Nadal won the least amount of 1st serve points on clay since 2004

[ghostofMecir]

Nadal almost always wins at least 60% of his 1st serve points on clay not because of his serve itself, obviously, but because he’s so damn difficult to defeat in rallies, and when returning his 1st serve, his opponents are always either at neutral [best csse] or slightly behind int he rallies.

Today, Nadal only win 43.9% of his 1st serve points, the least since he won 37.1% vs Gaudio in 2004 (Bastad) when he was 18 years old.

This is only the second time EVER he has won less than 50% of his 1st serve points on clay in his career (in completed matches). It’s also only the third time ever he’s won less than 60% of his 1st serve points on clay in back-to-back matches. Obviously, you usually lose when winning less than 60% of your 1st serve points (evennon clay) but Nadal has managed to win quite a few of these becuse he destroyed his opponent in return games.

Winning less than 60% of 1st serve points on clay

2019 MC, Fog, 43.9% [lost]
2019 MC, Pella, 58.3%
2018 Roma, Zverev, 57.4%
2017 RG, Carreno-Busta, 47.1% (incomplete match)
2017 Roma, Thiem, 57.4% [lost]
2017 MC, Schwartzman, 56.4%
2016 Roma, Djokovic, 59.2% [lost]
2016 Barcelona, Nishikori, 59.7%
2016 Rio, Carreno-Busta, 58.5%
2015 Hamburg, Fog, 55.6%
2015 Hamburg, Vesely, 59.1%
2015 RG, Djokovic, 58.9% [lost]
2015 RG, Kuznetsov, 57.4%
2015 Barcelona, Fog, 58% [lost]
2015 MC, Djoko, 58.1% [lost]
2014 Roma, Djokovic, 54.3% [lost]
2014 MC, Ferrer, 59.2% [lost]
2013 MC, Djoko, 55.4% [lost]
2012 Madrid, Verdasco, 56.4% [lost]
2011 Madrid, Djoko, 55.8% [lost]
2011 Barcelona, Ferrer, 56.1%
2011 Barcelona, Murray, 58.9%
2010 Madrid, Federer, 54.2%
2008 Madrid, Djoko, 57.3%
2008 MC, Davydenko, 59.5%
2007 Hamburg, Federer, 51.6% [lost]
2005 MC, Coria, 58.4%
2005 MC, Gasquet, 55.7%
2005 Valencia, Andreev, 54.2% [lost]
2005 Costa, Mello, 59.3%
2005 Buenos Aires, Gaudio, 53.8% [lost]
2004 Palermo, Mutis, 56.9% [lost]
2004 Stuttgart, Ferrer, 57.9% [lost]
2004 Bastad, Gaudio, 37.1% [lost]
2004 Estoril, Gasquet, 54.1%
2003 Hamburg, Gaudio, 51.4% [lost]
2003 Hamburg, Moya, 56.6%
2003 Barcelona, Corretja, 54.4% [lost]
2003 MC, Coria, 50% [lost]
2003 MC, Costa, 57.1%

 

[Soul_Evisceration]

Impressive about in 2007 considering it only happened in the Hamburg final vs Federer where Nadal was beyond exhausted in that match but still won the first set convincingly 6-2.

Also that it only happened last year at the Rome Final where he should of lost vs Zverev when the rain helped Nadal cease the momentum back.

 

[Sport]

Fognini is a good clay player... when he is focused.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Fognini is a good clay player... when he is focused.

He recently learned that skill from another guy on tour, so watch out.

 

[HetTheGreaterer]

Fognini is a good clay player... when he is focused.

A rare delicacy, which happens once in a million matches against top players

 

[Subway Tennis]

Nadal almost always wins at least 60% of his 1st serve points on clay not because of his serve itself, obviously, but because he’s so damn difficult to defeat in rallies, and when returning his 1st serve, his opponents are always either at neutral [best csse] or slightly behind int he rallies.

Today, Nadal only win 43.9% of his 1st serve points, the least since he won 37.1% vs Gaudio in 2004 (Bastad) when he was 18 years old.

This is only the second time EVER he has won less than 50% of his 1st serve points on clay in his career (in completed matches). It’s also only the third time ever he’s won less than 60% of his 1st serve points on clay in back-to-back matches. Obviously, you usually lose when winning less than 60% of your 1st serve points (evennon clay) but Nadal has managed to win quite a few of these becuse he destroyed his opponent in return games.

Winning less than 60% of 1st serve points on clay

2019 MC, Fog, 43.9% [lost]
2019 MC, Pella, 58.3%
2018 Roma, Zverev, 57.4%
2017 RG, Carreno-Busta, 47.1% (incomplete match)
2017 Roma, Thiem, 57.4% [lost]
2017 MC, Schwartzman, 56.4%
2016 Roma, Djokovic, 59.2% [lost]
2016 Barcelona, Nishikori, 59.7%
2016 Rio, Carreno-Busta, 58.5%
2015 Hamburg, Fog, 55.6%
2015 Hamburg, Vesely, 59.1%
2015 RG, Djokovic, 58.9% [lost]
2015 RG, Kuznetsov, 57.4%
2015 Barcelona, Fog, 58% [lost]
2015 MC, Djoko, 58.1% [lost]
2014 Roma, Djokovic, 54.3% [lost]
2014 MC, Ferrer, 59.2% [lost]
2013 MC, Djoko, 55.4% [lost]
2012 Madrid, Verdasco, 56.4% [lost]
2011 Madrid, Djoko, 55.8% [lost]
2011 Barcelona, Ferrer, 56.1%
2011 Barcelona, Murray, 58.9%
2010 Madrid, Federer, 54.2%
2008 Madrid, Djoko, 57.3%
2008 MC, Davydenko, 59.5%
2007 Hamburg, Federer, 51.6% [lost]
2005 MC, Coria, 58.4%
2005 MC, Gasquet, 55.7%
2005 Valencia, Andreev, 54.2% [lost]
2005 Costa, Mello, 59.3%
2005 Buenos Aires, Gaudio, 53.8% [lost]
2004 Palermo, Mutis, 56.9% [lost]
2004 Stuttgart, Ferrer, 57.9% [lost]
2004 Bastad, Gaudio, 37.1% [lost]
2004 Estoril, Gasquet, 54.1%
2003 Hamburg, Gaudio, 51.4% [lost]
2003 Hamburg, Moya, 56.6%
2003 Barcelona, Corretja, 54.4% [lost]
2003 MC, Coria, 50% [lost]
2003 MC, Costa, 57.1%

Interesting stat.

 

[Julian Houston]

The scary part of peak Nadal in clay is his return games and first serve point won is almost close to each other which is like 50%-60%. He don't even need a serve on clay. When he is eager to break serve is this stats. But today his problem is at his return games won very low %, opponents can hold easier against him on clay.