Game plan
Lorenzo Sonego v Lleyton Hewitt
Every number combines what Lorenzo Sonego does well with what Lleyton Hewitt 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 At least one of them is no longer active or has too little charted in the last three seasons, so both are compared on their careers.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 Lorenzo Sonego's record against Lleyton Hewitt's tactical lookalikes and in their charted head-to-heads (lookalikes: −5.6 on serve, +11.9 on return vs expectation (229 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 | Lorenzo | Lleyton |
|---|---|---|
| Direction choice | −0.13 ±0.09 better than 22% | +0.49 ±0.04 better than 100% |
| Shot selection | +0.12 ±0.22 better than 67% | −0.09 ±0.09 better than 41% |
| Execution | −0.79 ±0.46 better than 33% | +0.77 ±0.16 better than 91% |
| Points left on the table | 2.89 ±0.14 lower than 25% | 1.79 ±0.06 lower than 100% |
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.
Lorenzo Sonego serving
Deuce court
| 1st serve | Now | Lorenzo wins | v Lleyton | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 56% | 67% | 69% | 62.9%±3.5 | 55% |
| Body | 12% | 63% | 56% | 55.6%±7.6 | 0% ▼ |
| T | 32% | 75% | 75% | 75.0%±3.8 | 45% ▲ |
Optimal v Lleyton Hewitt: +1.1±0.7 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix. Serving T every time would read +9.0 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Ad court
| 1st serve | Now | Lorenzo wins | v Lleyton | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 46% | 75% | 68% | 70.2%±3.8 | 59% ▲ |
| Body | 15% | 67% | 63% | 67.1%±7.1 | 2% ▼ |
| T | 39% | 73% | 70% | 71.9%±3.9 | 39% |
Optimal v Lleyton Hewitt: +0.2±0.7 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix, inside the 90% margin. Serving T every time would read +1.5 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Lleyton Hewitt serving
Deuce court
| 1st serve | Now | Lleyton wins | v Lorenzo | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 50% | 73% | 74% | 73.9%±3.4 | 40% ▼ |
| Body | 3% | 68% | 69% | 73.8%±7.5 | 0% ▼ |
| T | 47% | 80% | 77% | 81.9%±2.9 | 60% ▲ |
Optimal v Lorenzo Sonego: +0.4±0.5 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix, inside the 90% margin. Serving T every time would read +4.3 per 100 first serves in before the returner adjusts.
Ad court
| 1st serve | Now | Lleyton wins | v Lorenzo | Matchup | Optimal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide | 51% | 74% | 75% | 75.9%±3.4 | 42% ▼ |
| Body | 4% | 60% | 70% | 67.2%±8.5 | 0% ▼ |
| T | 45% | 70% | 78% | 77.1%±3.7 | 58% ▲ |
Optimal v Lorenzo Sonego: +0.7±0.5 per 100 first serves (faults included) over the current mix. Serving T every time would read +1.0 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.
Lorenzo Sonego returning
1st serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Lleyton | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 33% | +4.3 | +1.6 | +1.2 | +7.1±1.9 |
| FH slice through the middle | 23% | −4.2 | +0.7 | +4.7 | +1.1±1.8 |
| FH down the line | 19% | +1.7 | +1.7 | −0.8 | +2.6±3.3 |
| FH crosscourt | 12% | +5.5 | ±0.0 | −1.4 | +4.1±3.4 |
| FH slice down the line | 9% | −4.3 | −1.4 | +3.5 | −2.2±3.1 |
Lean FH through the middle: +3.8±1.6 per 100 returns v the current mix (725 returns charted)
1st serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Lleyton | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 41% | +6.4 | +0.2 | −1.1 | +5.5±1.8 |
| BH crosscourt | 23% | +8.8 | ±0.0 | −0.7 | +8.1±2.6 |
| BH slice through the middle | 15% | −4.2 | −0.4 | +3.4 | −1.2±1.8 |
| BH down the line | 10% | +4.2 | −4.5 | −0.7 | −1.0±4.1 |
| BH slice down the line | 5% | −8.4 | −1.1 | +2.9 | −6.5±3.3 |
Lean BH crosscourt: +4.4±2.2 per 100 returns v the current mix (873 returns charted)
2nd serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Lleyton | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 48% | −3.5 | −1.2 | +2.0 | −2.6±2.3 |
| FH down the line | 24% | −1.8 | +2.8 | +2.2 | +3.2±3.8 |
| FH crosscourt | 20% | −0.2 | −0.2 | +1.4 | +1.0±3.4 |
| FH slice through the middle | 4% | −12.7 | +0.5 | +2.8 | −9.4±2.0 |
| FH slice down the line | 4% | −9.4 | −0.2 | −0.5 | −10.2±2.5 |
Lean FH down the line: +4.3±3.2 per 100 returns v the current mix (139 returns charted)
2nd serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Lleyton | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH through the middle | 43% | −2.9 | −1.1 | +1.2 | −2.7±1.5 |
| BH crosscourt | 34% | +1.0 | −1.2 | +0.2 | +0.1±2.0 |
| BH down the line | 9% | −0.2 | −0.5 | +1.2 | +0.4±4.1 |
