Good morning from Roland Garros! 🇫🇷🎾
I always like to look at the emerging datasets at the start of a Grand Slam to get a sense of what’s to come.
Today I found this intriguing.
We focus on when the service is back in the game. So we subtract aces and return errors; all we have left is returned serves.
Roland Garros men = 22 games
- Servos returned = 3647
- Server scored = 52%
- Returnee scored = 48%
We have this wonderful belief that the service is winning. Well, it sure is when it’s not returned. But so far at Roland Garros, the server only scores 52% of the points when the serve comes back into play. It is a combination of the first and second service. I am looking forward to the summary of the first and second service later this week.
What does it really mean?
Having the serve back on the court basically gives you a 50-50 chance to score. That’s a really good stat!!! Informative and convincing!
Yes, you should work more on service return (step, split, block).
Yes, you should enable intersecting forehand and backhand returns to bring them back into play so you still have a chance to score.
Roland Garros Women = 21 matches
- Servos returned = 2026
- Serve scored = 47%
- Receiver scored = 53%
This is critical data for the women’s draw. Get back in the game and you have a better than 50-50 (53% – 47%) chance of scoring. Here are some other data points you need to know from the first two days of the game.
- Women’s first serve points scored = 62%
- Women’s second serve points scored = 43% (really?)
- Men’s first serve points scored = 68%
- Men’s second serve points scored = 48% (underwater)
Men only score 48% on second serve. Women account for 43%. This is hammering, however you look at it. Give +1 defense is a significant driving force behind these persuasive numbers.
Looking forward to the daily updates from Paris. Let’s find out all about clay court tennis.
what’s best
Craig
