rotterdam96ivanisevic_kafelnikov

By | Published September 21, 2026 | Full size is 533 × 403 pixels

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2 Responses to rotterdam96ivanisevic_kafelnikov

  1. Voo de Mar says:
    September 21, 2026 at 12:14 pm
    Stats without six games (between 1:0 and 4:3 for Kafelnikov in the 2nd set)

    Points won by each set: | 30-28, 20-29, 33-23 |
    Unreturned serves:
    % Ivanisevic – of 86
    % Kafelnikov – of 77

    One break in each set (3rd game of the opener, 8th game of the 2nd set), apart from that they were easily holding, thus when Kafelnikov [8] broke to lead 3:2 in the decider, his 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory seemed very probable, yet Ivanisevic [6] was playing tennis of his life in a period extended from December ’95 to March ’96; he could feel he’s the best in the world – his serve was awesome, his self-confidence enormous… and he won the last four games in a convincing style, but the Russian contributed committing a half of his double faults in the last two service games. Ivanisevic converted a mini-match point with his lone backhand winner (return DTL when Kafelnikov applied a rare S/V action).

    Ivanisevic’s route to his 15th title:
    1 Filip Dewulf 7-6(2), 7-5
    2 Omar Camporese 6-3, 6-1
    Q Martin Damm 7-5, 6-2
    S Guillaume Raoux 6-4, 6-4
    W Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

  2. Voo de Mar says:
    September 21, 2026 at 7:28 pm
    ☆ Goran Ivanišević had played 20 singles matches (possible maximum) within four successive weeks when Rotterdam was finished! He didn’t slow down and moved to Indian Wells where he reached the semifinal. After a few days of rest he participated at Key Biscayne (a 1.5 week event at the time) – he reached the final and his body finally told him “Stop!”. He was unable to compete in the final, but what he has done in February & March in 1996 remains the most laborious period for a player in the Open Era.

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