Djokovic 2011 vs Djokovic 2015 - In statistics

RF-18

Talk Tennis Guru
Okey so I put down a little work to summarize their respective seasons in stats. Of course 2015 is not over yet but I was eager to post it now, Djokovic will only play like 10 more matches before the year ends so it won't affect the stats so much except Service games played, return games played and so on.

The serve and ROS is probably the most important shots in tennis, and here we have a breakdown on the numbers.

Djokovic in 2011

Service Records

  • Aces: 343
  • Double faults: 143
  • First serves in: 65%
  • First serve points won: 74%
  • Second serve points won: 56%
  • Break points faced: 351
  • Break points saved: 65%
  • Service games played: 899
  • Service games won: 86%
  • Service points won: 68%

Return Records

  • First serve return points won: 36%
  • Second serve return points won: 58%
  • Break point opportunities: 692
  • Break points converted: 48%
  • Return games played: 860
  • Return games won: 39%
  • Return points won: 45%
  • Total points won: 56%

Djokovic 2015

Service Records

  • Aces: 439
  • Double faults: 126
  • First serves in: 66%
  • First serve points won: 75%
  • Second serve points won: 60%
  • Break points faced: 325
  • Break points saved: 70%
  • Service games played: 981
  • Service games won: 90%
  • Service points won: 70%

Return records:
  • First serve return points won: 33%
  • Second serve return points won: 57%
  • Break point opportunities: 747
  • Break points converted: 44%
  • Return games played: 958
  • Return games won: 34%
  • Return points won: 43%
  • Total points won: 56%
What we can see here, is that Djokovic has improved his serve (both 1st and second) immensily. Look at the aces (and season is not finished yet, the DFs has decreased, 2nd serve much better, much better at saving BPs on his serve, his hold game has also become more reliable and better.

But, if we take a look at the return stats, Djokovic had better numbers in 2011.

Summary in my words: Reason why this season will go down as Djokovic's best ever in his career (and maybe in the open era), is because he improved his serving numbers even more to absolute elite level of serving. If we take a look at Federers service stats in his best season and also one of the best seasons ever, we can see similar things. He also had 90% hold game, he won 70% of all points played on his serve just like Djokovic, he saved 70% of the BPs opponents had on feds serve, same number for djoko. Djokovic though had better 2nd serve points won on serve by 1% while fed won more points on his first serve by being 2% better. Djokovic though has slightly better return stats wich is why I believe 2015 will in the end eclipse 2006.

Djokovic and becker has really been spot on in their cooperation. Djokovic's improved serve (both 1st and 2nd) along with how he can back it up with his ground game, is why he has been this unbeatable this year and is going for the 2nd best season ever. When you can develop to a world class serve on a player like Novak. This will be the result.
 
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Nathaniel_Near

Guest
I just noticed that Djokovic has 16,785 ranking points.

LAWWWL.

The only way is down now for Djokovic. Poor guy.. best check in at the depressed Djokovic fans thread.
 

Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil

Talk Tennis Guru
Should create this thread again when 2015 concludes. The stats will not change too much even if he wins both Bercy and WTF or loses both, but would be nice to see the full picture.
 
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Nathaniel_Near

Guest
LOL I forgot about the Qatar Open. It's actually kind of realistic to imagine he'll sweep the season but then also win that event, upping his points total yet again! Actually laughing.
 
LOL I forgot about the Qatar Open. It's actually kind of realistic to imagine he'll sweep the season but then also win that event, upping his points total yet again! Actually laughing.

I'm not sure he'll play Qatar. He doesn't often play a warmup for the Australian Open. I think he did in 2015 because he felt that he was rusty in 2014. But it didn't work out so well for him, so he might not play another one. If he does, I think it should be Brisbane or possibly Chennai or the Hopman Cup. I can't understand why players don't think that the time zone difference between Doha and Melbourne is too great to make in a week. It's an 8-hour difference. I know that players are used to it, but given that for an ordinary person that could take up to a week to get used to (it wouldn't have to do so but it could do), I can't believe players can reliably do it well in less than three days, and those three days can be useful practice time or just relaxation.
 

Doflamingo

Professional
Gotta give credit to this guy too for the exceptional increase in serve stats

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Doflamingo

Professional
People were quick to dismiss this alliance, but look how it has turned out. It is a lesson in general, in a major change gotta give time to see the plans come to fruition.

I'll be guilty of that. I was quick to dismiss him after Novak lost AO 2014 because of him lossing his pet slam but as you said, as time went on, I could start to see the changes for myself and the results were coming in. It's definitely a fruitful relationship now, especially in 2015 where Becker's always had Novak's back. I'd like to say it's bigger than a coach/student relationship, I've seen Becker do out of Tennis things with Novak.
 

Livedeath

Professional
I'll be guilty of that. I was quick to dismiss him after Novak lost AO 2014 because of him lossing his pet slam but as you said, as time went on, I could start to see the changes for myself and the results were coming in. It's definitely a fruitful relationship now, especially in 2015 where Becker's always had Novak's back. I'd like to say it's bigger than a coach/student relationship, I've seen Becker do out of Tennis things with Novak.
My reaction was a bit different than yours. I was aghast the way he played against Stan, so many enforced errors, i did not even think about Becker. I even went ahead and said he is not going to win anymore like this, but next day i was again supporting him :). It was wrong on my part, if we celebrate his success, we should share his loss too.

Becker is a seasoned campaigner, knows the tricks of the trade, and with Marian also in his side, we can be rest assured, Novak is in good hands. :)
 

bjsnider

Hall of Fame
I think Djokovic has gotten better at conserving energy across an entire season than he was in 2011. It must be a much greater effort to break than to hold, especially if you're winning a lot of free points on your serve. In 2011, Djokovic was physically done by the end of the USO. Not so this year. That's my interpretation, which isn't worth much -- only Djokovic knows for sure why the return game numbers are worse now.
 
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