A traditional coaching drill on practice courts all over the world is to play points with just one serve. It creates instant pressure as players develop their prowess hitting second serves, and also attacking them at will on the return. Coaches may as well name it the “Kei Nishikori Drill”.

Nishikori won more matches in 2016 than in any other year of his illustrious career, going 58-21 and finishing No. 5 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Dominating the second-serve landscape was his specialty.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the Japanese star uncovered just how much his game elevated when points started with second serves instead of first serves.

Nishikori won 72 per cent of his first-serve points in 2016, only 43^rd best on the ATP World Tour. But when it came to second-serve points, Nishikori skyrocketed all the way to seventh best by winning 55.3 per cent of the points that started with his second serve.

The same dynamic unfolded on the returning side as well. The ATP Stats LEADERBOARDS, powered by the Infosys Information Platform, showed Nishikori was 17^th best when returning first serves by winning 30.6 per cent of those points. But he leapt all the way to fifth best on the ATP World Tour by winning 54.3 per cent of his second-serve return points.

Kei Nishikori 2016 Season

When serving and facing break point, Nishikori won about 70 per cent of his first-serve points and an extremely high 58.1 per cent (93/160) of his second-serve points. As a comparison on second serves, Nishikori’s metrics were superior to World No. 1 Andy Murray, who saved 55.4 per cent (93/168), and World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, who saved 56.4 per cent (71/126).

When returning serve on break points, Nishikori dominated, winning 58.1 per cent of break points against second serves, which was once again a leading metric compared to his peers in the Top 10.

The one area Nishikori can tidy up in the coming season is not double faulting on break points. In 2016 he double faulted 16 times on break points – up from only seven times in 2015.

The battleground surrounding second serves, both serving and returning, weighs heavier to the outcome of a match and a career than you may think. It would be a wise decision for players at all levels of the game in 2017 to work a little more of the “Kei Nishikori Drill” into their regimen.

Stan Wawrinka is aiming to reach the top of the Emirates ATP Rankings in 2017 and fittingly kicked off his season by reaching peak heights on the Gold Coast. 

The World No. 4, competing in the Brisbane International 2017 presented by Suncorp, traveled in style via helicopter to the top of the iconic Q1 Resort Building at Surfers Paradise, located 270 metres above sea level. Wawrinka showed off his racquet skills from the Skypoint Climb, Australia’s highest external building climb, while taking in breathtaking views of the world-famous Gold Coast.

“I’m really happy to be here in Brisbane. I’ve heard so many good things about this tournament from the other players on the tour that I had to come and see it for myself. It’s always exciting to come to new places and play new tournaments,” said Wawrinka. “I really enjoyed my morning on the Gold Coast. The views were amazing and we had a lot of fun, so it was a great way to start the day.”

Wawrinka returned to normal altitude after his visit and had a two-hour practice session with coach Magnus Norman on Queensland Tennis Centre’s Pat Rafter Arena. This marks the first time since 2008 that Wawrinka has played an ATP World Tour event in Australia leading into the Australian Open, having spent the past eight years competing at the Aircel Chennai Open in India.

Having started his season with a title in Chennai for the past three years, the Swiss star will look to continue that winning trend in Brisbane.

No need for tennis sneakers: The Blue Sky Foundation has been honoured this year for bringing “Boots on the Court” to military members across the United States.  

The organisation is this year’s recipient of an award from the Jim McManus Memorial Fund for its Boots on the Court initiative. The program was created by former World No. 8 Dick Stockton, now President and Executive Director of the Blue Sky Foundation, and his wife, Liz. The goal is to use tennis as a way of thanking American troops — servicemen, servicewomen, veterans and their families — for their continued service by offering free tennis clinics at different military installations around the country. The clinics are open to active personnel, Veterans, Wounded Warriors, and their spouses or children.  Every participant must be a “military ID cardholder” or the spouse or child of such a cardholder.

Since their initial event in July 2013 at Fort Bragg (N.C.), Boots on the Court has held 19 other events across the U.S. that include youth (ages 4-8), junior (ages 9-15) and adult clinics. This past year, they visited Fort Benning (Ga.), Camp Lejeune (N.C.), Andrews Air Force Base (Md.), and West Point (N.Y.).

“The response we have gotten has been amazing. We are averaging about 100 participants per event, ranging in age from three to 87. The biggest group is always the kids from four to 10 years old; probably 65 per cent of the total number of participants are in this particular age bracket,” said Stockton. “We have truly been honoured to be able to bring these clinics to the folks in our military. I can honestly say that this has been the most incredible experience in my life.”

