Almost playing ball back as if it were a stock, average paced, average depth, average power return - but even he can’t handle Wheaton coming in behind such returns

Other features of match -
- big serving from Wheaton. Probably wary of threat posed by Agassi’s returns. Leads to a lot of double faults, but powerful serving from Wheaton. Bigger than what he’d dished out to Lendl and would go onto dish out to Becker in the same event - and what he dished out to them wasn’t gentle

- drop volleying by Wheaton. Seems to like it

- Wanton power hitting by Agassi, including on the return. Almost wild. His swing and take back is less compact than it would be in his title run the following year. No half measures here - he’s all in trying to overpower Wheaton all the time - with the return pass and in baseline rallies, off both wings. Given how he flays the ball, it’s a wonder he hits so cleanly with the knee high bounce

- Interesting, FH heavy serve patterns from both players. Presumably, they’d have been familiar with each others games from junior tennis

- Earlier mentioned sloppiness - Wheaton on the volley (and double faults), Agassi off the ground. Its not a bad match, but the breaks come about through mess ups from the broken more than high quality from the breaker

Wheaton’s serve game
100% serve-volley from Wheaton and powerful serve

He’s all in with the serve, going for them as big as can. Firsts and seconds. Probably out of respect for Agassi’s return
62% first serves in is good in that regard. Placement has room for improvement, but isn’t bad. A little wide at big pace should be good to win bulk of points

The big second serving has up and down sides
He’s got 14 double faults or huge 27% of second serves (also 1 ace). Very bad
He also wins 69% second serve-volley points - which is higher than the 64% he wins first serve-volleying. Very good

64% won first serve-volleying isn’t too good, but 69% second is excellent. Sign of being all in with the serve shot
Both figures counter-manded by aces and doubles in - healthy 14 aces, 1 service winner from first serve, and the terrible double faulting

He serves 52% to FH and 42% to BH. Works out ok, with Agassi’s return rate in similar proportion to what its faced with across wings (FH does slightly worse). Quite a lot of serves out wide to FH in deuce court - the riskiest of serves to serve-volley behind, especially against a returner like Agassi

In all, 42% unreturned. With all the double faults, Agassi’s return rate is just 53%

Agassi’s a little slow. He’s favouring his leg at start of match and has his thigh strapped before the second. Nothing flagrantly off, but there’s something there. He struggles most most in moving out wide in deuce court, which might be why Wheaton takes risk of serving there so often. Wheaton also employing a lot of drop volleys and Agassi has 5 running-down-drop-volley errors (as well as Wheaton hitting winners with the shot and a couple of Agassi passing winners with it)

Smart stuff from Wheaton, to physically test Agassi’s leg work

53% return rate isn’t good for Agassi. And 5 return winners over 5 sets likewise, but he does flay returns in his typical way

Wheaton with 13 first ‘volley’ winners and 7 post-first. First ‘volley’ winners include both a FH1/2V and BH1/2V
9 UEs and 12 FEs on the ‘volley’ to go with it (including non serve-volley points)

Agassi with 5 return-pass winners and 18 regular ones
To go with 53% return rate and 20 ground FEs (he also has a passing UE)

A good contest. Wheaton volleys better than solidly of punch and placement - getting them wide and travelling on the stock volley. To go with considerable drop volleys that are better too. The 9 UEs are poor though. Against Agassi, volley UEs are often little tougher than your run-of-the-mill misses, but not here.

More FEs still for Wheaton in forecourt, to go with Agassi’s splendid, near 1:1 ratio of passing winners to error. Some typical, brilliant passing from Agassi. Its not all hammer and tongs either. He’s got 5 lob winners, while Wheaton has no OH winners, or scarcely even hits an OH

Unlike on return, FH doing better than BH
He's got 12 regular FH pass winners for 11 FEs (and 1 UE)
On BH, its 6 winners, 9 FEs

 

[Waspsting]

Combo of Wheaton with more ‘volley’ errors than winners, more of the errors being FEs than UEs and Agassi’s outstanding rate of hitting the pass winners comes to Agassi getting better of volley vs pass contest - and that’s’ with good quality volleying by Wheaton

