ThrowbackTimes Indian Wells: Pete Sampras edges Petr Korda to extend American streak

Back in 1990, Stefan Edberg claimed the first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells before the new generation of fantastic American players took charge, with three of them conquering the next seven crowns for complete domination at the home event. Pete Sampras didn't make a convincing start in the desert, winning only seven matches in the first five visits before changing his fortune in 1994 when he went all the way, earning his 24th ATP title and the third on the Masters 1000 level. Kicking off the season with titles in Sydney and the Australian Open, Pete was among the favorites in Indian Wells as well, forging commanding victories over Emilio Sanchez, MaliVai Washington, Thomas Muster and 1990 champion Stefan Edberg to find himself in the final, facing the tenth seed Petr Korda on March 6. After more than three hours of tense battle, Pete prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, dominating in sets four and five where he had no room for errors to claim the fourth straight title in Indian Wells for the American players.

Both players created break chances in eight different games and it was Pete who used them more efficiently, fending off nine out of 12 of those and seizing five from 15 opportunities to cross the finish line and earn the third title of the season. Sampras blasted 48 service winners and they had a similar number of other direct points, with the Czech having the upper hand in the groundstrokes department and the American who erased that deficit with his volleys and smashes, staying aggressive and finding the perfect balance from the middle of the fourth set that carried him through. Korda had a small advantage in the mid-range and most extended rallies, although it wasn't enough to keep him safe after losing ground in the shortest points thanks to that massive number of service winners from the American who knew how to pull the trigger when it mattered the most.

The Czech grabbed a break in the very first game of the match following a forehand error from Pete, surviving five deuces and a break point in the next game to confirm an early lead. In the third game, Sampras erased a break chance that could have taken him 3-0 down, staying in touch until game seven when he saved another break opportunity with a smash winner before getting into a position to pull the break back in the next game. Petr stayed calm, repelling three break points and closing the opener with a hold in game ten for a 6-4. Struggling to find the pace in his games, Sampras got broken in the first game of the second set after netting a volley, trailing until 2-3 when he forced an error from Korda to pull the break back and level the score. Losing ground in those moments, the Czech sprayed a forehand mistake to suffer another break in game eight, allowing Pete to clinch the set with an ace down the T line for a 6-3.

Recovering his game, Korda looked better in the third set, securing a break at 3-2 and saving a break chance in the next game to extend the lead, bringing the set home with a forehand winner in game nine to move a set away from the title, the first at the Masters 1000 level. With his back pushed against the wall, Pete survived break chances at the beginning of the fourth set in games one and three, waiting for some damage on the return until game eight when he grabbed a break that propelled him 5-3 up, blasting an ace in the next game to wrap up the set and deliver a decider where he was the favorite now. With the momentum on his side, the American moved in front with an early break in the fifth set following a backhand error from Korda, cementing the break with a service winner to take a big step towards the finish line. Serving at 1-3, the Czech sent a forehand long to give serve away and send Pete 4-1 in front, wasting two break points in the next game before Pete moved over the top with three winners in game eight for his first Indian Wells title. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/38MU7ha