Stats for 1981 AO Final (Martina-Chris)

M

Moose Malloy

G.O.A.T.
Navratilova d Evert 67(4), 64, 75

Going into this match, Evert had 12 majors, Navratilova 2. Evert was leading the head to head 29-15.

My stats:

Evert won 48 of 86 points on 1st serve(56%) & 12 of 33 on 2nd(36%)
She made 86 of 119 1st serves(72%)

Navratilova won 47 of 71 points on 1st serve(66%) & 14 of 43 on 2nd(33%)
She made 71 of 114 1st serves(62%)

Evert had no aces, 5 doubles
Navratilova had 1 ace, 2 doubles

Evert had 7 unreturned serves, one I judged a service winner.
Navratilova had 20, 4 I judged service winners.

Navratilova was 9 of 19 on break points. She had break points in 11 games.

Evert was 7 of 17. She had break points in 9 games.

Navratilova had 45 winners: 7 fh, 5 bh, 14 fhv, 16 bhv, 3 ov
winners by set: 14, 12, 19

Evert had 36 winners: 18 fh, 14 bh, 2 fhv, 2 bhv
winners by set: 10, 11, 15

Evert had 14 passing shot winners off the forehand, 12 off the backhand
Navratilova had 4 off each side.
 
Thanks for the stats, Moose, very interesting.

To add one more: it was 35 games long, which is more than in any of their matches apart from their marathons at Eastbourne (36 games in '78 and 48 games in '79).

Steve Flink has this one down as one of his 20 best matches of the century.

I loved the exchanges at 5-all in the third.
 
This is one I have never seen. Chris avenged the loss the next year in yet another three setter. thanks for the stats. Was Evert's lob effective in this one and would they be included in passing shot stats?
 
That means Navratilova hit only 4 winners when both were at the baseline. I guess crashing the net on all occasions was still her only shot vs Chris at this point. By 83 an 84 Martina had become so strong she even won many of the baseline rallies with Evert which was especialy disconcerting to Evert.
 
davey25 said:
That means Navratilova hit only 4 winners when both were at the baseline. I guess crashing the net on all occasions was still her only shot vs Chris at this point. By 83 an 84 Martina had become so strong she even won many of the baseline rallies with Evert which was especialy disconcerting to Evert.
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I see where you're getting the number 4 from, but keep in mind that some of those groundstroke winners may have been produced from in front of the service line (half-volleys or big-swinging putaways, or even drop shots). Every once in a while Martina could hit a winner from the opposite baseline but it was never her game. Crashing the net was certainly her only shot against Chris, but she never wished to play any other way (especially on grass).
 
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davey25 said:
That means Navratilova hit only 4 winners when both were at the baseline. I guess crashing the net on all occasions was still her only shot vs Chris at this point. By 83 an 84 Martina had become so strong she even won many of the baseline rallies with Evert which was especialy disconcerting to Evert.
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On a different Note, this was the best physically Martina ever looked. She was in great shape, toned but still feminine. 40 lbs less than her mid 70's fat period but still not the vein popping beast she would become.
 
The New York Times doesn't have very much on the match but here's an excerpt:

Martina Navratilova came back to beat Chris Evert Lloyd, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, today and win the women's singles title of the $200,000 Australian Women's Open tennis championships.

The victory, worth $34,000, gave Miss Navratilova the Toyota point series title, worth a $125,000 bonus and a new car. Mrs. Lloyd got $17,500 for finishing second and $80,000 for being the runner-up in the series.

Mrs. Lloyd opened the match by breaking Miss Navratilova's serve in the first game. Miss Navratilova broke right back, then the games went with service until the eighth game, when a string of five service breaks followed. Mrs. Lloyd won the tiebreaker, but Miss Navratilova evened the match by winning the second set.

In the final set, Miss Navratilova broke service in the first game and went on to build her 5-1 lead before Mrs. Lloyd tied the score at 5-5. But Miss Navratilova scored the decisive break in the 11th game, then held her service in the 12th game.
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Interesting race for #1 that year. I think Chris usually gets the top honor, but the Slams went to four different women: Hana at RG, Chris at Wimbledon, Tracy at USO, Martina at AO.

Chris (barely) lost her H2H with Martina, by 2-3, and lost their two Slam meetings (USO, AO).

Chris went 1-2 against Tracy, with no Slam meetings. Her win was at the Toyota Championships (played in December just after the AO), in a match that went over 3 hours and ended 7-6 in the third (too bad it was never videotaped).

