1 Response to madrid94muster_bruguera

1. Voo de Mar says:

   September 24, 2026 at 7:30 pm

   Points won by each set: | 28-15, 22-30, 30-24, 43-39 |
   Unreturned serves:
   14 % Muster – 16 of 113
   14 % Bruguera – 17 of 118

   This match has a different meaning in hindsight. When Bruguera [6] lost it, it was between his back-to-back French Open titles being labelled as “King of Clay”. Muster [11] defeated him quite convincingly in front of the Spanish crowd, hence it could work as a huge confidence booster which turned him to near invincibility on clay in the years 1995-96. There was only one ‘deuce’ game in the first three sets when they met in Madrid. From 4-all in the 3rd set the Austrian managed to win six successive games, but the Spaniard improved from 0:4* (0/15) to 3:4 (40/30) only to be broken again. Muster was serving at 5:3 (30/0) yet failed to clinch the title on serve. Just like in the preceding set, he obtained the last two games not playing anything special. One year later they play a similar four-set final in the Italian capital (it seems an average rally could be one shot shorter despite the same service performance), and Muster wins it again. Ultimately their rivalry is finished at 12-3 for him (unfortunately none match in Paris), and those two 4-set finals are very telling – they both were very patient with their ground-strokes, however, Muster was able to play closer to the baseline, and dictate the pace with his forehand. He defeated the Spaniard nine straight times (four on clay), the final in the Spanish capital meant a second match in that rather surprising streak.

   Muster’s route to his 22nd title:
   1 Frederic Fontang 6-0, 6-3
   2 Gabriel Markus 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(3) ☆
   Q Ivan Lendl 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
   S Jaime Yzaga 6-0, 5-7, 6-3
   W Sergi Bruguera 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5

   ☆ Markus led 6:5* (30/0) in the 3rd set

   Serve & volley: both 2/2

   # Comparison of their two four-set finals:
   1994, Madrid: Muster d. Bruguera 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5… 2 hours 54 minutes… Total points: 123-108… Breaks: 9-6… 31/69% winners/errors
   1995, Rome: Muster d. Bruguera 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-3… 2 hours 51 minutes… Total points: 139-124… Breaks: 8-5… 30/70% winners/errors

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