The Jim McManus Memorial Fund is an initiative aimed to provide assistance to an individual or program which demonstrates passion and dedication for the sport of tennis, its heritage, sportsmanship and camaraderie.

Click here to learn more about Boots on the Court and the Blue Sky Foundation.

Murray, Djokovic Battle For No. 1

Andy Murray finished as the year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time and enters 2017 with a career-best 24-match winning streak, which included five straight titles. Djokovic saw his run of 122 consecutive weeks at No. 1 end on 7 November. The Serbian had been at the summit of men’s professional tennis for 223 weeks overall, behind Jimmy Connors (268 weeks), Ivan Lendl (270 weeks), Pete Sampras (286 weeks) and Roger Federer (302 weeks).

For the past 13 years the No. 1 spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings has been held by a member of the Big Four: Murray (2016), Djokovic (2011-12, 2014-15), Rafael Nadal (2008, 2010, 2013) or Roger Federer (2004-07, 2009). The last time a foursome finished No. 1 for 13 straight years or longer was from 1974-87 with Connors (1974-78), Bjorn Borg (1979-80), John McEnroe (1981-84) or Lendl (1985-87, 1989).

Djokovic finished 2016 as one of only four players in the history of the Emirates ATP Rankings to finish in the Top 3 for 10 or more years – including Lendl (10, 1981-1990), Federer (10, 2003-12; also No. 2 in 2014-15) and Connors (12, 1973-84). Djokovic celebrated 200 weeks at No. 1 and also became only the eighth player in tennis history to complete the career Grand Slam with his first Roland Garros crown in May.

Match Win Milestones

Roger Federer required just 13 match wins in 2016 to pass Lendl (1,071) for the second-most victories in the Open Era (since 1968) and now, with 1,080, only Connors – the all-time record-holder with 1,253 match wins, achieved in early 1985, stands ahead of the Swiss superstar.

This year also marked surges for Djokovic and Murray. As Nadal notched 800 match wins, Djokovic went an astonishing 100-6 from 600 to 700 match wins and Murray moved from 500 to 600 in just 116 matches.

‘#NextGen’ Campaign Launched

The ATP unveiled its ‘Next Generation’ campaign on the eve of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on 8 March. With Murray and Djokovic continuing to take the sport to new levels, the campaign introduced an exciting crop of young and talented players, who are rising to prominence on the ATP World Tour. There were 14 players – including Nick Kyrgios, Alexander Zverev and Borna Coric – in the Top 200 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, including six players in the Top 100, born in 1995 or later. Aged 21 or under each of them is striving to pose a future threat to the well-established hierarchy.

Visit #NextGen Landing

Later in the year, on 19 November, during the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, the ATP announced that Milan in Italy, would host a new tournament, the Next Gen ATP Finals, featuring the world’s top 21-and-under singles players of the ATP World Tour season. The event in 2017 will be held from 7-11 November and the Race To Milan for the Next Gen ATP Finals will begin in January.

Doubles Milestones

The 40th anniversary of the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings was celebrated on 1 March 2016, a year that saw the top spot change between three players: Marcelo Melo, Jamie Murray and Nicolas Mahut. To date, 49 different players have risen to the top spot.

Rising To Doubles No. 1 Tributes: Murray | Mahut

Daniel Nestor became the first doubles player to record 1,000-match wins when he partnered Marcelo Melo to a first-round victory at the Apia International Sydney on 11 January. Ten months later, on 28 October, it was the turn of Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan to become the first doubles team to attain the 1,000 match wins milestone after beating Pablo Cuevas and Viktor Troicki at the Erste Bank Open 500 in Vienna.

Calling It A Career

Lleyton Hewitt, the 2001 and 2002 year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, bid an emotional farewell to professional tennis at the Australian Open. He returned as a doubles competitor at Wimbledon alongside Jordan Thompson. The Adelaide native remains the third-youngest player to win an ATP World Tour title, having prevailed in his hometown at 16 years, 11 months.

Eric Butorac, a former president of the ATP World Tour Player Council and a winner of 18 doubles titles, officially retired at the US Open on 5 September. Michael Berrer, Rui Machado, Andreas Beck, Jesse Huta Galung, Julian Reister also ended their careers as professional players.