Sports Illustrated had a summary of what the stats were before the Toyota Championships:

Evert Lloyd—Best winning percentage (.929) and tournament victory record (eight for 13). Won Wimbledon. Tough draws all year and never failed to reach semis in any event. But choosier schedule (28 fewer matches than Navratilova) and nothing special since the Fortnight.

Navratilova—Most wins (86 of 99 matches), record prize money (more than $800,000). Quarters French, semis Wimbledon, finals U.S. Open, won Australia, a nice progression up as the year wore on. In March won Avon Championships, culmination of the winter indoor tour. Also to be considered in a tight race: lead player on world's best doubles team. But didn't win either Wimbledon or U.S. Open and failed to win 50% of tournaments. Also, two bad losses, to Claudia Kohde (ranked 67th at the time), and Betsy Nagelsen (33). In women's tennis, a bad loss means losing to a lesser light. Navratilova lost love and love on clay to Evert Lloyd this year, but even that double bagel isn't considered a bad loss; it's just a day's beating from one of your own kind.

Austin—Head-to-head edge over both Evert Lloyd (1-0) and Navratilova (3-2). Won U.S. Open. Also won Canadian Open against class field, beating Navratilova in semis and Evert Lloyd in finals. But out first third of year with sciatica, so missed French. Only quarters at Wimbledon and Australia, losing to Pam Shriver both places. Two bad losses, to Sandy Collins (29) and Sue Barker (15).

Evert Lloyd was clearly the leader. In Australia earlier this month she beat Navratilova in a prelim tournament and then lost to her 7-5 in the third set in the finals of the Open. In New Jersey she wasn't so much a loser as the victim of a bungled draw and a greedy double-elimination format that prevailed up to the semifinals.
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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125119/index.htm
 
Excellent link, We were very lucky to have so many of these matches on tape. As Martina said it may be the best rivalry in all of sport. Tennis lends itself to these one on one rivalries in a way most sports can't. Plenty of opportunities to ahve them grow and just enough variables in condition and surface to keep the dynamic changing yet not so many (such as other teammates, coaching in the match etc,_ as to invalidate comparisons.
 
my stats on the '82 AO Final

Evert won 32 of 55 points on 1st serve(58%) and 6 of 13 on 2nd(46%)
She made 55 of 68 1st serves(81%)

Navratilova won 26 of 45 points on 1st serve(58%) and 10 of 27 on 2nd
(37%)
She made 45 of 72 1st serves(62.5%)

Evert had no aces, 4 doubles
Navratilova had 1 ace, no doubles

Evert had 9 unreturned serves
Navratilova had 8

Evert was 6 of 6 on break points
Navratilova was 5 of 6

Evert had 19 winners: 3 fh, 8 bh, 3 fhv, 2 bhv, 3 ov
Navratilova had 26: 4 fh, 7 bh, 7 fhv, 3 bhv, 5 ov

Evert had 8 passing shot winners(7 bh, 1 fh)
Navratilova had 3(2 bh, 1 fh)

net stats

Navratilova
37 of 55(67%)

Evert
22 of 34(65%)

most of Evert's approaches were a result of Martina's rather strange strategy of constantly hitting drop shots, which didn't work out too well.
 
I saw this match ages back . Two things I see from the stats. Evert returned very consistently. She must have worked over Martina's backhand and Martina sent too many DTL approaches to Evert's backhand. When Martina goes with her comfort zone approach too predictably, she gets stung. 7 backhand passes and only one forehand pass suggests Evert was hitting it well, and Martina did not adjust. And Moose are right about that dropper. Navratilova was hitting too many of them, from too far back and just did not have disguise on the forehand dropper. Later on in her meetings Martina gave up on the forehand dropshot entirely.
 
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The '82 AO completed Evert's career Slam, though it wasn't called that in those days.

An excerpt from the New York Times report:

MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 5— It was the ''missing link'' in my career, said Chris Evert Lloyd today as she put out a challenge for the world's No. 1 ranking after having defeated Martina Navratilova, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3, for the Australian Open tennis title.

It was the first time that Mrs. Lloyd, who will be 28 years old in a few days, had won the title. But it was the 14th time she had taken a Grand Slam event. She won the United States Open last September

''I've wanted this tournament badly,'' she said. ''I'm not thinking about retiring, but if I hadn't won, in 10 years' time I would have looked back and thought there was something lacking.''

She said it was the best that she had ever played on grass. ''I needed to take a few chances and put pressure on her,'' she said. ''You have to take the net away from her because she's devastating there.''

.... Miss Navratilova's serve was not nearly as strong as it had been all week, and she was forced into baseline rallies as her serve-and volley attack faltered.

