RallyIQ

Cincinnati Masters · R32 · Hard · 16 Aug 2017

Rafael Nadal v Richard Gasquet

70–51 in points · Rafael Nadal won

Why it went the way it did

Rafael Nadal won 10.8 more points than Richard Gasquet relative to what the serve alone predicted. Richard Gasquet's biggest leaks: forehand execution −4.4, return execution −1.3, slice shot selection −0.9.

Each shot moves its hitter's chance of winning the point. Those moves are split into direction choice, shot selection and execution, and summed here. Read both columns together: one player's gain is the other's loss.

ShotRafael NadalRichard Gasquet
DirSelExecTotalDirSelExecTotal
Serve 1st +0.2 −0.1 +0.4 +0.6 +0.1 +0.3 −0.3 ±0.0
Serve 2nd ±0.0 ±0.0 −0.1 −0.1 ±0.0 ±0.0 −0.2 −0.1
Return −0.1 +1.3 −0.3 +0.9 +0.1 +0.4 −1.3 −0.8
Forehand +0.5 +2.0 +0.7 +3.3 +0.2 +0.4 −4.4 −3.8
Backhand +0.2 +0.2 +2.3 +2.7 +0.3 ±0.0 +2.1 +2.4
Slice ±0.0 −0.4 +0.2 −0.3 −0.1 −0.9 −0.1 −1.0
Net ±0.0 ±0.0 ±0.0 ±0.0 +0.2 ±0.0 +0.4 +0.6
Touch ±0.0 +0.1 ±0.0 +0.1 ±0.0 −0.6 −0.3 −0.9
All shots +0.8+3.2 +3.2+7.1 +0.7−0.4 −4.0−3.7

Set by set

SetRafael NadalRichard GasquetNet, Rafael
1+3.4−2.7 +6.1
2+3.7−1.0 +4.6

Adaptation

First-serve direction mix set by set, with the share of points each direction won. The scores measure whether the server moved toward the directions that had been winning earlier in this match, set to set and every two to three service games, in points per 100 first serves. Read them as a habit, not a gain: across the tour, a direction's edge in early sets barely predicts the later ones. Whether the returner responded can't be told apart from noise within one match.

Rafael Nadal serving

SetWideBodyT
1 52% 63% – 48% 80%
2 44% 82% 4% 100% 52% 85%

Set to set +1.61 per 100 first serves in sets 2+

Within sets +0.81 per 100 first serves, every two to three service games

Richard Gasquet serving

SetWideBodyT
1 59% 48% 5% 50% 36% 64%
2 58% 73% 8% 100% 35% 44%

Set to set −1.43 per 100 first serves in sets 2+

Within sets −1.94 per 100 first serves, every two to three service games

Counterfactual: the best direction every time

If each shot had gone in the direction that is usually worth most for that stroke and position, this is how many more points each player would expect to win. It's an upper bound: the best direction isn't always on, and the chart can't see the ball's pace or position.

Rafael Nadal

5.4 points left on the table across 186 shots 2.90 per 100 shots

  1. Return of a 1st serve, T, deuce court hit FH through the middle ×4; FH inside-out rates higher · 0.42 pts
  2. Return of a 1st serve, T, deuce court hit FH down the line ×2; FH inside-out rates higher · 0.33 pts
  3. Return of a 1st serve, wide, ad court hit FH through the middle ×3; FH inside-out rates higher · 0.31 pts
  4. Return of a 1st serve, wide, ad court, server rushing the net hit FH through the middle ×2; FH crosscourt rates higher · 0.30 pts

Richard Gasquet

3.6 points left on the table across 180 shots 2.02 per 100 shots

  1. Serve +1: deep return to your middle hit FH through the middle ×3; FH crosscourt rates higher · 0.22 pts
  2. Serve +1: short return to your backhand side, you at net hit BH volley through the middle ×1; BH volley crosscourt rates higher · 0.22 pts
  3. Rally, shots 5–8: drive to your middle, you at net hit BH volley through the middle ×1; BH volley crosscourt rates higher · 0.22 pts
  4. Rally, shots 5–8: drive to your forehand side hit FH through the middle ×4; FH crosscourt rates higher · 0.20 pts