Game plan
Elise Mertens v Jelena Jankovic
Every number combines what Elise Mertens does well with what Jelena Jankovic allows, each measured against the tour average and shrunk toward it when the sample is thin. Flip perspective
Forecast
Each player's serve and return strength is fitted against every opponent they were charted against, so a record built on weak opponents counts for less. At least one of them is no longer active or has too little charted in the last three seasons, so both are compared on their careers. The result is then nudged by Elise Mertens's record against Jelena Jankovic's tactical lookalikes and in their charted head-to-heads (lookalikes: −5.8 on serve, −1.5 on return vs expectation (667 points)). A game-by-game Markov chain turns point odds into match odds; the 90% range covers the uncertainty in the two strengths, not the nudges. Charted matches lean toward big events, so treat this as a scouting estimate, not a betting line.
Head to head, per 100 shots
| Career | Elise | Jelena |
|---|---|---|
| Direction choice | +0.04 ±0.07 better than 61% | +0.04 ±0.09 better than 62% |
| Shot selection | −0.32 ±0.13 better than 21% | −0.06 ±0.10 better than 40% |
| Execution | +0.47 ±0.40 better than 78% | +0.66 ±0.50 better than 84% |
| Points left on the table | 2.47 ±0.09 lower than 67% | 2.56 ±0.11 lower than 57% |
Each player's career against an average tour player in the same position, adjusted for opponent strength, with a 90% margin (shots clustered by match). Points left on the table is the gap to the best-value direction for the same stroke, so lower is better. Percentiles are within each player's own tour. A side is highlighted only when the gap is larger than the margin on the difference.
Serve plan
The share of points the server wins when a first serve lands in that direction (hover a rate for its 90% interval; ± is the 90% margin). "Matchup" combines the server's rate with how this returner handles that serve. "Optimal" is the mix that wins most against this returner once they start reading a habit, at the response measured across the tour, and only within the range servers' habits actually vary. The gain over the current mix is how exploitable that mix is.
Elise Mertens serving
Deuce court
| 1st serve | Now | Elise wins | v Jelena | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 46% | 67% | 68% | 69.4%±5.3 | 50% ▲ |
| Body | 23% | 57% | 57% | 56.2%±8.6 | 8% ▼ |
| T | 31% | 71% | 76% | 78.5%±5.8 | 42% ▲ |
Optimal v Jelena Jankovic: +1.0±0.9 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix. Serving T every time would read +9.3 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Ad court
| 1st serve | Now | Elise wins | v Jelena | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 35% | 72% | 72% | 77.4%±5.7 | 35% |
| Body | 23% | 58% | 48% | 50.0%±9.1 | 8% ▼ |
| T | 42% | 67% | 68% | 70.6%±5.7 | 57% ▲ |
Optimal v Jelena Jankovic: +1.2±1.0 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix. Serving wide every time would read +9.1 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Jelena Jankovic serving
Deuce court
| 1st serve | Now | Jelena wins | v Elise | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 33% | 65% | 68% | 67.3%±6.1 | 49% ▲ |
| Body | 20% | 52% | 63% | 58.2%±8.4 | 5% ▼ |
| T | 46% | 59% | 69% | 60.3%±6.5 | 46% |
Optimal v Elise Mertens: +0.7±1.0 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix, inside the 90% margin. Serving wide every time would read +5.1 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Ad court
| 1st serve | Now | Jelena wins | v Elise | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 50% | 58% | 63% | 55.5%±6.8 | 65% ▲ |
| Body | 17% | 52% | 56% | 51.3%±9.1 | 3% ▼ |
| T | 33% | 50% | 64% | 49.1%±7.1 | 32% ▼ |
Optimal v Elise Mertens: +0.3±1.0 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix, inside the 90% margin. Serving wide every time would read +2.8 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Return plan
Value of each return, in points per 100 returns against an average return of the same serve (direction, court, surface): the tour's result with that return, the returner's own edge with it, and what this server gives up when it comes back to that side. Returns with no charted direction are left out, so values compare with each other rather than with zero. Depth isn't a choice here: missed returns have no depth. Serve quality isn't charted, so a block through the middle partly reflects the serve that forced it.
