RallyIQ

WTA · Right-handed · 2 charted matches · 2015–2020

Yaroslava Shvedova

Serve under pressure

Deuce court

1st serveUsageBreak ptWon when in
Wide 29% 50% ▲ 63% / 66%
Body 32% 25% 56% / 57%
T 39% 25% ▼ 67% / 68%

66 normal · 4 break-point 1st serves

Ad court

1st serveUsageBreak ptWon when in
Wide 44% 45% 64% / 66%
Body 24% 36% ▲ 51% / 56%
T 31% 18% ▼ 67% / 64%

54 normal · 11 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
Wide30% 58.5%±11.3 n=21
Body31% 51.5%±11.4 n=22
T39% 53.0%±10.9 n=27

Consistent with an optimal mix (p = 0.37).

Ad court

1st serveUsagePoints won
Wide45% 52.7%±10.7 n=29
Body26% 47.7%±12.0 n=17
T29% 56.3%±11.7 n=19

Consistent with an optimal mix (p = 0.38).

Return by serve direction

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

ServeCourtDirectionPointsWonvs tour
1stAd courtBody 12 43% −0.6±12.6
1stAd courtT 28 36% +0.1±10.3
1stAd courtWide 7 33% −1.1±12.7
1stDeuce courtBody 10 39% −3.2±12.7
1stDeuce courtT 16 30% −2.5±11.1
1stDeuce courtWide 27 28% −5.6±9.8
2ndAd courtBody 11 50% −5.0±12.8
2ndAd courtT 6 54% −0.8±13.7
2ndAd courtWide 6 50% −3.4±13.7
2ndDeuce courtBody 9 55% +0.3±13.1
2ndDeuce courtT 6 58% +1.8±13.5
2ndDeuce courtWide 8 56% +1.8±13.3

Charted matches