iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Today at the blog, I mulled whether Aryna Sabalenka is our new Queen of Clay. Elo says she's now the best on the surface, her stats say she's barely fazed by slow dirt, and yet... www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/05...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

Today at the blog, I attempted to answer The Question: Why Can’t Iga Swiatek Beat Jelena Ostapenko? Turns out, the tougher question is, what can Iga possibly do about it? www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/04...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

Today I wrote about Lorenzo Musetti -- how good is the one-hander? How much do smart tactics allow him to hit it? Will he ever be a serious threat on hard courts? Much more at the link: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/04...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Today I wrote about *the rally* -- why Berrettini was a better bet to win than you might have thought, and the underrated shots that allowed him to actually pull it off. Lots more in the full post: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/04...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Today I wrote about Sofia Kenin -- on the heels of her run in Charleston, is she back? Just another bump on the roller coaster? The stats describe a different player than I thought she was ... and a different player than she was at her peak in 2020. www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/04...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Today at the blog, a new Trivia Notebook! We look at - players with high rankings despite no finals - what kind of year-end ranking for Fonseca would make history? - who has beaten a former and future number one in the same tournament? www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/04...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Today at the blog: A deep dive into Jakub Mensik's outrageous tiebreak record, and the likelihood that he will sustain it. A good overview of my tiebreak research over the years: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/04...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

The March Monthly Roundup is out, with links, dataviz, trivia, history, vintage match video, and more: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/03...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Today I wrote about Jakub Mensik, the 19-year-old Czech with the devastating first serve. He's beating top-tenners despite a game that is far from fully developed. Give him a quality second serve, and watch out. www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/03...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Today I wrote about second serves -- are they becoming useless? Do they need to be 100mph? Are servers increasingly going to the forehand? Some things are changing, but a lot more remains constant. Thanks to Karue Sell for the prompt here: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/03...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Today I wrote about Jack Draper - how and why his stats break down by rally length, how his aggression level stacks up against other big servers, and what to think about his painful showing against break points: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/03...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Today at the blog, the 3rd installment of the Trivia Notebook. We cover Belinda Bencic's knack for beating her betters, Tallon Griekspoor's long-awaited top-five upset, and more. www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/03...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Today I (finally) wrote about Jessica Pegula, a top-five player without any (obvious) top-five skills. Digging into the numbers to try to find her magic potion, I mostly come up empty, but we learn a bit more about the J-Peg game in the process: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/03...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Today at the blog I answered a burning question. One that has been keeping us all up at night. Was Fred Stolle Snubbed at the 1966 US Championships? www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/03...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Today I wrote about the revitalized Stefanos Tsitsipas backhand -- his shot selection, how much it helped, and what it might mean for his future results: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/03...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

The February Monthly Roundup is out -- first time in internet history that Warren Harding, Yu Darvish, and Gene Wilder's hitting partner make it into the same blog post. Plus trivia, dataviz, and more. www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/02...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Today I wrote about shot tolerance -- what it is, how to (maybe) quantify it, and what it tells us about Carlos Alcaraz. And Jannik Sinner, because any time I come up with a new stat, Sinner dominates it. Lots more in the full post: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/02...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Today I finally updated the Tennis 128 ... it's now 131 players strong, with last year's addition of Iga Swiatek plus newbies Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka. More about the new members, as well as the players who could be joining them soon: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/02...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Today I wrote about Arthur Fils, and the second serve that is holding him back. The graphic shows what's wrong; the blog dives into why, and whether history suggests he can fix it. www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/02...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Today at the blog, the first installment of a new regular(?) feature(?), the Monthly Roundup. Links, commentary, trivia, and history, all in one not-fully-thought-out place. Here's my favorite bit. Click for lots more... www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Today I wrote about Jannik Sinner. How on earth did he hold a top-ten returner to zero break points? Are his tactics changing as he distances himself from the field? Breaking down the service game of the best player on earth: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

New at the blog: Trivia Notebook #2, with notes on - Lebanon's first slam match win (and who's next) - fifth-set momentum (with and without bathroom breaks) - the dire state of the one-handed backhand, AO edition www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

Today I wrote about Elina Svitolina, who is a different hard-court player than she was a few years ago. Elina 2.0 is working out well so far, though Keys will be a tough test. Dig in at the blog: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

Today I wrote about whether some players are particularly good at best-of-five, and what to make of Matteo Berrettini's great five-set (and weak three-set) record on hard courts. Lots more at the link: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Today I wrote about Madison Keys, who is playing the best tennis we've seen from her since 2019 ... and maybe ever. The serve is popping, she's going for her shots, and she's returning better than ever. Excerpt here, much more at the link: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

I like to think that the Amazon algorithm has carefully assessed all of my purchases and wish list items, then concluded that I prefer books with "Blood" or "Iron" in the title. Ideally both.

