There are many ways to win a tennis match. During this year’s US Open, USOpen.org will be playing a numbers game, digging deeper into the statistical analysis of select matches to provide highlights, further insights and data points on player performance.
Sloane Stephens won the all-American battle against Coco Gauff, 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Consistent first serve
Stephens achieved the highest first-serve percentage of the tournament so far, landing 84% of her first serves in play and winning 80%.
The first serve was crucial in allowing Stephens to use her forehand on 79% of the 3rd shots.
Why was her forehand crucial?
Stephens increased the average speed of her forehand as outlined below:
Stephens vs Gauff (R2): 78 mph
Stephens vs. Keys (R1): 72 mph
US Open forehand speed: 69 mph
Did the extra pace help Stephens win more points?
Yes. Stephens won 19/25 (76%) of the points in which she hit a forehand over 80 mph.
In the on-court interview after the match, the 2017 women’s US Open champion said, “my forehand was key today.” She was right.