ATP, Grand Slam Anniversaries

ATPWorldTour.com reflected on the 10th anniversary of Djokovic’s first ATP World Tour title in Amersfoort and also the 2006 Rome final between Nadal and Federer at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

The ATP also looked back on the 20th anniversary of Richard Krajicek’s 1996 Wimbledon final victory over MaliVai Washington. Krajicek is currently the Tournament Director of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam and also coach to Milos Raonic. Spanish greats also celebrates Manolo Santana’s run to the 1966 crown on Centre Court at the All England Club.

Friends Remembered…

There were tributes to the late journalist and broadcaster Bud Collins (4 March), Gardnar Mulloy, who passed away aged 102, (14 November) and also Tim Gullikson, the amiable former player and coach to Pete Sampras, on the 20th anniversary of his death (3 May).

Finals Club Celebrates 1980s

The ATP World Tour celebrated year-end championship participants from the 1980s at The O2 in London in the second year of the Finals Club. More than 30 other players reconnected with the sport, their peers, as well as the world’s best players of today.

Lendl Reflects On Masters In 1980s

Top Year-End Matches At Madison Square Garden (1977-1989)

Greatest Masters Final Ever: Lendl vs. Becker?

The 2017 season kicks off on Sunday 1 January in Brisbane and the following day in Doha and Chennai, with all Top 5 players in action in the opening week. Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic waste no time continuing their battle for the No. 1 position in the Emirates ATP Rankings at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, where they are the Top 2 seeds. Milos Raonic, Stan Wawrinka, and Kei Nishikori, ranked No. 3 through 5, are the top seeds at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp.

• Streaking into 2017: Murray enters 2017 with a career-best 24-match winning streak. It’s the fourth time since 1975 (since complete records were kept) that a player closed out the season with a 20+ match winning streak. Here are the streaks to end the year (listed chronologically):

Note: McEnroe won 24 in a row at the end of 1982 but streak ended at 26 with final loss to Lendl at Masters in January 1983, which was considered part of 1982 season.

• Murray’s Key to No. 1: Murray’s service improvement in the Infosys ATP Scores & Stats Leaders in 2016 was a major factor in the Briton finishing No. 1 for the first time. Murray was among the Top 10 in three of the six service categories for the second time in his career (four in 2009):

Murray also ranked among the Top 5 in all four return of serve categories with the biggest improvement coming in return games won with a personal-best 37 per cent, a jump of 6 per cent from 2015:

• Djokovic Top 2 Streak: Djokovic is one of four players in the history of the Emirates ATP Rankings to finish in the Top 2 for 10 or more consecutive years:

• Hard Court Points to Defend: Murray enters 2017 with a 630-point lead over Djokovic in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Here is a look at both players’ hard court points to defend from the Australian Open through the Miami Open presented by Itau:

• Milos Looks to Top 2: Raonic improved from No. 14 to a year-end best No. 3 in 2016. Raonic is attempting to become the first player outside the Big Four to rank No. 2 since Lleyton Hewitt on 18 July 2005. Raonic became the first player born in the 1990s to reach a Grand Slam final last season at Wimbledon (l. to Murray). Raonic’s eight career ATP World Tour titles is the most of any player born in the 1990s. Raonic will be coached by 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek in 2017.

• Stan Strong at No. 4: Stan Wawrinka is coming off his third straight No. 4 year-end Emirates ATP Ranking. In the past three years he is 11-1 in finals after compiling a 4-9 record in finals from 2006-13.

• Federer Returns: When Federer makes his 18th straight appearance at the Australian Open, it will be the Swiss superstar’s first tour level match since 8 July 2016 when he lost in five sets in the semi-finals to Raonic at Wimbledon. It will also be Federer’s first appearance outside the Top 10 in Melbourne since 2002 when he ranked No. 12. Federer finished last season with a 21-7 match record and No. 16 ranking. His streak of 14 consecutive years in the year-end Top 10 ended, which is second only to Jimmy Connors’ 16. His best result was a runner-up in Brisbane (l. to Raonic) in the opening week of the season. His streak of 15 straight years with at least one ATP World Tour title also came to an end. Prior to Federer’s knee injury, he was still playing at a high level as indicated in the Infosys ATP Scores & Stats. He would have been in the Top 5 if he played enough matches to qualify:

• 70-Titles Club Within Reach: Nadal and Djokovic are both closing in on 70 career titles on the ATP World Tour. Nadal has 69 and Djokovic 66 titles. If they both reach the milestone in 2017, they would join Federer (88) as part of the 70-Titles Club. The only trio to accomplish the feat in the Open Era are Jimmy Connors (109), Ivan Lendl (94) and John McEnroe (77). They all had at least 70 titles in 1994 when still active.

