Match Stats/Report - Federer vs Seppi, Halle final, 2015

[Waspsting]

Roger Federer beat Andreas Seppi 7-6(1), 6-4 in the Halle final, 2015 on grass

It was Federer’s 8th title at the event and third in a row. Seppi was unseeded and beat three seeds en route to the final. Federer would be runner-up at the upcoming Wimbledon. Earlier in the year, Seppi had won the pair’s third round match at Australian Open and ended Federer run of consecutive semi-finals at that event at 11 (Federer would reach the semis the next 3 years also)

Federer won 85 points, Seppi 72

Serve Stats
Federer...
- 1st serve percentage (53/73) 73%
- 1st serve points won (43/53) 81%
- 2nd serve points won (10/20) 50%
- Aces 15 (1 second serve - bad bounce related & 3 not clean)
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (26/73) 36%

Seppi...
- 1st serve percentage (52/84) 62%
- 1st serve points won (34/52) 65%
- 2nd serve points won (18/32) 56%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (22/84) 26%

Serve Patterns
Federer served...
- to FH 42%
- to BH 55%
- to Body 3%

Seppi served...
- to FH 39%
- to BH 60%
- to Body 1%

Return Stats
Federer made...
- 61 (24 FH, 37 BH), including 2 runaround FHs & 3 return-approaches
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 21 Errors, comprising...
- 9 Unforced (5 FH, 4 BH), including 1 runaround FH & 1 return-approach attempt
- 12 Forced (6 FH, 6 BH)
- Return Rate (61/83) 73%

Seppi made...
- 47 (18 FH, 29 BH), including 1 return-approach
- 11 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 FH)
- 10 Forced (6 FH, 4 BH)
- Return Rate (47/73) 64%

Break Points
Federer 1/5 (2 games)
Seppi 0/4 (3 games)

Winners (excluding serves, including returns)
Federer 22 (7 FH, 4 BH, 8 FHV, 2 BHV, 1 OH)
Seppi 14 (8 FH, 2 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV, 2 OH)

Federer's FHs - 1 dtl return, 1 dtl/inside-out, 1 inside-out, 1 inside-out/dtl, 1 inside-in, 1 longline pass, 1 lob
- BHs - 3 cc (1 pass, 1 not clean - bad bounce related), 1 dtl

- 3 from serve-volley points (3 FHV), all first volleys

- 2 other FHVs were swinging, non-net shots (1 cc, 1 longline)

- the OH was on the bounce from near the baseline

Seppi's FHs - 1 dtl pass, 2 inside-out, 2 inside-in, 2 drop shots, 1 longline
- BHs - 1 dtl pass, 1 running-down-drop-shot 'pass' cc at net (very finely angled, with Federer at net)

Errors (excluding serves and returns)
Federer 36
- 25 Unforced (12 FH, 8 BH, 2 FHV, 3 BHV)... with 1 baseline FHV & 1 BH was a challenge (not counted in UEFI)
- 11 Forced (4 FH, 5 BH, 1 FHV, 1 BHV)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 51.7

Seppi 36
- 20 Unforced (9 FH, 10 BH, 1 BHV)
- 16 Forced (6 FH, 9 BH, 1 Behind-Back)
- Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46

(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)

(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Federer was...
- 21/30 (70%) at net, including...
- 7/10 (70%) serve-volleying, comprising...
- 7/8 (88%) off 1st serve and...
- 0/2 off 2nd serve
---
- 2/3 (67%) return-approaching
- 1/1 forced back

Seppi was...
- 9/14 (64%) at net, with...
- 0/1 return-approaching
- 0/1 forced back

Match Report
Good match from both players and like a lot of grass matches, not much in the result. Particularly positive aspects for Federer are his serve (especially the high in-count) and net play (with serve-volleying and quick-dash, ‘sneak’ approaches making up the bulk), while Seppi plays a solidly strong, baseline game that’s probably a bit better than Fed’s more aggressive game. Nothing stands out as being poor

First set is near even, and though Seppi doesn’t have better of it, he does have all 3 break points with 2 of them set points (both aced away). Going into ‘breaker, Fed’s served 39 points, Seppi 38 for 6 holds apiece. Fed’s much better in the breaker though and cruises it 7-1

