Alexander Zverev's declining Return Game

[gravemadness]

Alexander Zverev's Return Game Won Percentage from 2018 onwards

Last 52 weeks - 22.2% (37th)
2023 - 23.3% (34th)
2022 - 26.1% (11th)
2021 - 27.3% (9th)
2020 - 27.1% (12th)
2019 - 25.5% (18th)
2018 - 27.6% (8th)

Clear sign of decline in his return game post the ankle injury. Hence, he isn't winning matches even when he is serving >70%.

 

[jayvee]

What knee injury?

 

[gravemadness]

I meant, the ankle injury of course.

 

[sortof]

What knee injury?

He slipped in Wimbledon - nothing overly serious but he played with a knee bandage thereafter.

 

[jayvee]

Got it. I thought I had missed something.

Anyway, good observation. Now do Tsitsipas and Dimitrov.

 

[ibbi]

He's won the most slam matches this year he has ever won, will have his most wins at 1000 level by the time it's over too. Was in his first major final since 4 years ago, won a 1000, and will have his most ever wins in a year to top it all off. Who is not winning matches?

That is interesting though. Why would there be such a discrepancy before and after?

 

[jayvee]

He slipped in Wimbledon - nothing overly serious but he played with a knee bandage thereafter.

Yeah... same slip he had today...

 

[taylor15]

He slipped in Wimbledon - nothing overly serious but he played with a knee bandage thereafter.

He missed the Olympics bc of it, I would say it was at list mildly serious

 

[sortof]

He missed the Olympics bc of it, I would say it was at list mildly serious

Nope, he played the Olympics and lost in the QF against Musetti.

 

[nolefam_2024]

He's won the most slam matches this year he has ever won, will have his most wins at 1000 level by the time it's over too. Was in his first major final since 4 years ago, won a 1000, and will have his most ever wins in a year to top it all off. Who is not winning matches?

That is interesting though. Why would there be such a discrepancy before and after?

I know why

When your hold % goes up usually the break % goes down. That's how it is. Maybe because players fight off lower level opponents more and break them more often.

Zverev this year actually improved on his hold % and simultaneously played big match players more. Say sinner in Cincinnati. These type of players don't break easily and take down your break %

 

[metsman]

Maybe he's having trouble holding the rocket, bruised knuckles and all

 

[gravemadness]

I know why

When your hold % goes up usually the break % goes down. That's how it is. Maybe because players fight off lower level opponents more and break them more often.

Zverev this year actually improved on his hold % and simultaneously played big match players more. Say sinner in Cincinnati. These type of players don't break easily and take down your break %

I don't think this is the only reason. I mean, I have seen Sinner, Medvedev and Alcaraz among others, improve both their hold % and break % from 2022 to 2023, for instance.

I don't know why it is happening but I think the injury layoff in 2022 has led to a drop-off in Zverev's return game.

 

[nolefam_2024]

I don't think this is the only reason. I mean, I have seen Sinner, Medvedev and Alcaraz among others, improve both their hold % and break % from 2022 to 2023, for instance.

I don't know why it is happening but I think the injury layoff in 2022 has led to a drop-off in Zverev's return game.

Medvedev I don't believe is huge difference at all. If meddy break % increased, it would be reciprocated by hold % decrease most definitely.

Sinner and raz are youngsters you can't compare them to these 27/28 year olds.

 

[Sport]

Got it. I thought I had missed something.

Anyway, good observation. Now do Tsitsipas and Dimitrov.

What kind of imperative tone is this? You can politely ask OP if he would be willing to do the same with other players, but asserting in an impertive tone "Now do the same with Tsitsipas and Dimitrov" is out of place. You cannot order him to do so, only ask him,

You can always do it yourself, by the way.

 

[helterskelter]

What kind of imperative tone is this? You can politely ask OP if he would be willing to do the same with other players, but asserting in an impertive tone "Now do the same with Tsitsipas and Dimitrov" is out of place. You cannot order him to do so, only ask him,

You can always do it yourself, by the way.

It’ll take too long to do it for Dimitrov but here is Tsitsipas.

Return points won 2024: 0%
2023: 0%
2022: 0%
2021: 0%

You can figure out the earlier years for yourself!

 

[Sport]

It’ll take too long to do it for Dimitrov but here is Tsitsipas.

Return points won 2024: 0%
2023: 0%
2022: 0%
2021: 0%

You can figure out the earlier years for yourself!

I remeber very vividly when I traveled to Canada in 2018 and watched live the Nadal-Tsitsipas match. That was the first time I saw Tsitsipas winning a return point. It was also the last.

To figure out what happened here, why Tsitsipas went from being a powerful returner in Canada 2018 to the slightly unsuccesful returner he has become today, we need a multifactorial-methodological analysis, where a list of distinct aspects shall be considered.

The philosophical matrix of the aforementioned multifactional analysis is listed as follows:

1. Useless one-handed backhand.
2. Daddy issues.
3. A sexy distraction (ehem, Badosa).
4. Need of a haircut.

 

[jayvee]

What kind of imperative tone is this? You can politely ask OP if he would be willing to do the same with other players, but asserting in an impertive tone "Now do the same with Tsitsipas and Dimitrov" is out of place. You cannot order him to do so, only ask him,

You can always do it yourself, by the way.

Using imperative only problematic if I was in an authority position in relation to OP. Since I'm evidently not, it's simply a request.

Let me know if there's anything else you need explaining.

 

[taylor15]

Nope, he played the Olympics and lost in the QF against Musetti.

Oh, that’s right. My bad. He just said he may miss the Olympics, didn’t actually have to.