1989: Mayotte Outlasts Gilbert in Delayed Final
By Sally Jenkins
Washington Post Staff Writer
August 01, 1989
The Sovran Bank Classic was a tournament seemingly without end, and top-seeded Tim Mayotte made it even longer yesterday. He overcame a one-set deficit to defeat Brad Gilbert at the Washington Tennis Center in the first three-set final since 1983.
Gilbert had won the first set in rainy bits and pieces Sunday night before they were forced to halt play. The weather, which caused delays and interruptions all week, finally provided a temporary peace, and Mayotte patiently worked his way back in the continuation for a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory and his first Grand Prix title of the season.
Before a sparse announced crowd of 1,315, they picked up with Gilbert serving at 1-1, 15-all in the second set. Mayotte had been bothered and"ready for the loony bin"after they had stopped and started play three times Sunday evening, and he dropped his first set in the tournament. But when they resumed, he was the more calm and reliable, breaking Gilbert immediately on the way to collecting the first prize of $50,575.
"If we had continued last night I think Brad would have won,"Mayotte said."I played well when I needed to, and that so often is what the game's all about."
Gilbert had committed just one unforced error in taking the first set. But in the final two, he made 20, and could not convert on four break-point opportunities in the final set against Mayotte's crushing serve. He received the second-place check of $25,287 with obvious disappointment, and now has a 1-7 record against Mayotte, a player he considers a peer.
"It's just unlucky,"Gilbert said."It's like being up 9-0 in the fourth inning of a baseball game and having it called."
The unpredictable weather had created havoc all week for tournament organizers, but they were partially compensated by the most competitive final in years. The '83 three-setter was not particularly notable, Jose-Luis Clerc defeating Jimmy Arias by 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. A crowd of 6,337 had come Sunday night to see the final, but was driven away by the rain. The nonrefundable tickets were honored for the continuation, and extra $15 passes also were available. Purchasers were offered their run of the stadium, save for the box seats.
"We've had some strange conditions, but we made it through,"tournament director Josh Ripple said.
The match hardly felt like a final, with the small and relatively sedate crowd. It was an anticlimax to Sunday night, when rumors had abounded that President Bush and Vice President Quayle might attend.
"You do have to remind yourself that it's a final because there aren't the accoutrements of a big match,"Mayotte said."The fans aren't there. So you have to be more motivated inside. But it was easy for me, because I didn't have to be anyplace else."
While Mayotte is off the rest of this week, Gilbert is scheduled to play today in Stratton Mountain, Vt. Because of the extra day here, he was not scheduled to arrive there until 1:30 a.m.
Almost all of the matches between Mayotte and Gilbert have been close, and the players have had parallel careers. Mayotte, ranked 11th, now has won 12 titles. Gilbert, ranked No. 12, has won 13, but has been frustrated by his consistent inability to beat Mayotte.
"It shouldn't be that way, that's for sure,"Gilbert said."At the end of matches he's gotten incredibly lucky against me."
Yesterday Mayotte was perhaps slightly more relaxed and a touch more aggressive than Gilbert, who received a code violation for abuse of racket and bitterly disputed a line call in the crucial 11th game.
Gilbert is a lithe, quick player with various paces and some junk balls that make him a difficult opponent. But he lacked the decisive blow he needed to put Mayotte away. It came down to a few major moments: Gilbert was zero for four on break points, Mayotte two for seven.
"I played tentatively, and he got in front,"Gilbert said."He served well, and I didn't capitalize on some opportunities."
Gilbert's tentativeness cost him dearly as they resumed play on his serve. Mayotte immediately stormed in for a backhand volley to put Gilbert at a 15-30 deficit, and then Gilbert spun a backhand deep for double break point. Mayotte attacked again, and Gilbert's forehand pass attempt struck the tape for a break, even before he had warmed up.
Gilbert couldn't make it up, never gaining so much as a break point for the rest of the set. Mayotte finished it with a near ace that careered off the edge of Gilbert's racket.
"I played one bad game,"he said.
Gilbert was actually the more dominant one early in the third set. He had two break points in the fourth game, and again in the sixth. But Mayotte killed all four with his efficient serves and volleys. No one would get another break opportunity until Gilbert served in the 11th game.
At 15-15 he delivered a serve that was called a let, and which Mayotte thought was wide. Gilbert was awarded a first serve over Mayotte's vehement protest. The next serve landed with a call of"good,"but the chair umpire overruled, calling it wide. While Mayotte screamed,"Wake up!"at the linesman, Gilbert argued bitterly with the chair. His second serve was good, but he put a running backhand into the net for 15-30. Then Mayotte unleashed a massive forehand to the corner that Gilbert couldn't handle for double break point.
Gilbert worked his way back to deuce, but set up a third break point when he blocked a backhand pass attempt into the net. A routine backhand into the net gave Mayotte the game, and, essentially, the match. Gilbert slammed his racket to the ground, receiving the warning.
"Brad's not happy with the overrule,"Mayotte said."But I thought both serves clearly missed, by at least two inches. It's points like that that turn a match around. A point here and there can turn the tide. I was really looking to take advantage there at 5-5. Because anything can happen in a tiebreaker."
Mayotte quickly built triple match point on his serve, and Gilbert could only stall him with a disguised backhand down the line. His next backhand pass was just wide, for the match. Gilbert left the court still complaining about the line call, although he would not discuss it later. He spent long minutes in his chair with his face in a towel. He did not want to dwell on what might have happened had it not rained.
"I don't even want to think about that,"he said.
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