RallyIQ

WTA · Left-handed · 3 charted matches · 2018–2020

Kristyna Pliskova

Shot expected value

The share of points Kristyna Pliskova 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 forehand side

position worth 43% to the average player · 40 shots

OptionUsedWin %Tour
FH crosscourt 40% 45.4%±13.7 46.7%
FH down the line 30% 40.6%±14.3 44.9%

Serve under pressure

Deuce court

1st serveUsageBreak ptWon when in
Wide 51% 50% 72% / 66%
Body 3% 17% ▲ 61% / 57%
T 46% 33% ▼ 61% / 68%

111 normal · 6 break-point 1st serves

Ad court

1st serveUsageBreak ptWon when in
Wide 74% 79% 69% / 66%
Body 3% 0% 56% / 56%
T 22% 21% 67% / 64%

86 normal · 19 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. A direction loses 0.19 points per 100 serves for every 10 points of habitual usage, measured from WTA 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% 58.0%±8.6 n=60
Body3% 57.9%±13.9 n=4
T45% 51.9%±9.0 n=53

Consistent with an optimal mix (p = 0.39).

Ad court

1st serveUsagePoints won
Wide75% 61.1%±7.7 n=79
Body3% 63.5%±13.8 n=3
T22% 66.1%±10.7 n=23

Consistent with an optimal mix (p = 0.35).

Return by serve direction

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

ServeCourtDirectionPointsWonvs tour
1stAd courtBody 13 42% −1.6±12.4
1stAd courtT 27 29% −6.3±9.9
1stAd courtWide 35 28% −6.2±9.2
1stDeuce courtBody 17 42% −0.5±11.8
1stDeuce courtT 26 35% +2.9±10.5
1stDeuce courtWide 34 32% −2.4±9.6
2ndAd courtBody 10 59% +3.7±12.8
2ndAd courtT 13 57% +2.0±12.4
2ndAd courtWide 21 51% −2.4±11.5
2ndDeuce courtBody 12 56% +1.1±12.6
2ndDeuce courtT 10 52% −4.0±13.0
2ndDeuce courtWide 28 55% +1.6±10.7

Charted matches