The four players with the most impressive serve statistics since records were first kept in 1991 are Ivo Karlovic, John Isner, Milos Raonic and Andy Roddick.
That list makes total sense. What you may not realize is who is fifth.
It’s Nick Kyrgios.
Kyrgios ended 2016 with his career best Emirates ATP Ranking at No. 13, winning three ATP World Tour titles in Marseille, Atlanta and Tokyo, going 39-15 on the season.
An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the enigmatic 21-year-old Australian reveals he is already establishing himself as one of the best servers in the history of our sport.
Kyrgios is ranked fifth in SERVE LEADERS on the ATP Serve Stats LEADERBOARDS, which is calculated using the percentages of the following six categories.
ATP Serve Stats LEADERBOARDS components
- 1st serve percentage
- 1st serve points won
- 2nd serve points won
- Service games won
- Add average aces/match
- Subtract average double faults
The following table shows Kyrgios’ performance and ranking in the 2016 season in all six serve LEADERBOARD categories.
Kyrgios’ 2016 Season: Serve Statistics / Ranking
|
Strategy
|
Percentage
|
2016 Ranking
|
|
1st Serve Percentage
|
66.4%
|
4th
|
|
1st Serve Points Won
|
76.0%
|
13th
|
|
2nd Serve Points Won
|
55.1%
|
8th
|
|
Service Games Won
|
88.7%
|
5th
|
|
Average Aces/Match
|
13.8
|
4th
|
|
Average Double Faults/Match
|
2.9
|
34th
|
MORE: Kyrgios’ Second Serve Improvements
The beauty of the serve LEADERBOARDS is that it lets you compare identical metrics over different seasons, providing real numbers to some interesting questions. For example, did Kyrgios put up better numbers in 2016 than Pete Sampras put up in his prime? Once again, the answer will surprise you.
From 1993 to 1998, Sampras finished No. 1 in the world in the Infosys Year-end No. 1 LEADERBOARD. Only one of those years, in 1997, did he put up a higher season average than Kyrgios did this season.
Kyrgios / Pete Sampras Serve Leaderboard Comparison
|
Year
|
Player
|
Serve LEADERBOARD Percentage
|
|
1997
|
Pete Sampras
|
298.2
|
|
2016
|
Nick Kyrgios
|
297.1
|
|
1996
|
Pete Sampras
|
295.5
|
|
1998
|
Pete Sampras
|
288.7
|
|
1995
|
Pete Sampras
|
287.6
|
|
1993
|
Pete Sampras
|
288.5
|
|
1994
|
Pete Sampras
|
286.3
|
Overall, Kyrgios is fifth best on the Infosys Career Serving LEADERBOARD, ahead of some players that are widely renowned for their prowess serving. The following table compares the young Australian with some of the best server’s our sport has ever seen.
Career Serve LEADERBOARD Rating / Ranking
|
Ranking
|
Player
|
Serve LEADERBOARD Rating
|
|
5
|
Nick Kyrgios
|
290.7
|
|
6
|
Wayne Arthurs
|
290.4
|
|
7
|
Roger Federer
|
289.8
|
|
8
|
Pete Sampras
|
288.6
|
|
11
|
Richard Krajicek
|
286.8
|
|
12
|
Rafael Nadal
|
283.8
|
|
14
|
Greg Rusedski
|
283.0
|
|
15
|
Novak Djokovic
|
282.3
|
|
17
|
Goran Ivanisevic
|
281.8
|
|
18
|
Mark Philippoussis
|
281.6
|
|
20
|
Juan Martin del Potro
|
280.1
|
|
24
|
Boris Becker
|
278.0
|
|
32
|
Michael Stich
|
276.2
|
You May Also Like: Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers: Holding Serve For The Elite Eight
Saving Break Points
In winning three titles in 2016, Kyrgios greatly impressed with the quantity of break points he saved in Tokyo and Atlanta, and how few break points he faced in winning Marseille. Overall, opponents only converted four of 35 (11 per cent) of break points they generated in the three events combined, which is well below the 31 per cent season average.
Kyrgios: 3 ATP World Tour Titles in 2016
- Marseille: saved 4/4 break points.
- Atlanta: saved 10/12 break points.
- Tokyo: saved 17/19 break points.
Kyrgios is a serving machine. The returning side of the equation is where the focus needs to be for 2017. He is ranked 53rd on the Infosys Return Leaders LEADERBOARD, including being just 62nd best on tour in return points won against 1st serves.
His backhand return technique, in particular, is exemplary, with an extremely efficient, short blocking motion. There is no reason returning won’t develop into a statistical strength as well, and once it does, a future No. 1 ranking beckons.