Elise Mertens returning
1st serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Jelena | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 45% | +4.2 | +2.0 | +1.2 | +7.4±2.3 |
| FH down the line | 20% | +1.5 | +3.3 | +1.0 | +5.8±4.3 |
| FH crosscourt | 14% | +5.3 | −2.2 | +2.3 | +5.4±4.2 |
| FH slice through the middle | 12% | −6.7 | −0.3 | −1.0 | −8.0±2.4 |
| FH slice crosscourt | 6% | −6.6 | −1.4 | +0.8 | −7.2±2.3 |
Lean FH through the middle: +3.6±1.7 per 100 returns v the current mix (749 returns charted)
1st serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Jelena | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 43% | +6.0 | +0.6 | +1.6 | +8.3±2.2 |
| BH crosscourt | 25% | +7.7 | +1.7 | +1.7 | +11.2±3.2 |
| BH down the line | 12% | +2.2 | +5.0 | +0.6 | +7.8±4.6 |
| BH slice through the middle | 11% | −6.2 | +1.0 | +0.7 | −4.5±2.6 |
| BH slice crosscourt | 5% | −4.2 | −1.7 | ±0.0 | −5.9±2.8 |
Lean BH crosscourt: +5.1±2.7 per 100 returns v the current mix (530 returns charted)
2nd serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Jelena | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 43% | −3.2 | −1.6 | −0.5 | −5.3±2.9 |
| FH crosscourt | 30% | +0.5 | −0.5 | +5.1 | +5.1±4.3 |
| FH down the line | 24% | −0.6 | −1.8 | −3.0 | −5.4±5.2 |
| FH slice through the middle | 4% | −15.2 | +0.5 | −1.0 | −15.7±1.6 |
Lean FH crosscourt: +7.7±3.5 per 100 returns v the current mix (200 returns charted)
2nd serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Jelena | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 43% | −2.6 | −0.5 | +1.9 | −1.1±2.5 |
| BH crosscourt | 40% | +1.5 | −0.4 | +3.6 | +4.7±3.5 |
| BH down the line | 16% | −0.5 | +4.3 | ±0.0 | +3.7±5.3 |
Lean BH crosscourt: +2.7±2.5 per 100 returns v the current mix (290 returns charted)
Jelena Jankovic returning
1st serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Elise | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 45% | +4.2 | +1.5 | +1.3 | +7.0±2.2 |
| FH down the line | 34% | +1.5 | +3.0 | −0.5 | +4.0±4.1 |
| FH crosscourt | 14% | +5.3 | −1.1 | −0.4 | +3.8±4.1 |
| FH slice through the middle | 4% | −6.7 | +1.4 | −0.9 | −6.2±2.4 |
| FH slice crosscourt | 2% | −6.6 | +0.1 | +1.3 | −5.2±2.3 |
Lean FH through the middle: +2.4±1.9 per 100 returns v the current mix (505 returns charted)
1st serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Elise | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 39% | +6.0 | +0.5 | +0.3 | +6.9±2.3 |
| BH down the line | 16% | +2.2 | −0.1 | −2.9 | −0.9±4.5 |
| BH slice through the middle | 16% | −6.2 | −1.6 | −1.6 | −9.4±2.5 |
| BH crosscourt | 15% | +7.7 | −3.3 | −3.3 | +1.1±3.5 |
| BH slice crosscourt | 11% | −4.2 | −0.1 | −4.4 | −8.6±2.8 |
Lean BH through the middle: +7.1±1.8 per 100 returns v the current mix (295 returns charted)
2nd serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Elise | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH down the line | 42% | −0.6 | +3.7 | +0.2 | +3.4±5.1 |
| FH through the middle | 37% | −3.2 | −0.2 | −1.1 | −4.5±2.9 |
| FH crosscourt | 20% | +0.5 | −1.7 | +1.1 | −0.1±4.3 |
Lean FH down the line: +3.6±3.3 per 100 returns v the current mix (177 returns charted)
2nd serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Elise | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH down the line | 43% | −0.5 | +1.3 | −3.2 | −2.5±5.0 |
| BH through the middle | 41% | −2.6 | −0.2 | +1.5 | −1.3±2.4 |
| BH crosscourt | 17% | +1.5 | +1.0 | +0.5 | +3.0±3.3 |
Lean BH crosscourt: +4.1±3.6 per 100 returns v the current mix (143 returns charted)
Rally plan
Edge, in points per 100 shots: the hitter's skill with the shot (own) plus how much the receiver usually gives up against it (theirs), both measured against the tour average.
Elise Mertens
Favour
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FH to their backhand · rally | +6.3±2.5 | +1.0 | +5.4 |
| BH to their backhand · return | +4.9±2.7 | +1.4 | +3.4 |
| BH to their forehand · rally | +4.3±2.9 | +2.2 | +2.1 |
| BH to their forehand · serve +1 | +3.8±4.2 | +1.6 | +2.2 |
| BH to their backhand · rally | +3.2±1.8 | +0.7 | +2.4 |
| BH to their forehand · return | +2.9±4.0 | +2.5 | +0.4 |
Avoid
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FH to their forehand · serve +1 | −2.7±3.2 | −1.8 | −0.9 |
| BH slice to their backhand · rally | −1.9±2.8 | −2.3 | +0.4 |
| FH to their backhand · return | −1.5±3.5 | −0.4 | −1.1 |
| BH to their forehand · return +1 | −0.5±4.4 | −1.3 | +0.8 |
| FH to their backhand · return +1 | −0.2±3.6 | +0.4 | −0.6 |
Jelena Jankovic
Favour
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FH to the middle · serve +1 | +4.0±2.3 | +2.8 | +1.2 |
| BH to their forehand · return +1 | +3.0±4.3 | +2.5 | +0.5 |
| BH to their forehand · serve +1 | +2.9±3.7 | +1.0 | +1.9 |
| BH to their forehand · rally | +2.7±2.8 | +1.7 | +1.1 |
| FH to the middle · return | +2.5±1.9 | +1.8 | +0.7 |
| BH to their backhand · rally | +2.2±1.9 | +0.9 | +1.3 |
Avoid
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| BH to their backhand · return | −4.3±3.1 | −2.6 | −1.8 |
| FH to their backhand · rally | −2.3±2.2 | −0.7 | −1.6 |
| BH to their forehand · return | −1.9±3.7 | +1.8 | −3.6 |
| FH to their backhand · return +1 | −1.8±3.6 | −3.4 | +1.7 |
| FH to the middle · return +1 | −1.6±2.5 | −2.2 | +0.6 |
Against Jelena Jankovic-like opponents
| Elise Mertens v | Matches | Serve pts won | Return pts won |
|---|---|---|---|
| All charted opponents | – | 56.7% | 41.6% |
| Players most similar to Jelena Jankovic | 5 | 49.5% | 41.3% |
Similar by tactical fingerprint: Mirra Andreeva, Sorana Cirstea, Victoria Azarenka, Simona Halep, Mona Barthel, Christina Mchale, Vera Zvonareva, Nadia Petrova, Martina Hingis. When two players have rarely met, their records against these lookalikes fill the gap.