And Wheaton serving up double faults more than quarter of second serves
It’s the 42% freebies that’s keeping Wheaton’s nose ahead of being broken more often. Agassi flame grilling returns, but movement a little off there

Numbers presented for Wheaton’s volleying is a little biased in that his errors are for all approaches (not just serve-volleys), as are Agassi’s on pass and ground FEs, but only Wheaton’s serve-volleying winners are presented. In all, Wheaton has 23 ‘volley’ winners. His net play is important in his making headway to breaking

Agassi’s serve game
Wheaton collaring Agassi’s serve is most notable thing in the match
It’s a weak first serve. As in, unlikely to force return errors and not even difficult to get back neutralizingly

Its often the case that such serves aren’t attacked simply because they’re first serves. Wheaton has no such qualms and is happy to look for winning returns against either serve

10 return winners for Wheaton, 6 of them against first serves. He also pulverizes other returns back to Agassi’s baseline. His 14 return-approaches are anything but chip-charges and hard hit to potentially be winning returns even without the back-up approach. He forces small number of running errors on the third ball with the return too

20/27 return errors drawn by Agassi have been marked UEs. He’s got just 1 ace

Weak serve and aggressive returning against it. To Agassi’s credit, he does beef up his serve in second half to discourage Wheaton’s strategy. And to Wheaton’s he continues to return aggressively, but more choosily, respecting the good serves and going after the weaker ones

In ‘90 Year End Championship, Agassi was outserving Pete Sampras and Boris Becker (also, Stefan Edberg). Here, about 6 months later, he can dish out 1 ace from 83 first serves. This is his norm and the YEC was the exception, but it does bring home just how wildly exceptional that event was

23% freebies is Agassi’s yield, with a lot of aggressive errors from Wheaton. Small at best of times, and winners and power-blast returns to baseline are as far from best of times as can be from his point of view. He definitely comes off second best in contest between his serve and Wheaton’s return

Agassi only serve-volleys 3 times, so his games feature baseline action. And he’s in full hammer & tongs mode

Any normal return is thrashed, let alone soft ones. Wheaton’s pushed back to reacting at least, and more often defending early in rally. Power hitting and moving-opponent around play from Agassi and coming to net to finish. He’s certainly the director of baseline rallies

Remarkably, he handles Wheaton’s power returns to baseline without much trouble. He can’t hammer such a ball, but virtually never misses near half-volleys and puts them back in play neutrally (as opposed to weakly, leaving Wheaton with attacking position). He even knocks away a few passing winners against it, though loses majority of points Wheaton takes net behind that calibre a return

Unreurned serves 23%, with 2 double fualts
Agassi 3/3 serve-volleying
Wheaton 6/14 return-approaching and 1 error trying (with his hard hitting return-approaches, it isn’t clear if Wheaton’s trying to return-approach so the 1 error is an underestimation)

Ground to ground winners - Agassi 6, Wheaton 12 (10 returns)
Ground UEs - Agassi 14, Wheaton 11
… with neutral UEs Agassi 7, Wheaton 6
FEs in baseline rallies are small, and about equal - Agassi forcing a few in rallies, Wheaton with the return

Rallying to net - Agassi 24/37 or 65%, Wheaton 7/9 or 78%
In context of Agassi power-hitting - his play goes beyond ‘beat-down’ and into ‘attacking’ territory. What does it all mean?

 

[Waspsting]

Wheaton shading ground UEs, Wheaton with more winners. The latter entirely down to his 10 return winners. Good start for him. He’s the one pushed back, he’s one running around, but he’s hung tough in baseline rallies

The ralling to net figures are key. Agassi’s actually much more successful than the stats suggest because large lot of points he loses are running-down-drop-shots or hopelessly at net as Wheaton dismisses a volley winner while serve-volleying. When he comes in off his own terms, Agassi winning vast bulk

Just 2 volleying errors (1 UE, 1 FE), and he also has a FH at net UE
To go with 13 volley winners

Just as important as the net hungry Wheaton only being able to come in 9 times. Such is the way baseline rallies go - Agassi thoroughly bossing and leading them, Wheaton relegated to counter-punching and defending. Easy to take net from such a dynamic for Agassi, very difficult for Wheaton

