WTA and Double Faults? What's up with that?

[Robert F]

Watching US Open today and Shapo fell to Sinner, despite being in control in the first set.
They noted that Shapo holds the mens' average record on the ATP for double faults per match at 6.

Yet, I've seen a 1/2 dozen WTA matches at the US Open where both players were double faulting left and right especially when it came to ending the set.
Gauff and Vekic.
1st set of Swiatek and Kalinskaya.
I feel over the years I've seen way too many double fault match points on the WTA often where the 2nd serve is so tight--with the men often the DF at least is long orwith pace.

Is it simple biomechanics that men are bigger and can accelerate a little more? So they have a height and spin advantage to bring the ball in?
Since most women can't serve as big as the men, do they just have less confidence behind it?
Oddly does playing BO3 vs. BO5 in slams just put more pressure on break points and closing games? Men might go all out since they have another potential set???

 

[JMR]

Is it simple biomechanics that men are bigger and can accelerate a little more? So they have a height and spin advantage to bring the ball in?
Since most women can't serve as big as the men, do they just have less confidence behind it?

I think it's a combination of weaker biomechanics + more frequent (and possibly more severe) cases of the "yips." See https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/xd07gt95n

I doubt that the match format has much to do with it.

 

[Robert F]

I think it's a combination of weaker biomechanics + more frequent (and possibly more severe) cases of the "yips." See https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/xd07gt95n

I doubt that the match format has much to do with it.

Interesting article.
Women have a higher incidence of anxiety disorders than men, so that might factor in their higher rate of Yips.
I also wonder if women are more connected with their thought process to their neuromuscular connections, meaning they might think more about what they do on the court, whereas men might just do what they do without thinking too much about it.

 

[The Aceserver]

WTA pros love to absolutely rip returns off of weak second serves too so that’s added pressure.

 

[Robert F]

WTA pros love to absolutely rip returns off of weak second serves too so that’s added pressure.

The irony is with that pressure I don't see them whacking huge second serves that land way out or blast into the net, it often seems like such a tight pushed serve (for their level). And for some reason I relate to this, when the pressure is on, I can tighten up and that's some goofy guy just playing with buddies. Pressure must be magnified by the umpteenth power with all they have on the line.

I guess this would explain some of the differences though of the ATP vs. the WTA since a lot of men's second serves are 95mph plus with heavy spin, coupled wit the trend on the men's side to return as far back as the back wall even on 2nd serves. Less and less guys creep on or inside the baseline on 2nd serves, whereas on the WTA that is a strategy still used by several women against 2nd serves

 

[JMR]

WTA pros love to absolutely rip returns off of weak second serves too so that’s added pressure.

Yes, the tactics in the women's game have evolved to accommodate the different serving patterns. For many WTA players (not all), the relative advantages of service and return have been totally flipped. "OK, now I get to receive for the set!" I wonder what the stats are on choosing to serve or receive after winning the toss at the start of the match. To the extent that I've been paying attention to this moment in the televised USO matches I've seen this year, I can't recall seeing a female player electing to serve first.