2 Responses to toronto90chang_berger

1. Voo de Mar says:

   September 23, 2020 at 3:40 pm

   Points won by each set: [ 31-38, 33-26, 52-50 ]
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   22 % Chang – 24 of 108
   17 % Berger – 21 of 122

   A unique triumph in the history of Masters 1K in which a champion survived his last three matches being on the verge of defeat. The 18-year-old Chang [24] came back in three consecutive matches from a set down and a break down in various sets (2nd sets vs Agassi & Berger, 3rd vs Sampras). In the final against six years older Berger, Chang trailed 1:2* (0/30) in the 2nd set. In the final set Berger came back from a break thrice (!) to lead 6:5* (30/15). Then his plausible cross-court forehand winner was wide by a few centimetres, and instead of having a double match point, he lost his confidence from the baseline to drop 10 out of the last 13 points. The seventh (the biggest one) and last ATP final (record: 3-4) in Berger’s career. Half a year later he finished his career due to a chronic right-knee injury.

   Chang’s route to his 4th title:
   2 Broderick Dyke 6-2, 6-3
   3 David Wheaton 6-0, 6-3
   Q Andre Agassi 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 ☆
   S Pete Sampras 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-5
   W Jay Berger 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3)

   ☆ Chang a few points away from defeat vs Agassi, Sampras & Berger in back-to-back matches!
   Lendl [1], as the three-time reigning Canadian Open champion, did not compete that year

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   August 21, 2026 at 1:30 am

   # Comparison of four similar routes to the titles in the last three matches:

   Chang in Toronto ’90:
   Q Andre Agassi 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.. 2 hours 10 minutes… 4 pts away
   S Pete Sampras 3-6, 7-6, 7-5… 2 hours 39 minutes… 3 pts away (total points: 110-113)
   W Jay Berger 4-6, 6-3, 7-6… 2 hours 42 minutes… 2 pts away (total points: 116-114)

   Escudé in Rotterdam ’02:
   Q Roger Federer 3-6, 7-6, 7-5… 2 hours 6 minutes… 2 pts away (total points: 113-108)
   S Sébastien Grosjean 4-6, 7-6, 7-5… 2 hours 28 minutes… 1 pt away (total points: 127-120)
   W Tim Henman 3-6, 7-6, 6-4… 2 hours 28 minutes… 2 pts away (total points: 98-102)

   Querrey in Los Angeles ’10 ☆
   Q Rainer Schüttler 6-2, 3-6, 7-6… 2 hours 21 minutes… 3 pts away (total points: 116-103)
   S Janko Tipsarević 6-7, 7-6, 6-4… 2 hours 47 minutes… 1 pt away (total points: 120-115)
   W Andy Murray 5-7, 7-6, 6-3… 2 hours 21 minutes… 1 pt away (total points: 108-103)

   Dimitrov in Acapulco ’14:
   Q Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 7-6, 7-5… 2 hours 39 minutes… 2 pts away (total points: 112-103)
   S Andy Murray 4-6, 7-6, 7-6… 2 hours 55 minutes… 3 pts away (total points: 107-109)
   W Kevin Anderson 7-6, 3-6, 7-6… 2 hours 58 minutes… 2 pts away (total points: 114-110)

   ☆ Querrey won 4 matches en route to the title as opposed to three other cases; he was also close to lose matches in 4 different sets, not 5 like the others

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