There’s some sloppiness in Agassi’s errors and he does err being aggressive

With 7 neutral UEs (most of them reacting, thus, relatively hard for UEs), Wheaton has only 4 attacking or winner attempt ground UEs. Agassi has 8 of the more aggressive errors in baseline rallies, and they’re not approach shots

Trying to overwhelm Wheaton from the back has significant price of errors for Agassi. He’s done better overpowering and then coming to net to finish. He rarely has to play a difficult volley and his net play isn’t tested

Plenty of credit to Wheaton for being tough. Keeping the errors down when so much on back foot is job well done. And while denied net, wonderful to win 7/9 when rallying forward - making most of his chances

Gist - low freebies for Agassi, lots of winning returns by Wheaton, and Agassi thoroughly commanding baseline rallies and forcing Wheaton to defend or at least counter-punch

In that light, Wheaton’s been very tough and steady from the back. Agassi erring with power hits enough to get into trouble, but said power hitting is also what keeps Wheaton from having chances to take net from rallies. Agassi at his most successful when overpowering and coming in to finish, which he mixes up about 50-50 with continuous beat-down, move-around baseline play

Match Progression
3-0 Wheaton with 2 breaks in quick time
Smacks a BH dtl return winner against first serve second point of match, and Agassi sloppily misses 3 third balls in a row get broken (2 aggressive FHs, 1 neutral BH)
Nice lob BHV second volley winner to hold for 2-0
2 more return winners (FH cc against first serve, BH inside-out against second) game after, and deep thumped return-approach get him another break
He adds a 4th return winner in his next return game as Agassi finally gets on the board. Servers dominate from there to Wheaton serving out to 0 for 6-2

Agassi’s continues thrashing every ball he can in second set, but its more Wheaton messing up that makes it a bagel. Wheaton’s games are long, lasting 8, 10 and 5 points. He’s got 3 double faults and 4 volley UEs in the set. Agassi has 3 passing winners and forced 4 ‘volley’ errors. Agassi has to save 2 break points in a game too. He’s very hard hitting and powerful in his service games

Wheaton protests at being foot faulted. He’s absolutely correct in pointing out you can barely see the line so its ridiculous for line judge to claim certainty on the call

Agassi beefs up his second serve in third set, which had been downright tame earlier, including second serves. Its still not threatening, but tempers Wheaton’s ability to rip away for return winners. Good move from Agassi and well adjusted by Wheaton too, who gets more picky in going after returns. Worries about first serves getting thrashed for winners for baseliner is not a common problem, especially on grass

Back to back double faults opens the door for Agassi in game 4, and he finishes the break with BH inside-in return pass winner and a perfect FH running-down-drop-shot cc at net pass winner

Serving for set, Agassi’s down 0-40. Risky, almost foolish BH cc approach by Agassi on first break point, with line left wide open by he comes away with a neat drop FHV winner, and sends down to of his best serves to reach deuce. Has 2 good, error drawing second serves rest of game to hold for 2 sets to 1 lead

Agassi keeps rolling as he breaks to start the 4th set. Back to back FH return-pass winners against first serves (inside-out and cc), get him to break point on which he misses a sitter of a FH pass from the service line. No matter as he launches a bullet return to force FH1/2V error and creams a FH cc pass winner to break

Agassi continues to vapourize shots and Wheaton remains on the ball in forecourt as score moves to 4-2

Top class, running BH cc pass winner and 2 double faults see Wheaton down 0-40. He responds with 5 unreturned first serves, the first 2 aces to hold for 3-4

Bad game from Agassi to lose his serve for 4-4. Nice winning BH inside-out return by Wheaton and a return-approach ending with BHV makes score 0-30. Agassi misses back to back third ball attacking shots to finish the job

On eve of tiebreak, Agassi spanked returns and passes bear fruit of a break. He has some early help with a double fault and a high BHV UE, but it’s the persistent power returns that get him over in 10 point game for 6-5

Serving for the match, Agassi missteps. He’s up 30-15 when he double faults for just second time. Wheaton finds FH dtl to work his way to net nicely to reach break point, on which Agassi hammers a third ball FH inside-in into the net

