Stuttgart Flashback: Boris Becker edges Pete Sampras after epic battle

In his last notable season on the Tour, Boris Becker claimed five titles in 1996 despite a reduced schedule, surprising everyone at the Australian Open and conquering his beloved Queen's in June. Struggling with injuries, the German couldn't keep a high level throughout the season but was back at his best on indoor carpet in the closing two months. Boris won titles in Vienna, Stuttgart and the Grand Slam Cup, together with that epic Masters Cup final, where Pete Sampras defeated him in one of the best matches ever! A month earlier, two indoor giants met in the title match in Stuttgart (the first edition of the Masters 1000 event that moved from Essen), and it was Becker who prevailed in five sets to claim the 48th and penultimate ATP crown, also the last at the Masters 1000 level. Like in the good old days, Becker faced no break points in the first three clashes against Greg Rusedski, Thomas Enqvist and Magnus Gustafsson.

The German reached the semis and ousted Michael Chang 6-4, 6-3 for the fifth and last Masters 1000 final, all on the indoor carpet surface. On the other hand, the top seed Pete Sampras delivered four commanding victories to set the thrilling final with Becker, their 15th on the Tour, with the German prevailing 3-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in just over three hours for the sixth victory over the American, the first since the Masters Cup 1994. Boris grabbed only two points more than Pete (139-137), fending off six out of nine break points and earning four breaks from 14 opportunities to cross the finish line and lift the trophy in front of the home fans. They had a similar number of winners and forced errors, while Sampras sprayed more unforced mistakes that cost him the match in the end. Pete faced break chances in eight different games and couldn't stay in touch in the deciding sets despite taking the first and the third.

In Stuttgart 1996, Boris Becker defeated Pete Sampras in five sets.

Becker blasted 58 service winners and Sampras added 48, with the American having many more winners from the court, including almost 20 from the volley. Almost nothing could separate them in the shortest, mid-range and more extended rallies, staying neck and neck from start to finish in one of the best finals of the season. Becker made the strongest start after earning a break in the first game, staying in front until game six when Pete broke back following Becker's volley error. Sampras leveled the score at 3-3 and fended off a break opportunity in the next one with an ace to move in front for the first time. Losing ground in those moments, Becker netted an easy forehand to give serve away for the second time in a row (he would get broken only once until the end of the match), allowing Sampras to seal the opener in the ninth game after fending off a break chance with an ace.

The German had to work hard in the first game of the second set, saving a couple of break points to remain on the positive side of the scoreboard and stealing Pete's serve in the next one when the American sprayed a backhand error. Becker erased two more break points in game seven and clinched the set with an ace at 5-3, leveling the overall score and hoping for more of the same for the rest of the encounter. Out of sudden, Pete broke at love in the fourth game of the third set after a double fault from Becker, sealing the set with an ace at 5-3 and moving one away from conquering the title.

They stayed close to each other in the first seven games of the fourth set, and it was Becker who had no room for errors, earning a break at 4-3 when Pete netted a volley and bringing the set home with an ace in game nine after deuce to send the clash into a decider. Facing three break points in the fourth game of the final set, Sampras repelled all of them before Becker converted the fourth with a backhand winner, one of the key strokes of the entire final. The German cemented the advantage when Sampras landed a forehand long in the fourth game, serving well in the remaining ones and moving over the top with an ace in game ten, the first at the Masters 1000 level since Stockholm 1994. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/389HRKZ