G’day from Roland Garros! 🇫🇷🎾
I always enjoy looking at emerging data sets early in a Grand Slam to get a feel for what’s to come.
I found this one intriguing today.
The focus is when a serve is returned back in play. So we subtract aces and return errors; all we have left is returned serves.
Roland Garros Men = 22 Matches
- Returned Serves = 3647
- Server Won The Point = 52%
- Returner Won The Point = 48%
We have this grandiose notion that the serve is all-conquering. Well, it certainly is when it is not returned. But so far at Roland Garros, the server is only winning 52% of points when the serve comes back into play. This is first and second serves combined. I look forward to giving you a 1st and 2nd serve breakdown later this week.
What does this really mean?
That returning the serve back into the court essentially gives you a 50-50 chance of winning the point. That’s a really good stat!!! Informative and compelling!
Yes, you should be working more on your return of serve (step, split, block).
Yes, you should be incorporating slicing forehand and backhand returns to get them back in play so that you still have a fighting chance to win the point.
Roland Garros Women = 21 Matches
- Returned Serves = 2026
- Serve Won The Point = 47%
- Receiver Won The Point = 53%
This is critical data for the women’s draw. Get the return back in play, and you have a better than 50-50 chance (53% – 47%) chance of winning the point. Here are another couple of data points you need to know from the first two days of play.
- Women 1st Serve Points Won = 62%
- Women 2nd Serve Points Won = 43% (really?)
- Men 1st Serve Points Won = 68%
- Men 2nd Serve Points Won = 48% (under water)
The men are only winning 48% of 2nd serve points. The women are at 43%. That’s a hammering, any way you look at it. Serve +1 defense is a significant driving force in these compelling numbers.
I look forward to giving you daily updates from Paris. Let’s learn all we can about clay court tennis.
Best,
Craig