The average height of the Top 10 at the end of the 2018 season was 6’3”. While our sport is undeniably getting taller at the top of the tree, last year, there were two Top 20 standouts under 6′ who led the way in the crucible of converting break points when returning.

Hello Fabio and Diego. An Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the Top 20 in the year-end 2018 ATP Rankings focused on break point conversion against first and second serves. The analysis uncovered that Fabio Fognini and Diego Schwartzman stood tallest on tour when the biggest moments in a match arrived.

Break Points Won vs. First Serve
Fognini (5’10”) led the Top 20 in 2018 with break points won against first serves, converting 34.7 per cent (123/329) of the time. The 31-year-old Italian finished the 2018 season ranked No. 13, which equaled a career-high he first reached in 2014.

The leading five players from the Top 20 in the 2018 season:
F. Fognini = 37.4% (123/329)
B. Coric = 36.7% (80/218)
N. Djokovic = 36.3% (143/394)
R. Nadal = 35.8% (102/285)
R. Federer = 35.4% (86/243)

Break Points Won vs. Second Serve
Schwartzman (170cm / 5’7”) was only 17th best of the Top 20 winning break points against first serves in 2018, but he vaulted all the way up to the the top when he got a look at a second serve.

The 26-year-old Argentine posted a career-best ranking of No. 11 midway through 2018 after reaching the quarter-finals of Roland Garros, losing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal in four sets.

The leading five players converting break points against second serves in 2018:
D. Schwartzman = 62.1% (123/198)
R. Nadal = 60.1% (113/188)
F. Fognini = 56.5% (113/200)
A. Zverev = 54.7% (135/247)
K. Khachanov = 53.9% (103/191)

Alexander Zverev saw the most break points against second serves in 2018 with 247 and had the second highest total against first serves, at 352. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic had the most break points against first serves, at 394.

There was almost a 20 percentage-point gap between the average win percentage of the Top 20 converting break points against first serves versus second serves in 2018.

Taller players universally reign supreme on serve leaderboards in our sport, but players under 6′ are still thriving and competing at the highest level by dominating on the return side of the equation.

A hidden gem of our sport is that John Isner, at 6’10”, and Schwartzman, 5’7”, can equally be superstars on the global stage. Diversity of player height and game styles in tennis continues to offer a pathway to the top for anyone who has the burning ambition to reach for the stars.

Frenchman Gael Monfils was at his acrobatic and entertaining best on Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. He and Marin Cilic had split the first two sets, and Monfils wanted to set the tone of the third set early.

Serving at 30/0, the Frenchman delivered a near service winner down the T that Cilic barely got a racquet on. The ball hung in the air before Monfils took control of the point, rocketing a forehand to Cilic’s backhand corner. Then the real fireworks began.

Cilic replied with a soft backhand lob, and Monfils leaped into the air for the tomahawk. “Ahhh, the slam dunk!” the announcer shouted.

His fellow commentator added, “That’s worth the entrance money, isn’t it?”

Monfils held to love and won 83 per cent of the points in the decider (24/29) to cruise to a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win. He will next meet Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

Read More & Watch Highlights: Monfils Extends Perfect Record Against Cilic

On his debut at the Brasil Open, Jaume Munar needed just 66 minutes to defeat Pedro Sakamoto 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday.

The 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals semi-finalist, who is bidding to reach his fifth ATP Tour quarter-final of the season this week, converted each of his four break-point chances to reach the second round. Brazilian qualifier Sakamoto was making his ATP Tour debut after defeating former World No. 37 Carlos Berlocq en route to the main draw.

Munar will be aiming to earn his 10th tour-level victory of the season when he meets Christian Garin of Chile in the second round. Garin claimed a first-round win for the third straight week on the ATP Tour on Monday, beating Pedro Sousa of Portugal 7-6(3), 6-2.

Cordoba Open champion Juan Ignacio Londero joins Munar in the second round. The seventh-seeded Argentine dropped only three points behind his first serve (35/38) to defeat Paolo Lorenzi 7-6(3), 6-1. Londero will meet Hugo Dellien of Bolivia for a place in the quarter-finals. Dellien cruised past Spanish qualifier Pedro Martinez 6-1, 6-2 in 61 minutes.

Did You Know?

Londero entered the Cordoba Open earlier this month without a tour-level victory. The Argentine has won seven of his nine matches on the ATP Tour since arriving in Cordoba.

Kei Nishikori continued his impressive start to the season on Tuesday, beating Benoit Paire 6-4, 6-3 on his debut at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The top seed, who has reached the quarter-finals or better in each event he has played this season, saved all eight break points he faced to advance after 81 minutes. Nishikori is aiming to capture his first ATP 500 title in more than three and a half years. The Japanese lifted his most recent title at this level at the 2015 Citi Open (d. Isner).

“[It is] never easy playing Benoit,” said Nishikori. “[He has a] great serve [and a] great backhand… I think the key was the longest game at 2-1 [in the first set]. [I was] able to get the game. I was more confident. If he broke back, anything [could have] happened. It was a good match.”

Nishikori improves to 12-2 this season after notching his sixth victory in eight FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings against Paire. The 29-year-old will meet 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier Hubert Hurkacz in the second round. Hurkacz beat #NextGenATP Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3 7-5 in 78 minutes.

In a highly competitive opening four games, Nishikori saved eight break points and converted his only break opportunity en route to a 3-1 lead. After maintaining his advantage, Nishikori found himself 0/30 down when serving for the set at 5-4. But the 29-year-old took advantage of loose errors from Paire to reach set point, before moving to the net behind a drop shot and striking a forehand volley into the open court.

After struggling with pain in his right knee, Paire gifted Nishikori a break of serve at 2-2 as he attempted to shorten points. Nishikori moved well throughout the set, chasing down balls from his opponent to extract errors and claim victory.

Nishikori also took time to discuss his recent visit to the Flying Cup, where he enjoyed the sights of the city from above. But the Japanese No. 1 has his mind set on going much higher in Dubai, by visiting the world’s tallest building; the Burj Khalifa.

Watch Kei Test His Nerve At The Flying Cup

“[Visting the Flying Cup] was really fun. [I was] able to see a beautiful beach. I want to go to the [Burj Khalifa]… This is a beautiful city. [There are] not too many times I [will be] able to go that high.”

Ricardas Berankis produced a big upset, defeating eighth seed Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3 after 87 minutes. The 28-year-old qualifier, who lifted his 11th ATP Challenger Tour title last month in Rennes (d. Hoang), won 65 per cent of second-serve return points (20/31) and saved three of four break points to reach the second round.

“I was feeling good today. [I am] really happy with my game today,” said Berankis. “I was able to [execute] the whole plan, what I was planning to do before the match… The plan was to stay as close as possible and not to get in his game, which is to get into those long rallies which he loves.”

Medvedev was aiming to build on a strong start to the season, which has seen the 23-year-old reach championship matches in Brisbane (l. to Nishikori) and Sofia (d. Fucsovics). The four-time ATP Tour titlist owns a tour-leading 14 wins this season (14-4).

Berankis will meet Denis Kudla for a place in the quarter-finals. The American defeated Denis Matteo Berrettini of Italy 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 in one hour and 52 minutes.

Belarusian qualifier Egor Gerasimov edged Robin Haase 7-6(2), 7-6(5). The 26-year-old will face Marseille champion Stefanos Tsitsipas or Matthew Ebden in the second round.