Why Roger Federer Is The Best All-Round Spot Server

First serves are all about dropping heat and hitting spots, and there is no better return on investment for the Top 10 than going down the T in the Deuce Court.

An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the current Top 10 uncovers who thrives the most at which first-serve location, and where the highest win percentages are located.

The six serve locations are wide, body and T in both the Deuce Court and Ad Court, with the data set coming from ATP Masters 1000 events, Nitto ATP Finals and Next Gen ATP Finals from 2011 to 2019.

The breakdown starts with the highest average win percentage location (Deuce Court T) and finishes with the lowest (Ad Court Body). It’s interesting to note that Roger Federer was the only player to feature in the top three at all six serve locations.

No. 1: Deuce Court T (Average Win % = 76.9%)
Only three players were able win north of 80 per cent at any of the six locations. Matteo Berrettini, who was ranked outside the Top 50 to begin 2019, boasts a new career-high ATP Ranking this week of No. 8, and out of all six serve locations, Berrettini had the highest win percentage at 82.5 per cent. He did it by going down the T in the Deuce Court.

Berrettini averaged hitting his first serve at 133 mph to this location, accumulating 82 aces and 83 unreturned serves.

The leading three players at this location:
M. Berrettini = 82.5%
R. Federer = 81.1%
S. Tsitsipas = 81.0%

No. 2: Ad Court Wide (Average Win % = 75.6%)
Russian sensation Daniil Medvedev led the Top 10 with winning first-serve points out wide in the Ad court, at 79.4 per cent.

He averages 123 mph with his first serve to this location, hitting 150 aces and having 168 first serves unreturned. Medvedev sits at his career-high ATP Ranking of No. 4, with four titles under his belt this season, including Masters 1000 crowns in Cincinnati and Shanghai.

The leading three players at this location:
D. Medvedev = 79.4%
R. Federer = 78.9%
S. Tsitsipas = 78.6%

No. 3: Deuce Court Wide (Average Win % = 75.3%)
Austrian Dominic Thiem is the leader with the wide slider in the Deuce Court, winning 78.4 per cent of first-serve points.

Thiem’s average first-serve speed to this location is 113 mph, which is considerably slower than the 121 mph he averages going down the T in the Deuce Court. This identifies that slice becomes more of a factor with the wide serve, carving the ball away from the returner.

The leading three players at this location:
D. Thiem = 78.4%
M. Berrettini = 77.3%
R. Federer = 77.2%

No. 4: Ad Court T (Average Win % = 73%)
Federer and Berrettini tied for the lead at this location, with both players winning 75.1 per cent of their first serves. Federer’s average first-serve speed is 117 mph, while Berrettini is considerably higher at 128 mph.

The leading three players at this location:
T1. R. Federer = 75.1%
T1. M. Berrettini = 75.1%
3. S. Tsitsipas = 75.0%

No. 5: Deuce Court Body (Average Win % = 65.4%)
It’s interesting to note that Thiem led the Top 10 with the wide and body serves in the Deuce court, two locations that are that side by side.

The leading three players at this location:
D. Thiem = 70.3%
R. Federer = 69.8%
R. Nadal = 66.3%

No. 6: Ad Court Body (Average Win % = 62.8%)
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic leads this category with a considerable 2.2 percentage-point lead over his nearest rival, winning 68.5 per cent of first serves at the body in the Ad Court.

Djokovic averages 116 mph to this location, which is faster than the 114 mph he averages going out wide and equal with when he goes down the T in the Ad court.

The leading three players at this location:
N. Djokovic = 68.5%
R. Federer = 66.3%
R. Nadal = 65.4%

Current Top 10: First Serve Win Percentage At All Six Serve Locations
(Bold = leader)