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

New at the blog -- first in a regular(?) series(?) of Trivia Notebooks. I take a look at 100-place ATP ranking leaps, men who play marathon three-setters, Challenger quarter-finals with no seeds, and more. Click for the whole thing... www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Today I wrote about Auckland champ Clara Tauson, who swings easy, hits hard, and ... honestly, should get better results than she does. The short version: She's not aggressive enough. Much more at the link: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

New at the blog today, I built some toy models in an attempt to forecast 2025 year-end rankings for both men and women. Here are the odds of various players ending 2025 as ATP #1. Click for projected year-end top 50s, chances of finishing top 5/10/20, and more www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2025/01...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 30/12/2024

New at the blog today - I take a stab at forecasting which men and women are most likely to reach the top 100 this season. Lots of details at the link; men's list below... www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/12...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

Today I wrote about Joao Fonseca, and the forehand (soon to be) heard 'round the world. His shot selection is standard-issue, but the shot itself is special. Lots more in the full post, checking in on Joao's FHP and direction-specific winner rates, and more: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/12...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Today I wrote (a lot) about Learner Tien. He's gotten this far as a small lefty in a big man's game. What does that mean for his transition to the main tour? Can Learner Tien Hang With the Big Boys? www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/12...

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Reposted by Jeff Sackmann

Alex Gruskin @algruskin.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

New @crackedracquets.bsky.social: @tennisabstract.bsky.social joins me on The Mini-Break Podcast to breakdown the Most "Overrated/Underrated" Players of the 2024 season Part of the Tennis Channel Podcast Network podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

podcasts.apple.com

2024's Most Overrated/Underrated Players ft. Jeff Sackmann

Podcast Episode · The Mini-Break [Tennis Podcast] · 12/12/2024 · 1h 38m

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Today I wrote about exhibition tennis in 2024 -- how we got here, and what it might mean for the future of the sport. The Tensions of Exhibition Tennis www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/12...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Today I wrote about Mirra Andreeva -- how much she's outpacing other teenagers, how her return stacks up against the rest of the tour, and what the future holds. Excerpt here, or click for the whole thing: Mirra Andreeva’s Many Happy Returns www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/12...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Today I wrote about Jannik Sinner's 2024 season, and how it stacks up against great seasons (and great hard-court seasons) of the past. Excerpt here, or click through for the whole thing... How Does Jannik Sinner’s Season Stack Up? www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/11...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

Today I wrote about the woman of the hour, Jasmine Paolini. How did she manage such a huge improvement in a single season? Does she have a chance of repeating in 2025? Excerpt here, lots more at the link: Jasmine Paolini’s High-Wire Act www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/11...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Today I wrote about one of the strangest head-to-heads in tennis: Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev. One wins on (slow!) clay, the other wins on (fast!) hard, and we are left with only riddles. The Riddle of the Ruud-Rublev Reversal www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/11...

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

(Almost) End-of-season ATP Elo rankings -- Sinner opens up an even bigger gap over the field. Jannik is just the 12th man since the early 1970s to reach an Elo rating over 2300. He leapfrogged Vilas's and Agassi's peaks with his performance in Turin.

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Wow! 15 minutes of footage from the 1952 Wimbledon women's final between Maureen Connolly and Louise Brough: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoSW...

youtube.com

1952 Wimbledon Final Maureen'' Little Mo'' Connolly vs Louise Brough

YouTube video by patrick clohessy

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Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Yesterday I wrote about Taylor Fritz. How did he halve his ranking in one season? How can rally tolerance be about something other than winning long rallies? One bit here, or click to read the whole thing: www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2024/11...

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