Expected Points, my new short, daily podcast, highlights three numbers to illustrate stats, trends, and interesting trivia around the sport. On today’s show: The third seed ousts a home favorite with a glittering serving display, the bottom half of the women’s draw is more than half full of former slam champions, and Su-Wei Hsieh wins … Continue reading Expected Points, Feb. 12: Dominic Thiem Out-Serves Nick Kyrgios
Italian translation at settesei.it Earlier this week, we looked at whether Nick Kyrgios is unusually inconsistent. That is, is he more likely to upset higher-ranked players and lose to lower-ranked players than his peers? The numbers say he isn’t. But that isn’t all we mean when we talk about Kyrgios’s unreliability. He often undergoes dramatic … Continue reading Nick Kyrgios Really Is Different Under Pressure
Italian translation at settesei.it There is a persistent belief among tennis fans and commentators that some players are particularly inconsistent. For today’s purposes, I’m talking about match-to-match results, the players who have a knack for upsetting higher-ranked opponents but are also particularly susceptible to losses against weaker players. We have a range of words for … Continue reading Nick Kyrgios is More Predictable Than We Think
Italian translation at settesei.it Today’s breaking news? Former Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis thinks that Nick Kyrgios can win the Australian Open. Hey, it’s almost the offseason. We take our news wherever we can get it. Still, it’s an interesting question. Is it possible for such a volatile, one-dimensional player to string together seven wins on … Continue reading Can Nick Kyrgios Win a Grand Slam?
Italian translation at settesei.it No matter how well a player serves, he still needs to win some return points. While one-dimensional ATPers such as Ivo Karlovic and John Isner have demonstrated that an unbreakable serve alone can get you a steady paycheck and some quality time in the top 20, their playing style has never translated … Continue reading Nick Kyrgios and the Minimum Viable Return Game
Italian translation at settesei.it When Nick Kyrgios lost the Wimbledon quarterfinal to Milos Raonic yesterday, he was playing his 50th career match at the Challenger level or above. Round numbers invite big-picture analysis, so let’s see how Kyrgios stacks up to the competition at this early milestone. When Monday’s rankings are released, Nick will debut in … Continue reading Nick Kyrgios and the First Fifty Matches
Italian translation at settesei.it At Wimbledon this year, 19-year-old rising star Nick Kyrgios has shown himself to be impervious to pressure. In his second round upset of Richard Gasquet, he tied a Grand Slam record by surviving nine match points. Against Rafael Nadal, he withstood perhaps the best clutch player in the game. Despite Nadal’s stature as … Continue reading Nick Kyrgios, Young Jedi of the Tiebreak
Last week at the Sydney Challenger, 17-year-old Nick Kyrgios won the title while only dropping a single set. The young man has been on quite the run, first winning the Australian Open boy’s singles title, reaching the semifinals at his first challenger, then winning in Sydney. Claiming a title at this level–even against a relatively … Continue reading Nick Kyrgios and the Youngest Challenger Titlists
Expected Points, my new short, daily podcast, highlights three numbers to illustrate stats, trends, and interesting trivia around the sport. Up today: Nick Kyrgios has outplayed Ugo Humbert through four and a half sets, Garbine Muguruza is your bottom-half favorite, and Kiki Bertens plays her final match at Wimbledon. Scroll down for a transcript. You … Continue reading Expected Points, June 30: Kyrgios and Humbert Race To the Finish
Expected Points, my new short, daily podcast, highlights three numbers to illustrate stats, trends, and interesting trivia around the sport. Bianca Andreescu has a winning return after a 15-month layoff, Nick Kyrgios defies the odds with success on both sides of the ball, and almost everybody—even Bernard Tomic—gets through day one injury-free. You can subscribe … Continue reading Expected Points, Feb. 8: Andreescu and Kyrgios Post Strong Day 1 Results