• Nadal Eyes Hard Court Title: Nadal enters 2017 trying to win his first ATP World Tour hard court title since Doha in January 2014 (d. Monfils). Since then, Nadal has played in 27 hard court tournaments, the longest hard court title drought of his career. The 30-year-old Spaniard has finished in the Top 10 the past 12 years, the longest active streak on the ATP World Tour.

• Moya Joins Nadal Team: Nadal added fellow Mallorca native and former World No. 1 Carlos Moya to his team for the 2017 season. Moya, who helped Raonic improve from No. 14 to a career-best No. 3 last season, is the fourth former No. 1 to team up with a member of the Big Four:

– Andy Murray & Ivan Lendl
– Novak Djokovic & Boris Becker
– Rafael Nadal & Carlos Moya
– Roger Federer & Stefan Edberg

• First-Time Champions: There were nine first-time champions on the ATP World Tour last season, the most since 10 in 2011. Among the first-time winners, six were 25 & under, including #NextGen stars Karen Khachanov and Alexander Zverev. Kyrgios was a member of last year’s #NextGen class.

• Top 10 Breakthrough In Sight: In 2016, four players ranked between No. 11-15 finished with their best career season on the ATP World Tour. No. 13 Kyrgios won a personal-best three ATP World Tour titles and at 21 was the youngest to finish in the Top 20. Kyrgios and the other three players look to go a step further in 2017 and break into the Top 10 Emirates ATP Rankings:

– No. 11 David Goffin
– No. 13 Nick Kyrgios
– No. 14 Roberto Bautista Agut
– No. 15 Lucas Pouille

• Sascha Looks to Continue Rise: In 2016, Alexander Zverev became the first teenager to finish in the Top 25 Emirates ATP Rankings at No. 24 since Novak Djokovic (No. 16) and Andy Murray (No. 17) in 2006. The 19-year-old German reached a career-high No. 20 on 17 October after winning his maiden ATP World Tour title in St. Petersburg. He was the first teenager to win an ATP World Tour title since Marin Cilic (19) at 2008 New Haven. Zverev will look to follow in the footsteps of Gael Monfils, who finished No. 24 in 2015 before climbing to year-end best No. 7 in 2016.

• Brothers Eye Top 50: Mischa Zverev finished a year-end best No. 51 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The last time he ranked in the Top 50 was 5 October 2009 at No. 48. The last time a brothers duo ranked in the Top 50 at the same time was 8 May 2006 when Olivier Rochus ranked No. 29 and Christophe Rochus was No. 42.

• Del Potro Comeback Leads Argentines: Juan Martin del Potro became the third player (Sergi Bruguera, Tommy Haas) to win the ATP Comeback Player of the Year twice. He also led Argentina to its first Davis Cup title and returned to the Top 50 of Emirates ATP Rankings at No. 38 (from No. 581) in 2016. He became the first player to jump from outside the Top 500 from the previous year to finish in the Top 50 since Tommy Haas and Thomas Johansson made leaps in 2004. Both were unranked in 2003 before climbing more than 1,300 spots the following season. Haas climbed 1,386 spots to finish No. 17 and Johansson 1,373 positions to reach No. 30. Del Potro announced this week that his 2017 campaign would start sometime after the Australian Open.

• Haas Returns: Former World No. 2 Tommy Haas, who will turn 39 on 3 April, is planning to return to the ATP World Tour for the first time since October 2015 in Vienna. Haas, who is the tournament director at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, plans to start his 2017 campaign at the Australian Open. Haas has a protected ranking of No. 25.

• Ivo Going Strong: Ivo Karlovic finished in the Top 20 for the first time in his career last season at No. 20. The 37-year-old Croat (turns 38 on 28 February), who won two ATP World Tour titles (Newport, Los Cabos), was the oldest player to rank in the Top 20 since Ken Rosewall (43) on 31 July 1978. Karlovic was bothered by a knee injury in the first quarter of last season, going winless (0-6) before reaching the semi-finals in Bucharest on 30 April. He finished with a 32-24 match record on the season.

• Titles Streak: There are six players who enter the 2017 season having won at least one ATP World Tour title for five or more years in a row:

• #NextGen Class of 2017 Looking To Milan: The Race to Milan for the Next Gen ATP Finals gets underway in January and here is a look at the group of #NextGen stars on the ATP World Tour with their 2016 year-end Emirates ATP Ranking: