2016 Slam Stat Curiosities

[masterclass]

2016 Slam Stat Curiosities

Most Dangerous Tournament (retirements + walkovers)

United States Open - 10
(AO-6, RG-5, WC-3)
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Most Grueling Tournament (most 5 set matches)

Wimbledon Championships - 27
(US-26, AO-20, RG-18)
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Most Cliffhanger Sets (most tiebreakers)

Australian Open - 89
(WC-86, RG-64, US-61)
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Tennis Wins (Most Winners)

Raw
Wimbledon Championships -10016
(RG-9370, AO-9035, US-6461)

Winners Percentage (Total Winners/Total Points)
Wimbledon Championships -34.6%
(RG - 33.5%, AO - 31.5%, US - 23.1%)
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Tennis Loses (Most Unforced Errors)

Raw
Australian Open - 8717
(RG-8594, WC-7199, US-6744)

UE Percentage (Total UE's/Total Points)
Roland Garros - 30.8%
(AO-30.3%, WC-24.8%, US-24.1%)
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Tennis Best Combined (Winners:Unforced Errors)

Wimbledon Championships - 1.39
(RG - 1.09, AO - 1.04, US - 0.96)
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Most Tennis (Total Games Played)
Wimbledon Championships - 4722
(AO - 4577, US - 4408, RG - 4367)

(Total Points Played)
Wimbledon Championships - 28975
(AO - 28723, US - 28005, RG - 27943)
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Returnbot Paradise (Return games won)

Raw
United States Open - 1068
(RG - 1033, AO - 858, WC - 808)

Percentage (Return Games won/Total Games)
United States Open - 24.2%
RG - 23.6%, AO - 18.7% , WC - 17.1%
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Servebot Heaven (Most Aces)

Raw
Australian Open - 2789
(WC - 2785, US - 2009, RG - 1656)

Ace Percentage (Total Aces/Total Points)
Australian Open - 9.7%
(WC - 9.6%, US - 7.2%, RG - 5.9%)
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Discuss.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[britbox]

Thanks @masterclass...

Couple of surprises there for me...

I initially expected more tie-breaks at Wimbledon than anywhere else.. then I thought maybe the USO because they have the fifth set tie-break.

Servebot heaven... again I would have expected Wimbledon.

Then again, the AO used to be played on grass.

 

[masterclass]

@britbox and others, I have edited the original post to add percentages to some stats.
Some real eye openers I think.

The US Open appears to be the slowest major of all now?

Highest percentage of return games won.
Worst Winner:Unforced Error ratio
Lowest number of winners by far.
2nd lowest amount and percentage of aces.

Is AO approaching Wimbledon pace, or is Wimbledon slowing down to AO pace?

What's going on? Bastards...

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[Moxie]

MC, there's also an eye test. Stats don't tell us everything. Isn't clay still the slowest?

 

[Federberg]

MC, there's also an eye test. Stats don't tell us everything. Isn't clay still the slowest?

I think you have to factor in weather conditions, are players dialled in to the season yet, Olympics as a disruptive force in the season, the combinatory effect of ball and surface. But it's certainly interesting stuff. Wimbledon should take note. Perhaps there's no harm in letting conditions play a bit faster

 

[masterclass]

MC, there's also an eye test. Stats don't tell us everything. Isn't clay still the slowest?

@Moxie, no not everything. But with these stats, it looks like the RG aces stat is the only one that keeps it in the hunt for slowest.

The US Open even being close to RG is very telling, when it used to be one of the fastest since AO was changed to hard court, second only to Wimbledon, not only relative to the others, but in the absolute pace rating. It used to be in the middle of the medium fast category(CPR 40-44) back in the day, very similar to Cincinnati.. Unfortunately, ATP and ITF are not transparent with the Court Pace Ratings on actual day of play. One rarely hears it being publicized these days. It should be a requirement in my opinion.

Since the clay surface at RG has probably changed the least of any of the surfaces, if at all, that says it all. Sure, they can use lighter balls at RG and speed up conditions somewhat (as was done in 2011). But when you see players sliding on the US Open hard court like it was clay, ball bouncing relatively high, then you know something is probably wrong. It probably means they've added too much grit (sand) to the top layer of paint and haven't power washed it off enough, combined with not having enough play. That's my eye test. The US Open surface has been Deco Turf II, aka Pro DecoTurf. It comes out of the box medium-fast. But put enough grit in the top layer of paint and it can be slowed down. Put hardly any, and the surface will be slick and faster; no sliders need apply. Also, it was quite humid this year in Flushing if I recall. That can also slow the ball.

It has long been taken for granted that clay is the most difficult surface to hold serve, even for the biggest and best servers in the game.
But when we see the return games won stat higher at the US Open than at Roland Garros, what does it mean? I don't know that one needs an eye test to corroborate that.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[britbox]

The USO is the probably the big one in the pot for debate regarding court speeds... USTA claim not to have altered the paint compound since 2004, but got record levels of complaints in 2011 because players said it was way slower....

AO... Balls "fluffing up" and slowing things down has generally been the consensus.

RG... Not sure this has changed much, but if it's dry it quickens up a lot.

Wimbledon... The grass compound... moving to 100% Rye rather than 70% Rye clearly affected proceedings... as Twisted mentioned - slower with higher bounce.

 

[masterclass]

Edited Original Post to add a Total Points played under the Most Tennis category.
Then I calculated and added Winners Percentage (Total Winners/Total Points) and UE Percentage (UEs/Total Points),
It doesnt' change much. US Open has the lowest UEs, but clearly lacks winners compared to RG and others.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[masterclass]

Edited original post for Aces Percentage to be defined as Total Aces/Total Points since Total Aces/Total Games percentage is not appropriate.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[britbox]

Edited original post for Aces Percentage to be defined as Total Aces/Total Points since Total Aces/Total Games percentage is not appropriate.

Respectfully,
masterclass

AO top in that category. Another surprise.. I would have expected it to be third behind Wimbledon and the USO.

 

[Mastoor]

There are many surprises in the stats which actually proves we are victims of may stereotypes about surfaces.