Who is going to rock the tennis world in 2018? The crystal ball of player improvement can sometimes be uncertain, but an Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis highlights the group of players you should keep your eye on in the 2018 season, based on their promise and performance in 2017. For different reasons and at different rankings, these players look poised to make serious headlines in 2018. Let’s just say you heard it here first… 1. Next to be No. 1 = Grigor Dimitrov The jigsaw puzzle has finally come together for the talented 26-year-old Bulgarian. He started 2017 ranked No. 17 in the ATP Rankings, but surged all the way to No. 3 at the end of the...
Andy Murray played only about half a season in 2017, but when he was on the court, he was at his devastating best returning serve – especially against first serves. Murray finished 2017 ranked No. 16 in the Emirates ATP Rankings with a 25-10 record. He has not played since Wimbledon because of a hip injury. [ALSO LIKE] But an Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of Murray’s limited season identifies that he was actually the tour leader in first serve return points won, at 34.7 per cent. It's only the second time that the Scot has finished first on Tour in this specific category (along with 2011). Andy Murray 2017-2006 First Serve Return Points Won / Category Ranking Year...
It’s official. One of the greatest players of all-time has found a way to become even greater. Roger Federer put up better serve numbers in 2017 than he has at any other time in his illustrious career. We thought the glory days of Federer existed primarily between 2003-2007, when he amassed 49 tour-level titles, and seemed from another world. But along came seven titles in 2017, and the Renaissance of Roger stunned us all. An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of Federer’s combined first and second serve win percentages shows this season has no peer in those categories. This year, the Swiss won 79.7 per cent (2181/2734) of his first-serve points to be ranked fourth best on tour in...
Grigor Dimitrov has tightened his grip on his own destiny. Imagine the server holding a tennis ball in his hand, and the returner trying to rip it free. That’s essentially what happens at the crucible moment of break point in a tennis match. The server still possesses the ball, but the returner is just one strong pull away from owning the moment. It’s a battle of determination and nerves as much as strategy, and Dimitrov has vastly improved in saving break points this season compared to the rest of his career. [ALSO LIKE] An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of Dimitrov’s performance at break point in 2017 compared all the way back to the 2011 season, when he first...