RallyIQ

WTA · Right-handed · 2 charted matches · 2019–2023

Nigina Abduraimova

Shot expected value

The share of points Nigina Abduraimova 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 backhand side

position worth 45% to the average player · 31 shots

OptionUsedWin %Tour
BH through the middle 42% 41.4%±14.1 43.3%
BH crosscourt 42% 50.1%±14.3 47.6%

Serve under pressure

Deuce court

1st serveUsageBreak ptWon when in
Wide 23% 20% 65% / 66%
Body 26% 40% ▲ 54% / 57%
T 52% 40% ▼ 58% / 68%

66 normal · 5 break-point 1st serves

Ad court

1st serveUsageBreak ptWon when in
Wide 67% 53% ▼ 70% / 66%
Body 15% 12% 52% / 56%
T 17% 35% ▲ 63% / 64%

46 normal · 17 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
Wide23% 54.3%±12.1 n=16
Body27% 42.9%±11.6 n=19
T51% 43.7%±10.0 n=36

Consistent with an optimal mix (p = 0.13).

Ad court

1st serveUsagePoints won
Wide63% 52.6%±9.8 n=40
Body14% 45.5%±13.1 n=9
T22% 47.0%±12.4 n=14

Consistent with an optimal mix (p = 0.21).

Return by serve direction

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

ServeCourtDirectionPointsWonvs tour
1stAd courtBody 10 40% −3.5±12.8
1stAd courtT 16 34% −1.5±11.5
1stAd courtWide 10 36% +1.4±12.5
1stDeuce courtBody 23 41% −1.5±11.1
1stDeuce courtT 5 30% −1.7±12.8
1stDeuce courtWide 15 29% −4.7±11.2
2ndAd courtBody 12 54% −1.4±12.7
2ndAd courtT 1 53% −1.8±14.7
2ndAd courtWide 7 54% +0.7±13.5
2ndDeuce courtBody 8 59% +4.3±13.1
2ndDeuce courtT 8 49% −6.5±13.3

Charted matches