A towering presence in the men’s draw and a growing threat for the women’s title … Game Insight Group in partnership with Infosys takes a look at the data behind the stories to come on Day 3 of Australian Open 2019.
Sabalenka packs a punch
A title contender with a low profile and high expectations; can Aryna Sabalenka blast her way to the top? Here’s how she could do it.
• The Belarusian has one of the biggest games in women’s tennis. Her serve is the envy of most players on tour. In round one, she sent down a first delivery at 191km/h.
• Her backhand ball speed is right up there, too. At 139km/h, she’s able to take time away from her opponents like few others in the game.
• If she is to win on the second Sunday of AO 2019, her forehand and her movement will be key. The big and unconventional swing on her forehand means that its more prone to error. If (a big if) opponents can wrestle control of the rallies, her movement will also be challenged.
• Either way, Sabalenka won’t bow out wondering. She faces Great Britain’s Katie Boulter on Day 3.
With the Australian summer of tennis now underway, stay across Australian Open platforms for the latest updates and player profiles from the Game Insight Group.
Does height matter?
What difference does 43cm make?
At 2.13m, Reilly Opelka is taller than 99 per cent of players who have competed at Grand Slams in the past 20 years. The American is part of a growing trend at men’s Slams. In 2000, the tallest 10 per cent of Slam players stood at 1.93m or higher. That number is now at 1.98m or higher
Extremes in height can tell you a lot about what to expect from a player’s game. Height helps the tallest players make the serve a weapon, while the smallest players have to rely on superior defence. Compared to Slam players of average height, the tallest players win 4 per cent more points on serve (a mean of 72 per cent) but 8 per cent less on return (a mean of 39 per cent).
The smallest players have the opposite skill set, winning 5 per cent more points on return (a mean of 44 per cent) but 2 per cent less on serve on average (a mean of 68 per cent).
Opelka needed four sets, four tiebreaks, and 288 points to get past John Isner to make the second round. He can expect more of the same as he continues through the draw, with Italy’s Thomas Fabbiano his next opponent on Wednesday.
The mix of intimidating serve and defensive struggle makes long matches the norm for the towers of the game. At Slams, the tallest 10 per cent of players play 10 more points on average and double the tiebreaks per match of other players.
Diego Schwartzman is also a one-percenter, but in the opposite direction. At 1.70m, Schwartzman is among the smallest 1 per cent of players who have played at majors in recent times.
However, he doesn’t shy away from the challenge posed by the big servers, with our Player DNA numbers ranking him the fourth-best returner in the game.
Once the ball is in play, his acceleration and peak foot speed will also come to the fore, a feature of many of the shorter players on tour.