''I'm disappointed that I played so badly,'' she said. ''I don't want to take anything away from Chris; she played great. But I was missing routine shots.''

Mrs. Lloyd immediately left for Dallas to prepare for her next tournament, the Toyota Series championship at the Meadowlands in New Jersey beginning Dec.14. ''If I can beat Martina there, that will make it two-all in our meetings this year,'' she said....
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And they did meet in Jersey later in the month. The Times again:

EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J., Dec. 19— All week, Martina Navratilova said that she wanted to prove ''beyond a reasonable doubt'' that she deserved to be No.1 for the year in women's tennis. Tonight, she did, beating Chris Evert Lloyd, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, in the final of the $300,000 Toyota championships.

''She's No.1, I concede,'' Mrs. Lloyd told the crowd of 9,248 at Byrne Meadowlands Arena after the match. Then, as if to whet spectator appetites for the future, Mrs. Lloyd, added, ''but not next year.''

Miss Navratilova has won Grand Slam singles titles at Paris, Wimbledon and Australia in recent years. But none may surpass tonight's triumph for thoughtfulness and patience. And by using all of the vast resources in her repertory - including drop shots and topspin backhand passing shots -the 26-year-old left-hander showcased the athletic versatility and stylish virtuosity in her game.

''She played more intelligently today than anytime I've seen her play,'' said Dr. Renee Richards, her coach, who has settled Miss Navratilova's ground strokes and worked to give her a clearer tactical picture of important matches.

Miss Navratilova finished the season with 90 victories in 93 singles matches - beaten only by Sylvia Hanika, Pam Shriver and Mrs. Lloyd - and 15 tournament titles in 18 events. The $75,000 first prize raised her earnings for the year to $1,461,055, a single-season record on the women's tour....

.... One difference between Miss Navratilova's approach to tonight's match and the other finals, she said, was in her attitude and diet. Last year, when she lost a three-set final here to Tracy Austin that cost her the No.1 ranking to Mrs. Lloyd, Miss Navratilova said her food for the day had consisted of only Rice Krispies.

''Today, I ate like a tiger,'' she said, reciting oat meal, a waffle, croissants, a whole dish of pasta and bread, ''a couple of melons,'' and iced tea and juices.

In contrast to Mrs. Lloyd, who said she felt pressure-free and played ''relaxed and loose,'' Miss Navratilova described the prematch pressure as ''unbelievable.''

In the end, Miss Navratilova prevailed because she won the key points, a quality long associated with Mrs. Lloyd's reign as a seventime No.1.

Mrs. Lloyd won the first set with a service break in the third game and a barrage of backhand crosscourt winners off Miss Navratilova's attacking serve-and-volley game.

If Miss Navratilova had persisted stroking at one speed, Mrs. Lloyd might have evened their season series at 2-all and compounded the No. 1 question.

Patiently Seeking Chances

But in the first two games of the second set, Miss Navratilova began changing speeds, opening the court and patiently waiting for chances. She saved a break point from 30-40 in the opening game and then broke Mrs. Lloyd from deuce for the first time with a backhand drop volley winner and Mrs. Lloyd's errant overhead and netted sliced forehand.

''I let up just a touch,'' Mrs. Lloyd said, describing the lost break point in the opening game - a long backhand return - as huge. ''But you can't do that against Martina.''

....Miss Navratilova tried six drop shots in the third set and won every point, one off a second serve, another angled and on the run. The drop shots not only lured Mrs. Lloyd in from her customary spot on the baseline and disrupted her rhythm but also set up countless other opportunities for passing shots and attacking volleys by Miss Navratilova. said. ''Everytime she came in, I was comfortable hitting my passing shots.''

Mrs. Lloyd, who collected $40,000 as the runner up, had surprised Miss Navratilova in the Australian Open final by rushing the net effectively. But tonight, concentrating her attack solely on Miss Navratilova's backhand often kept her from finishing some points and gave her opponent the chance to lob or play her way back into the point.

From a spectator point of view, the match was highly entertaining, as both players made spectacular gets, while lunging and stretching and grunting for other shots.

On the sideline, Nancy Lieberman, the former pro basketball player and Miss Navratilova's close friend, shouted encouragement and words of advice.

''Martina used the court better than I did,'' said Mrs. Lloyd, who finished with a 75-6 record for the year, beaten only twice-both times by Miss Navratilove - in her last 44 matches. ''She was patient, took her time, waited for the opening and came in.''

.... ''I told her I thought she was playing great and she had reached the point where she was dominant over Chris and should assert that dominance,'' Dr. Richards said.

