Surprise to the strength. The score is 15/30. You just missed your first serve and you now need to weigh up where to direct the second. Safety to the backhand return, right? Not so fast … An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the current ATP Top 20 identifies that a vast majority of second serves do go to the backhand return at this specific point score, but a higher percentage of points are won surprising with a second serve down the T to the forehand return. The best way to understand this strategy dynamic is to know the difference between primary and secondary patterns. Primary patterns are the prime movers that players run most often, such as hitting...
Watch highlights as Frances Tiafoe reaches his first ATP World Tour clay-court quarter-final by defeating fourth seed Gilles Muller 6-4, 7-5 at the Millennium Estoril Open on Wednesday. The American will face Simone Bolelli, a 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 winner over Federico Delbonis, for a place in the semi-finals. Video and photo courtesy of Millennium Estoril Open.
Watch highlights as Kyle Edmund books his place in a fourth tour-level quarter-final of the year by defeating Australian wild card Alex de Minaur 6-2, 7-5 at the Millennium Estoril Open on Wednesday. In a battle between Portuguese players, Joao Sousa outlasts Pedro Sousa, 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-5. Video and photo courtesy of Millennium Estoril Open.
Watch as Hyeon Chung closes out his match against Matthias Bachinger with a blazing forehand winner to move on at the BMW Open by FWU on Wednesday. Video courtesy of BMW Open by FWU. Photo Credit: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for BMW
Watch as Jan-Lennard Struff puts away Yannick Maden 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals at the BMW Open by FWU on Wednesday. Struff, who faces Alexander Zverev for a place in the semi-finals, landed 12 aces against Maden. Video courtesy of BMW Open by FWU. Photo Credit: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for BMW