The typical way to improve in tennis is to turn weaknesses into strengths. There is also a second way, which focuses on taking strengths to a whole new level. Case in point: Rafael Nadal’s second serve. Nadal is already the career leader on the ATP World Tour with second-serve points won at 57.1 per cent (12,931/22,657), edging recognised power servers such as Andy Roddick and John Isner in this specific category. An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of Nadal’s 2017 season reveals he is simply blowing his already peerless career average right out of the water. [ALSO LIKE] The Spaniard is winning an astounding 61.9 per cent (628/1015) of his second-serve points so far this season, which has helped...
Over the past 68 years at The Championships there have been 19 different Centre Court invasions, but only six times has non-paying intruders disrupted play. On the outside courts on Tuesday, a number of flying ants – attracted by the 29°C temperatures and little rain in London in recent weeks – briefly interrupted play at Wimbledon. “I’d never seen that before,” admitted No. 24 seed Sam Querrey, after he beat Nikoloz Basilashvili on Court No. 18. “Luckily it was 30 or 45 minutes. I don't know what it was, but they seemed to kind of go away after a while. If it got much worse, I almost wanted to stop because they were hitting you in the face when you...
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the No. 12 seed, recorded his 30th match win (30-9) at The Championships on Wednesday for a place in the third round. It was his 600th tour-level match (413-187). The 32-year-old Frenchman capitalised on lapses in concentration from qualifier Simone Bolelli in a 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 victory over one hour and 55 minutes. Tsonga was largely in control throughout the pair’s fourth meeting, but Bolelli unravelled in a wild game of errors at 5-5 in the second set, culminating at 0/40 in one of his 14 unforced errors off his forehand. Tsonga converted five of his 13 break point opportunities and struck 32 winners. "Today, it was good because I won," said Tsonga, smiling. "That's the most important...
Mayer v Cilic Wimbledon Second Round Highlights 2017. Video courtesy Wimbledon. Watch more video at www.wimbledon.com. Highlights not available in U.K., U.S.A., Germany, Italy, Austria, South America. Getty Images photo.
