RallyIQ

ATP · Right-handed · 2 charted matches · 2009–2010

Florent Serra

Shot expected value

The share of points Florent Serra goes on to win after each option in the positions they face most often, shrunk toward tour average when the sample is small. Showing the 8 most-used options; teal marks the best one with at least 30 shots.

Rally, shots 5–8: drive to your middle

position worth 51% to the average player · 64 shots

OptionUsedWin %Tour
FH crosscourt 28% 54.1%±13.3 52.7%
BH crosscourt 22% 46.5%±14.1 49.1%
FH down the line 20% 46.4%±14.3 51.5%
FH through the middle 17% 36.8%±14.2 47.0%

Rally, shots 5–8: drive to your backhand side

position worth 46% to the average player · 56 shots

OptionUsedWin %Tour
BH crosscourt 48% 47.9%±12.0 47.6%
BH through the middle 36% 54.4%±13.0 43.7%

Rally, shots 5–8: drive to your forehand side

position worth 44% to the average player · 45 shots

OptionUsedWin %Tour
FH through the middle 49% 38.8%±12.4 41.5%
FH down the line 27% 40.5%±14.3 44.7%
FH crosscourt 24% 42.9%±14.6 46.6%

Long rally, 9+: drive to your backhand side

position worth 46% to the average player · 35 shots

OptionUsedWin %Tour
BH crosscourt 43% 44.6%±13.8 48.0%
BH through the middle 31% 41.2%±14.5 43.8%

Serve under pressure

Deuce court

1st serveUsageBreak ptWon when in
Wide 52% 40% ▼ 66% / 73%
Body 9% 0% ▼ 62% / 63%
T 39% 60% ▲ 69% / 75%

66 normal · 5 break-point 1st serves

Ad court

1st serveUsageBreak ptWon when in
Wide 42% 56% ▲ 72% / 73%
Body 8% 0% ▼ 62% / 63%
T 50% 44% 62% / 72%

50 normal · 18 break-point 1st serves

Is the serve mix in equilibrium?

Game theory says a well-mixed server wins equally often with every direction they use. If one direction wins more, it's underused and points are being left behind. This is the minimax test Walker and Wooders ran on Wimbledon finals, applied to every charted first serve. Win rates include faults. "Optimal" allows for returners reading a habit. No measurable response (−0.05 ± 0.15 points per 100 serves for every 10 points of habitual usage), measured from ATP servers whose mix drifted between matches. Shifts stay within the range servers' habits actually vary, the only range that response was measured over.

Deuce court

1st serveUsagePoints won
Wide51% 51.9%±10.1 n=36
Body8% 45.5%±13.7 n=6
T41% 44.9%±10.7 n=29

Consistent with an optimal mix (p = 0.21).

Ad court

1st serveUsagePoints won
Wide46% 55.8%±10.5 n=31
Body6% 44.1%±14.0 n=4
T49% 40.2%±10.2 n=33

Off equilibrium (p = 0.010): serve wide more. Gap 7.5 points per 100 first serves.

Return by serve direction

Return points won against each serve direction, compared with the tour average.

ServeCourtDirectionPointsWonvs tour
1stAd courtBody 10 33% −4.2±12.2
1stAd courtT 13 31% +3.2±11.6
1stAd courtWide 21 30% +2.5±10.5
1stDeuce courtBody 10 40% +3.3±12.7
1stDeuce courtT 19 21% −3.6±9.6
1stDeuce courtWide 11 39% +12.2±12.6
2ndAd courtBody 5 48% −1.3±13.9
2ndAd courtT 5 51% +1.5±13.9
2ndAd courtWide 6 46% −2.5±13.7
2ndDeuce courtBody 13 46% −3.2±12.5
2ndDeuce courtT 9 61% +11.6±12.8
2ndDeuce courtWide 5 47% −1.2±13.9

Charted matches