Fed has better of second set and gets deep into Seppi’s last 3 service games, eventually finishing with match’s sole break. He serves 30 points in the set to Seppi’s 42, but again, its Seppi who has the first break point of the set, before Fed’s been able to get into any return games

Fed with 22 winners, Sep 14
Fed forcing 16 errors, Sep 11

Pretty clear who the aggressor is, but being aggressive and being better are two different things. In court action, Seppi’s solid game probably edges ahead of Fed’s more flashy one

2nd serve points won - Seppi 56%, Fed 50% (despite Seppi having the only double fault)
… good indicator of how the two stack up in play. Meanwhile -

1st serve points won - Fed 81%, Seppi 65%
… with Fed leading aces 15-1 being an indicator of just how much better his serve is.

Putting the 2 together, it looks like Seppi is slightly better player, though much less eye-catching and its Federer having much better serve that overrides that

Serve & Return
73% in count for Fed is key - a huge figure. He doesn’t serve all out, despite the 15 aces

Very curiously, 3 of his aces are not clean (Seppi gets tiniest of nicks on the ball). The second serve ace is a product of a bad bounce and he has another winner that shoots through low for a not clean winner

Seppi returns firmly and regularly. Other than the aces, just 11 errors - 10 of them forced. Few too many aces though - looks like Fed can pull out the extra wide serve when and as he needs it. Smart to use it relatively sparingly too - why risk lowering in-count when the slightly lesser serves are winning you points?

Seppi’s serve is average, as just 1 ace hints at. Typically gets his firsts just wide enough to be ‘forceful’, 1 foot or so beyond swing zone at decent pace. Kind of serving that a really good and quick returner might return very consistently

Fed doesn’t return badly, but there’s room for improvement there. 12 FEs are by definition, not easy returns. They’re on the easy side for being marked FEs. Someone like Andy Murray on a good day might return 80% + against it. Fed manages 73%, which is just fine

Just a bit of aggressive returning from Fed. The 3 chip-charges fit into his general net seeking game and a couple of runaround FHs. Otherwise, blocks returns back

Seppi doesn’t attack second returns either. With Fed doing it a bit, that enhances impression of Seppi leading second serve points won as indicator of his being better court player (and certainly, baseliner at least)

 

[Waspsting]

Play - Baseline & Net
Fed is aggressive, Sep is solid

Biggest chunk of Fed’s aggression is net play. He sprinkles in serve volleys, doing so 21% off first serves and winning 7/8. Flirts with second serve-volleying but loses both points early and then desists

Rallying to net, he’s 12/17 at 71% to Sep’s 9/13 at 70%, but Sep’s approaches are mostly token ones behind overwhelming shots. Fed by contrast, dashes and sneaks in. Or hits third ball swing volleys from near baseline to come in behind - a pretty clear sign of his putting net play above shot-making as go-to point winner

5 volleying UEs is on high side for just 30 approaches. They’re not-easy for UEs - firm balls, slightly under net typically. Sep’s ground strokes in all areas - the return, the pass as well as normal stuff - is very consistent in its firmness. Not too many difficult volleys for Fed to make - he putsaway what’s there to be putaway (he has 10 winners), doesn’t deal well with the firm stuff slightly under net

Unlike previous year, its not that Fed doesn’t have the attacking shots from the back. He dictates with FHs and gives impression of if wanting to, being able to be highly damaging with it. For most part, keeps it down to pressuring, some court opening, but not too much overt shot-making and finishing. Net play is head of his spear

For that matter, the BH is impressive too. Odd loose error as usual, but it has match low UEs (realistically, in same boat as both Seppi’s groundies - he has 8, Sep has 9 and 10 respectively). Its BH dtl’s that gain him the only break of match. When slicing, looks very good and safe. Doesn’t do much of it. Seppi not too comfortable against it, but better than many players when faced with Fed’s slices

Some hitting out with the FH - it has 7 winners, and good lot of misses too. More than looking for winners, he looks to hit powerful, weak-ball drawing (or with luck, error encouraging if not forcing) FH inside-outs. A good step down from the point-ending shots he usually hits in that direction, but still attacking and he combines it with net approaches

The best FHs from Fed are dtl. Just 1 winner, but other error forcing or taking control of point shots with it, and not many misses. It’s the inside-outs he tends to miss

