Fifty-seven forehand errors.
Elina Svitolina defeated world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-2 in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon today with a stunning display of baseline supremacy.
What was Svitolina’s strategy? To run a battering ram at Swiatek’s forehand and smash it from a strength into a weakness, committing a substantial 57 forehand errors in three sets.
Forehand Performance
- Svitolina = 13 winners / 24 errors = -11
- Swiatek = 22 winners / 57 errors = -35
Backhand Performance
- Svitolina = 5 winners / 24 errors = -19
- Swiatek = 8 winners / 23 errors = -15
Swiatek’s backhand behaved. Her forehand certainly did not.
Improve Your Forehand Performance
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The determining factor of whether Swiatek’s forehand is on or not is simply time. If her opponent hits a slower ball to her, she has time to get her hands and feet correctly organized and can whip the forehand to any part of the court she desires.
But when Swiatek’s forehand is rushed, she can’t block it very well with her extreme forehand grip and swing path. She is forced to swing and whip and wrist everything, and that simply doesn’t work when you are on defense.
Svitolina correctly went after Swiatek’s forehand with power and direction, letting the lush green grass also help to get the ball through the court. Swiatek didn’t get the time she needed, and errors flowed freely. Swiatek committed 25 forehand errors in the opening set, 19 in the second set, and 13 in the final set. By the third set, the forehand lacked effectiveness and confidence. Swiatek only hit two forehand winners in the third set.
Interestingly, Swiatek didn’t opt to seek refuge at the net. She went to the net 16 times and only won nine (56%). The back of the court was not working, and neither was the front.
Svitolina forged her biggest advantage in the short rallies.
Rally Length Won
- 0-4 Shots = Svitolina 78 / Swiatek 64
- 5-8 Shots = Svitolina 28 / Swiatek 23
- 9+ Shots = Svitolina 5 / Swiatek 9
Attacking first is typically in the wheelhouse of Swiatek. It was not to be in this match as Svitolina built a sizeable 14-point (78-64) advantage in the 0-4 shot rally length.
Serve Direction
Sviatek’s forehand return committed the most return errors when comparing forehand and backhand returns from both players.
Returns In Play
- Svitolina Forehand = 74%
- Svitolina Backhand = 80%
- Swiatek Backhand = 74%
- Swiatek Forehand = 71%
In the Deuce court, Svitolina directed 20 first serves out wide to the forehand and only 12 down the T. The slice serve out wide was the primary option. In the Ad court, Svitolina served more to the backhand wing out wide, with 17 going wide and just nine down the T.
When it all boiled down to it, Svitolina’s 24 forehand errors were less than half the 57 from Swiatek.
Nothing else really mattered.