Service and return performance paramentes in top-100 female tennis players

Abstract

This research aimed at exploring the service and return performance parameters of the top-100 professional ranking of women's tennis, as well as identified differences in performance between the ranking 1-25 and the ranking 75-100 players. Statistics for the 2017 of WTA tournaments of the top 100 ranked tennis players were collected from the official reports. Results showed that professional female tennis players made more double faults than aces. Furthermore, they get a higher percentage of points won with the first serve (64.4 %) than with the second, and a higher percentage of points (57,3 %) and games (66,8 %) won on serve than the return. The comparison of the ranking 1-25 and the ranking 75-100 showed that the best players get better results in the points won with the first (66,8 % vs. 61,4 %) and second serve (47,3 % vs. 44,4 %), points (59,3 % vs. 55,0 %) and games (71,3 % vs. 61,7 %) won on serve, break points saved (57,4 % vs. 54,1 %) and number of aces made. Additionally, the ranking 1-25 women also got significantly better results in the return parameters such as points won in first (38,0 % vs. 36,1 %) and second serve (56,1 % vs. 54,3 %) when they return and points (44,7 % vs. 42,9 %) and games (37,2 % vs. 33,7 %) won in the return. The information provides on serve and return parameters can be useful for coaches to set aims and evaluating the performance of female tennis players.