Stats for 1988 FO Final(Wilander-Leconte)

[BringBackWood]

Yeah, 29 winners was surprising. Usually that sort of extreme winner differential is between a defensive player and an offensive player(like Lendl Wilander) Not two power players. Guess the diffential can be partly be explained by Leconte coming to the net a lot more than Becker did. he was having to hit a lot of passing shots. I didn't take forced or unforced errors, but I did think Becker played well. He served at 64% through the first 4 sets, which was high for him. And he was up 3-2 in the 5th, so he came close to stealing a match that, according to the stats he had no business doing do(couldn't get a break of serve for amost 4 sets). Leconte was at his best in this match, it's a credit to Becker that he managed to keep it close.

But you are right, Becker often doesn't have high winner rates in the matches we've tracked. when you add the aces, he looks better. And I suspect he forces a lot of errors as well.

Interestingly, I've also done stats on the 3 matches he played vs Leconte at Wimbledon. And Leconte had more non service winners in 2 of the matches('85 and '93)

Also thought it was interesting that Becker held in all his service games in their semi at 1986 Wimbledon(20 service games) while Leconte held serve in 19 straight games in this match.

I have now watched this match so thought I would give a few observations.

Whereas Leconte took ever opportunity on a shorter ball to come in, Becker tended to be much more conservative. He came in a few times early match and was burned by Leconte's CC BH passes, so I don't know whether he became wary of doing so. Maybe Leconte simply achieved better shot depth. Certainly he handled a high ball to his BH (with skidding slices) better than Becker did.

Becker never really found any consistently winning strategies, and in my view did extremely well to even take this to 5 sets. Leconte had various winning strategies. Enticing Becker into the net with a short slice was one of them, as well as the more common one of charging the net himself either with a slice, or a powerful forehand.

I'm not sure why Leconte started S&V after 3 sets when his tactic of working his way into the net off a short ball was working so well. His play was getting sloppier from about halfway into the 4th set and it looked like Becker might nick it: perhaps he would if hadn't dumped his serve at the start of the 5th. Although that break was given back, Leconte refound his magic, pulling off some of his best reflex volleying of the match to get the crucial break and win the match.

 

[jaggy]

I was a huge Leconte fan and remember being do disappointed that day.

 

[BTURNER]

Henri is a droll typically French character with more of a sense of art on the court, than science. He has a bearing that borders on arrogance, and an expressive face that shows the what a liar the strut is. I have a soft spot for such folk.