UE breakdown is interesting -
- Neutral - Fed 4, Seppi 13
- Attacking - Fed 10, Seppi 2
- Winner Attempts - Fed 9, Seppi 5

Though reigning in the aggression from back, Fed doesn’t stay in neutral long, always edging towards attacking. Not too efficient at it - forcing 16 errors and having 22 winners for the number of corresponding errors he has is decent but short of good. Good enough with 36% freebie cushion, but room for improvement

Seppi by contrast is happy to keep hitting firm, orthodox shots. Enough force behind his neutral shots to make attacking not easy, thus having a hand in Fed’s aggressive UEs. And he attacks soundly and well with some combo of harder/wider/deeper hit balls - not enough to go for winners, but likely to force errors on grass. Some good defence from Fed against such shots too. Seppi’s low aggressive errors is indicator he’s done well when taking charge. Might be worthwhile to do more of it, rather than leave fate in Fed’s hand

Match Progression
Fed starts the match looking to take net regularly. Emphasis on net play, not overpowering approach shots and ‘token’ approaches. He does well enough, but minimum good pass draws volleying errors from him. As set goes on, he dials it down some and plays FHs as much as possible, with FH dtl being particularly effective. Seppi plays a conventional groundgame - good hitting off both wings, picks the weaker balls to go wider and harder at it, quite consistent with it

More or less comfy holds, with a few moments standing out. Fed starts the match with a FH inside-out winner. Later a FH dtl from a FH-FH rally leads to a neat BHV winner and later still, a very good, running FH lob winner

First challenge to server is in Game 7, which Seppid holds in 10 points withotu facing break point. Game after, he has the first break point, with Fed missing a slightly under net BHV serve-volleying bring it up. Fed goes on to hold, finishing with a swinging FHV winner from close to the baseline

He’s got 2 more break points, now also set points next time of asking. Fed delivers aces down the T both times before going on to hold.

Very comfortable tiebreak for Fed - couple of winning FH dtl’ish shots, couple of net points and down 1-6, Seppi double faults

Comfy holds through start of second set 2 and again, its Sep who has the face break point in game 5, a bold game from him where he actively finds net for one of the rare times in the match. Fed saves the break point by taking net and strong serves see him hold

Seppi’s remaining 3 games last 10, 16 and 6 points - the last one the only break of the match. Fed’s able to make returns and plug himself into rallies, taking a few chances with winner attempts from the back. In between, Fed survives a 10 point hold. Amusing point when Fed challenges a Sep BH all but as he dispatches the ball BH dtl for what would have been a winner. The ball is in, so Fed loses the point

Game 8 is a very good one with balanced attacking baseline play from both players. Sep striking a FH winner absolutely down center of court stands out. He saves 3 break points - 1 with a decent serve, the other 2 with big FHs

Its BH dtl’s that score Fed the break to end it. Forces an error with 1, hits a winner the point after and on second break/match point, the shot gives him command of point. Seppi is able to force him away from net with a defensive lob, but Fed’s upto nailing the OH on bounce from the baseline for a controlled winner. Seppi does take his foot of the hitting in this game a little

Summing up, good match from both players. Federer’s serving being considerably better and his using it with just so judgement is main difference between the two players. Otherwise, they play differently and about equally well

Federer is net hungry - quick-dash approaches and third ball drive volley approaches are among the ways he gets forward, along with serve-volleys and a small few chip-charge returns - and net play is first line of his offence. FHs pressuring powerful too, and he goes for point ending shots off that side too as a secondary line

Seppi is strongly solid of both wings, hitting firmly by default and able to go beyond that to the softer or shorter balls

Things are close. Sans the difference in serve quality - Seppi’s is only average to Federer’s very good - Seppi probably shades actions. For that matter, big lead on serve shot sees Federer tip-toe, not shoot ahead to gain the result

 

[RS]

How do you find all these matches to rewatch?

 

[BlackSilver]

Thanks for the interesting analysis, although it should be posted in the retired player section.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

How do you find all these matches to rewatch?

Many ATP matches are available on Tennis TV bro.
As for slam matches and most other stuff, Russian torrents are your best friends.
And ofcourse, there are some matches on YouTube as well.