Tiebreak. Wheaton smacks FH dtl return winner against first serve to move ahead 2-1. And Agassi misses BH dtl winner attempt to lose the set. 4/5 Wehaton’s serves don’t’ come back

Its clear that Wheaton is fresher player and by a long way going into the decider. Agassi’s never in it. Wheaton pinches first point of the set with a drop shot after having been on defence all rally. Agassi misses an easy FH at net awhile later, and Wheaton takes initiative to runaround a return and nail it for a FH dtl winner to bring up break points, which he converts by taking net

Agassi’s movements are down in the set and Wheaton serves his best. He serves match best 71% first serves in and 11/21 serves don’t come back, including 4 aces and a service winner. Agassi’s also at his slowest in moving for returns

Wheaton grabs insurance break for 4-1, with 2 FH cc winners (1 return) a deep, winning return-approach and to finish, putsaway a BH cc pass winner after drawing a floater volley from wide pass

Wheaton opens the serve-out with a neat first BH1/2V winner. Agassi gets a couple passing licks in too (FH cc return winner and a top class BH lob winner), before Wheaton putsaway a routine BHV to put match to bed

Summing up, not a subtle match, with fitness the key to result. Match long stats are near even, but fluctuate drastically over parts of match. Suffice to say at the end, Wheaton seems to be fresh as a at the start, and Agassi is fading and overrun

Powerful serve from Wheaton, but a lot of double faults. Solid volleying, other than when its not and he has spurts of missing easy and routine ones too to get himself broken. Most importantly, he fires with the return - going after both of Agassi’s serves and smacking a host of return winners and otherwise winning shots, and that’s with Agassi very good at resisting giving up errors to blasted returns back to his baseline

Agassi’s soft serve gets the rough treatment and he’s only able to reduce how much by beefing up his serve. The serve is never a weapon though. Otherwise, he hammers everything - returns, groundstrokes, passes wantonly to take charge of baseline rallies. He’s a little slow at times and sloppy with power groundie errors at others

 

[tennistiger]

This match cost Agassi his first Wimbledon title. What would have happened against Becker and Stich is no question. It was bad luck with his injury.

 

[buscemi]

This match cost Agassi his first Wimbledon title. What would have happened against Becker and Stich is no question. It was bad luck with his injury.

In 1991, Becker was playing great, having won the Australian Open and then making the French SF. After Wheaton took down Agassi in 5 sets, Becker straight setted him (albeit in a tight three sets).

In 1992, Agassi was playing better at Wimbledon, and Becker was playing worse. Specifically, Becker missed the 1992 French Open with a thigh injury, got straight setted by Christo Van Rensburg in his first match at Queen's Club, and was extended to five sets by Damm and Ferreira before facing Agassi in the Wimbledon QF. Nonetheless, he still extended Agassi to five sets.

In 1995, they had their Wimbledon rematch, with Agassi in maybe the best form of his career and Becker just starting his final push back toward the top. While Agassi started the match like a house on fire, Becker came back to win in four sets.

All of which goes to say that I'd have Becker as a solid favorite in a hypothetical SF against Agassi at Wimbledon in 1991.

 

[HBK4life]

In 1991, Becker was playing great, having won the Australian Open and then making the French SF. After Wheaton took down Agassi in 5 sets, Becker straight setted him (albeit in a tight three sets).

In 1992, Agassi was playing better at Wimbledon, and Becker was playing worse. Specifically, Becker missed the 1992 French Open with a thigh injury, got straight setted by Christo Van Rensburg in his first match at Queen's Club, and was extended to five sets by Damm and Ferreira before facing Agassi in the Wimbledon QF. Nonetheless, he still extended Agassi to five sets.

In 1995, they had their Wimbledon rematch, with Agassi in maybe the best form of his career and Becker just starting his final push back toward the top. While Agassi started the match like a house on fire, Becker came back to win in four sets.

All of which goes to say that I'd have Becker as a solid favorite in a hypothetical SF against Agassi at Wimbledon in 1991.

Favorite yes. But during this time Boris was obsessed with beating Andre from the baseline. If Boris tried that Andre is right there. IMO.

