Javier Sanchez defeated Christian Ruud 6-2 6-1 in the Estoril round of 32 on clay. The result followed the form book — Javier Sanchez came in defending last year's semi-final. Javier Sanchez extended the head-to-head to 2–1.
| Date | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-09-30 | Marbella | R16 | clay | Christian Ruud | 6-4 6-1 |
| 1996-08-05 | San Marino | QF | clay | Javier Sanchez | 6-1 5-7 6-4 |
Averages over each player's completed matches in the selected window (104 vs 128). ATP, WTA & Challenger.
Each player's serve crossed against the other's return, converted to expected hold of serve. Recent completed matches, ATP, WTA & Challenger. About