Miss Navratilova said she was disappointed that she felt she had to prove her No. 1 status one more time. ''But I'm glad,'' she added, ''because now there's no question about it.''
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Moose, the first thing that jumps out to me about the '82 AO stats is Evert's volleys. Out of her 19 winners, 8 came from volleys/overheads. She's almost evenly balanced at net and the baseline, which I don't recall seeing in any stats for her.

And compare that with the '81 final, when she hit 36 total winners but only 4 from volleys/overheads.

I thought, watching the '82 final a couple of years ago, that her volleys looked better. It could have been her work with Dennis Ralston paying off.

Something else jumps out: Martina had only 58% success on first-serve points in the '82 final, which has got to be the lowest we've seen for her. So she was not serving particularly well. She got no more free points on serve than Chris did (which was extremely different from the '81 final).

And take a look at the last game of the first set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZiUrQiA7Ts&feature=related.

Martina made 4 first serves and chose to stay back on all of them; they're not strong serves. Chris, meanwhile, with Martina staying back, was able to come in, and made 3 approaches out of the 5 points played. And she won them all.

Finally, Evert made more first serves in the '82 final compared to '81. She served at 81%, so you'd definitely have to say she was taking good care of her serve.
 
Moose Malloy said:
Navratilova was 9 of 19 on break points. She had break points in 11 games.

Evert was 7 of 17. She had break points in 9 games.
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Moose Malloy said:
Evert was 6 of 6 on break points
Navratilova was 5 of 6
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Here's another huge contrast in the two matches. In '81 most of the break points went unconverted (or were saved, to put it another way), and the games were long. In '82, they converted immediately, and Chris actually went 6 for 6.

The games in '82 went by swiftly: an average of 5.38 points per game. (For comparison, Isner and Mahut had 5.36). I don't know why that is, but statistically it's interesting.

As for winners:

1981 AO final – 35.2% of the points ended with a clean winner/ace
1982 AO final – 32.9% did

Moose: I love these stats that you're producing. Little by little we're getting a statistical picture of how Chris and Martina played.
 
Did the grass court itself play much differently between the two years? Was it dryer or wetter?
 
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A boxscore for the 1985 AO final, which I don't think any of us have done stats for:

49225438463_31effba59b_k.jpg
 
forgot to post these stats:

1981 Final
Martina won 120 points, Evert won 113
21/114 of Martina's serves were unreturned(18%)
7/119 of Evert's were(6%)

1982 Final
Evert won 74 points, Martina won 66
9/68 of Evert's serves were unreturned(13%)
9/72 of Martina's serves were unreturned(12.5%)
 
Moose Malloy said:
forgot to post these stats:

1981 Final
Martina won 120 points, Evert won 113
21/114 of Martina's serves were unreturned(18%)
7/119 of Evert's were(6%)

1982 Final
Evert won 74 points, Martina won 66
9/68 of Evert's serves were unreturned(13%)
9/72 of Martina's serves were unreturned(12.5%)
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'82 rate is really low for Martina, and Chris' rate actually beat hers. It's not a straight-up comparison because of course a lot of Chris' serves that didn't come back must have been Martina making errors trying to attack them, rather than forced errors. Still, has to be unusual for Chris to top Martina in this stat. Great returning by Chris has to be a big factor.
 
krosero said:
'82 rate is really low for Martina, and Chris' rate actually beat hers. It's not a straight-up comparison because of course a lot of Chris' serves that didn't come back must have been Martina making errors trying to attack them, rather than forced errors. Still, has to be unusual for Chris to top Martina in this stat. Great returning by Chris has to be a big factor.
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I don't get Martina's positioning on the serve in the deuce court in 82. To me, it makes her slice serve in the deuce court less effective, and really gives the right handed returner a real opening down the line. She continued this into 83 before returning to a more traditional positioning in 84.

Also, in 82 she looks sluggish compared to 81 or 83. My guess is she was still recovering from the toxoplasmosis. I noticed the same thing in her loss to Jaeger late that year.
 
suwanee4712 said:
I don't get Martina's positioning on the serve in the deuce court in 82. To me, it makes her slice serve in the deuce court less effective, and really gives the right handed returner a real opening down the line. She continued this into 83 before returning to a more traditional positioning in 84.

Also, in 82 she looks sluggish compared to 81 or 83. My guess is she was still recovering from the toxoplasmosis. I noticed the same thing in her loss to Jaeger late that year.
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She was also having some drama in her camp between Richards and Lieberman who did not get along. It caused Richards to leave her briefly before the 82 Open, but was back with her by the 82 Australian, before leaving for good after RG 83.
 
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