Dooku is a peer to Yoda and Windu in sabers. Dooku has a recorded win against Windu in sparring, Windu doesn't. There is nothing to suggest Dooku isn't at least his equal. Dooku also held off Yoda for an impressive time considering Yoda managed to disarm Sidious fairly early into their duel.
I am not against the idea that Dooku might be equal to Windu. I just pointed out that it is not a fact.
Yoda managed to disarm Sidious under favorable circumstances, Sidious nearly fell from platform and dropped his lightsaber. I don't see Yoda disarming Sidious on even ground.
In any case I said that the main factor is stamina, not skill. Dooku ran away from Yoda not because of inferior skill, he did that because he started getting tired.
From novel
"It went on and on for many moments, but eventually Dooku's flurry began to slow, and the Count, recognizing the Futility of this attempt to overwhelm, stepped back fast".
From script:
"For the first part of the contest, he parries every cut and thrust that Dooku aims. Nothing the great swordsman tries gets through. His energy drains. His strokes become feebler, slower".
If this example doesn't convince you, here is another example of how stamina matters, when two combatants have more or less equal skill:
He had found a fresh reserve of strength during his meditation, and now he was attacking with a ferocity that seemed to have the Sith Lord stymied. With quick, hard strokes of his lightsaber, he bored into his adversary, deliberately engaging in close-quarters combat, refusing to let the other bring his double-bladed weapon to bear. He drove Darth Maul backward about the rim of the overhang, keeping the Sith Lord constantly on the defensive, pressing in on him steadily. Qui-Gon Jinn might no longer be young, but he was still powerful. Darth Maul's ragged face took on a frenzied look, and the glitter of his strange eyes brightened with uncertainty.
Good, Master, Obi-Wan thought, urging him on voicelessly, anticipating Qui-Gon's sword strokes as if they were his own.
Then Darth Maul back-flipped across the melting pit, giving himself some space in which to recover, gaining just enough time to assume a new battle stance. Qui-Gon was on him in an instant, covering the distance separating them in a rush, hammering into the Sith Lord anew. But he was beginning to weary now from carrying the battle alone. His strokes were not so vigorous as before his face bathed with sweat and taut with fatigue.
Slowly, Darth Maul began to edge his way back into the fight, becoming the aggressor once more.
In both cases Yoda did not mean to kill Dooku.
He actually did:
Dooku held strong, though, his red blade parrying brilliantly, each block backed by the power of the Force, or else Yoda's strikes would have driven right through
...
Just as he was about to launch a counter, though, Yoda was gone, leaping high and turning a somersault to land right behind Dooku, in perfect balance, striking hard.
Dooku reversed his grip and stabbed out behind him, intercepting the blow.
If Yoda held back, this naration simply wouldn't make any sence. On top of that, if one character holds back, another doesn't have hard time defending like Dooku did.
Regardless, even if Yoda didn't intend to kill, it doesn't mean that his combat prowess was lower. Disarming and crippling techniques are more effective than killing ones.
As Arhael pointed out astutely, Dooku will most certainly tire out more quickly than Windu, given that Windu will be using both his and Dooku’s power.
Thanks for supporting my point but I think it's better to keep Vaapad out of equation as it is rather contradictive subject. Keep in mind that Vaapad is a physical combat style and mental state, while using actual power of opponent is a Force application, which can be either Force absorb or drain, Vaapad is neither.
Funny thing is it's YODA who is described as being "Exhausted" after their fight. AOTC Novel states the "Exhausted Yoda" walks to Obi-Wan and Anakin after the fight.
Lol. Yoda wasted his reserves on that huge pillar. 😄