 

[NedStark]

Favorite yes. But during this time Boris was obsessed with beating Andre from the baseline. If Boris tried that Andre is right there. IMO.

Boris would not play from the baseline on grass.

 

[buscemi]

Boris would not play from the baseline on grass.

Exactly. Becker came to the net 153 times in their Wimbledon match in 1992.

 

[Waspsting]

Favorite yes. But during this time Boris was obsessed with beating Andre from the baseline. If Boris tried that Andre is right there. IMO.

Was he obsessed with beating him from baseline? Or scared of being at net to him?

'89 Davis Cup match - amazing showing from Boris, I think the best I've seen him play, might have given him entirely wrong idea of how he stacked up against Agassi from baseline

Pretty sure Boris would be serve-volleying (virtually) always had they met, as he did in the 2 matches they actually played. Return games would be interesting though
Way Agassi plays in this Wheaton match, don't think Boris particularly seeking net would necessarily be a good thing for him in return games, and I can see him diffident to chip-charge return too

 

[HBK4life]

Was he obsessed with beating him from baseline? Or scared of being at net to him?

'89 Davis Cup match - amazing showing from Boris, I think the best I've seen him play, might have given him entirely wrong idea of how he stacked up against Agassi from baseline

Pretty sure Boris would be serve-volleying (virtually) always had they met, as he did in the 2 matches they actually played. Return games would be interesting though
Way Agassi plays in this Wheaton match, don't think Boris particularly seeking net would necessarily be a good thing for him in return games, and I can see him diffident to chip-charge return too

Could be. I seem to remember Boris staying back a lot in their 1990 World Finals match. On carpet.

 

[Waspsting]

Could be. I seem to remember Boris staying back a lot in their 1990 World Finals match. On carpet.

He serve-volleyed more and more as match went on (and as it became apparent he was getting creamed from baseline), doing much better serve-volleying than otherwise

From Agassi's point of view, if he liked Boris playing him from the baseline, a bad long term move. You cream him that badly from baseline, even he'll get it into his not-thin head this ain't the way to go
You'd think being broken 6 or 7 times a row staying on basline in US Open would have taught Boris, but apparently no. Needed to get get pulverized for a set to switch to serve-volleying

You know Agassi pretty well. What do you make of this?

In ‘90 Year End Championship, Agassi was outserving Pete Sampras and Boris Becker (also, Stefan Edberg). Here, about 6 months later, he can dish out 1 ace from 83 first serves. This is his norm and the YEC was the exception, but it does bring home just how wildly exceptional that event was

If your capable of serving like that ('90 YEC), why don't you?
If your not capable of serving like that, how did you?

Out-acing Boris Becker and Pete Sampras (and Stefan Edberg)... to having 1 ace in 5 sets, while having opponent dispatching 6 first return winners like target practice on grass

Really don't know what to make of what got into Agassi's serving at YEC '90

It'd be like Jimmy Connors out-acing Roscoe Tanner and McEnroe for an event, and then going back to his rolled in, girly norm right after

 

[HBK4life]

He serve-volleyed more and more as match went on (and as it became apparent he was getting creamed from baseline), doing much better serve-volleying than otherwise

From Agassi's point of view, if he liked Boris playing him from the baseline, a bad long term move. You cream him that badly from baseline, even he'll get it into his not-thin head this ain't the way to go
You'd think being broken 6 or 7 times a row staying on basline in US Open would have taught Boris, but apparently no. Needed to get get pulverized for a set to switch to serve-volleying

You know Agassi pretty well. What do you make of this?

If your capable of serving like that ('90 YEC), why don't you?
If your not capable of serving like that, how did you?

Out-acing Boris Becker and Pete Sampras (and Stefan Edberg)... to having 1 ace in 5 sets, while having opponent dispatching 6 first return winners like target practice on grass

Really don't know what to make of what got into Agassi's serving at YEC '90

It'd be like Jimmy Connors out-acing Roscoe Tanner and McEnroe for an event, and then going back to his rolled in, girly norm right after

He went through phases where he was going for more. I remember when he was trying to serve bigger he would have his body less parallel to the baseline. Less of a kick stance. Plus he was lifting a lot so I assume that added some MPH.