| FH through the middle | 7% | −2.9 | +1.0 | +2.0 | +0.2±1.9 |
| FH inside-out | 3% | +1.0 | −0.7 | +2.2 | +2.5±2.9 |
Lean FH inside-out: +3.5±3.0 per 100 returns v the current mix (708 returns charted)
Lleyton Hewitt returning
1st serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Lorenzo | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 31% | +4.3 | +1.5 | ±0.0 | +5.8±1.6 |
| FH crosscourt | 25% | +5.5 | +1.0 | +3.6 | +10.1±3.1 |
| FH down the line | 18% | +1.7 | +4.1 | +0.4 | +6.2±3.1 |
| FH slice through the middle | 12% | −4.2 | +1.4 | −1.5 | −4.3±1.9 |
| FH slice crosscourt | 9% | −4.3 | +1.3 | −1.1 | −4.2±2.5 |
Lean FH crosscourt: +5.5±2.4 per 100 returns v the current mix (2677 returns charted)
1st serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Lorenzo | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH crosscourt | 35% | +8.8 | +2.5 | +0.2 | +11.5±2.3 |
| BH through the middle | 30% | +6.4 | +2.1 | +0.7 | +9.1±1.7 |
| BH slice through the middle | 13% | −4.2 | −0.1 | +0.1 | −4.2±2.0 |
| BH down the line | 9% | +4.2 | +4.5 | +3.9 | +12.6±4.0 |
| BH slice crosscourt | 8% | +0.5 | −2.1 | −2.3 | −3.9±2.7 |
Lean BH down the line: +5.9±3.7 per 100 returns v the current mix (2761 returns charted)
2nd serve to the forehand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Lorenzo | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FH through the middle | 34% | −3.5 | +1.8 | −0.1 | −1.7±2.1 |
| FH crosscourt | 34% | −0.2 | −0.2 | −0.3 | −0.7±3.7 |
| FH down the line | 28% | −1.8 | +0.9 | −1.5 | −2.4±3.9 |
| FH slice through the middle | 2% | −12.7 | ±0.0 | −0.3 | −12.9±1.8 |
| BH inside-in | 1% | +2.5 | +0.6 | +0.2 | +3.3±2.5 |
Lean FH crosscourt: +1.1±2.8 per 100 returns v the current mix (872 returns charted, inside the 90% margin)
2nd serve to the backhand
| Return | Now | Tour | Own | v Lorenzo | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BH crosscourt | 51% | +1.0 | +1.4 | +0.2 | +2.6±2.0 |
| BH through the middle | 25% | −2.9 | +1.9 | +0.8 | −0.2±1.6 |
| BH down the line | 10% | −0.2 | −0.8 | +0.6 | −0.5±4.4 |
| FH inside-out | 6% | +1.0 | +1.0 | −1.5 | +0.4±3.3 |
| FH inside-in | 4% | +0.6 | +4.2 | −0.3 | +4.4±4.2 |
Lean FH inside-in: +3.2±4.2 per 100 returns v the current mix (2503 returns charted, inside the 90% margin)
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 on grass. Each player's grass record is shrunk toward their all-surface one, so a thin sample on it moves the numbers only a little.
Lorenzo Sonego
Favour
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| FH slice to the middle · return | +6.0±3.1 | +1.0 | +4.9 |
| BH slice to the middle · return | +5.9±2.7 | +1.4 | +4.5 |
| BH slice to their forehand · return +1 | +4.8±5.1 | −0.6 | +5.4 |
| BH to the middle · return +1 | +3.9±3.3 | +2.2 | +1.7 |
| FH volley to their forehand · rally | +3.9±7.6 | +4.6 | −0.7 |
| BH slice to their forehand · rally | +3.2±4.1 | +2.7 | +0.5 |
Avoid
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| BH volley to their forehand · rally | −8.7±7.6 | −4.5 | −4.2 |
| FH volley to their backhand · rally | −7.9±7.6 | −1.7 | −6.1 |
| FH to their backhand · return +1 | −7.1±5.0 | −5.2 | −1.9 |
| FH to their forehand · return +1 | −6.4±4.8 | −4.3 | −2.1 |
| BH to their forehand · serve +1 | −4.8±5.8 | −5.2 | +0.4 |
Lleyton Hewitt
Favour
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| BH to their forehand · return | +7.7±5.6 | +4.5 | +3.2 |
| BH to the middle · return | +6.3±2.5 | +2.9 | +3.4 |
| BH to their forehand · return +1 | +6.0±6.5 | +3.6 | +2.4 |
| FH to their forehand · return | +5.4±5.1 | +2.6 | +2.8 |
| FH to their forehand · rally | +5.1±3.3 | +0.5 | +4.7 |
| BH volley to their forehand · rally | +4.2±8.4 | +3.9 | +0.3 |
Avoid
| Shot | Edge | Own | Theirs |
|---|---|---|---|
| BH slice to their backhand · return | −7.2±4.2 | −3.5 | −3.7 |
| FH volley to their forehand · rally | −6.4±7.7 | +1.7 | −8.1 |
| BH slice to the middle · return +1 | −4.1±3.2 | −3.0 | −1.1 |
| FH volley to their backhand · rally | −3.7±7.8 | −0.4 | −3.3 |
| BH to their forehand · serve +1 | −3.5±5.3 | −1.8 | −1.7 |
Against Lleyton Hewitt-like opponents
| Lorenzo Sonego v | Matches | Serve pts won | Return pts won |
|---|---|---|---|
| All charted opponents | – | 64.1% | 31.7% |
| Players most similar to Lleyton Hewitt | 2 | 55.5% | 46.4% |
Similar by tactical fingerprint: David Goffin, Andy Murray, Marcos Baghdatis, David Nalbandian, Nicolas Kiefer, Arnaud Clement, Sebastien Grosjean, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Magnus Norman, Michael Chang. When two players have rarely met, their records against these lookalikes fill the gap.