1 Response to zagreb96ivanisevic_pioline

1. Voo de Mar says:

   June 16, 2026 at 4:42 pm

   Points won by each set: | 22-27, 36-28, 40-25 |
   Unreturned serves:
   55 % Ivanisevic – 38 of 68
   18 % Pioline – 20 of 110

   [62] Pioline’s eight appearance in an ATP final and his eight failure. The task to get the maiden title seemed exceptionally tough; it was an inaugural edition of the “Croatian Indoors” at the Dom Sportova, and everything was prepared to help Ivanisevic win the trophy. The carpet surface was covered by “GreenSet” which made the court fast enough to allow him getting cheap points at serving, yet not super fast, thus the risk for him of losing ‘6-7, 6-7’ was significantly reduced. His matches were characterised by silence of the crowd when the opponents were winning points. Finally, before the final national anthems of both players were heard, and Croatian’s president Franjo Tuđman was supporting Ivanisevic in the stands… Pioline was applying the serve-and-volley strategy in a “4th mode”, it was efficient in the opener, but another two sets Ivanisevic [10] had under full control. In the 2nd set he wasted a break point at 3:0 and needed to save three break points at 5:3, but Pioline 3 out of 4 points got thanks to double faults in that game. In the decider the Croat already led 2:0, he worked hard to get both breaks (6 and 7 break points required respectively). The local idol finished the event with four aces (one of them off the second serve).

   Ivanisevic’s route to his 12th title:
   1 Christian Ruud 6-4, 7-6(3)
   2 Martin Sinner 6-4, 6-4
   Q Adrian Voinea 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) ☆
   S Guy Forget 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4
   W Cedric Pioline 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

   ☆ Three points away against Voinea, Ivanisevic already led 5:2* in 3rd set (there was 4-all in 2nd)

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