Federer Nadal or Djokovic- Who is the King of Returns?

When it comes to first serve returns, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have the capability of returning powerful deliveries back into play. It is normally at this point when the ‘Big 2’ they just completely levelled the playing field.

According to an Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis of the Big Three’s returning first serves on hard courts and clay courts. Their combined first serve return percentage is 50.1 per cent, especially when they get their return back in play.

On hard courts, Djokovic was the only one of the three to achieve more than 50 per cent (52.2%). Federer was next on 49.4% while Nadal was on 48.5% and the average between the three on Hard court was 50.3%. Being a clay court specialist, Rafa naturally took the honours, winning 50.6 per cent (1378/2723) of first-serve return points. Meanwhile, Djokovic trails on 50.1% and Federer is on 46.9% in terms of first service.

Clubbing clay and hard courts together, Djokovic has the highest first serve returns on 51.5%, Nadal on 49.6% and Federer on 48.9% with all three combined averaging 50.1%.

The service box can be broken down into the three specific areas — wide, body and T. As a result, more insight into the specific strengths of each player returning first serves, can be gained.

It is interesting to note that Federer was the top performer returning wide in the Deuce court on both hard courts and clay courts with 53.9% and 54.2%. Nadal dominated five of the six Ad court locations (three each on hard and clay) with 50.7% and 49.2%. Meanwhile Djokovic was superior with his backhand return against first serves down the T in the Deuce court with 52.4% and 52.2%.

Of the 12 locations for clay courts and hard courts, Nadal trumped the other two in five of them. The Spaniard was followed by Djokovic with four and Swiss ace, Federer on three. Admittedly, the Big 3 don’t always put the first serve back in play, but when they do, they are quite lethal and a point win is almost guaranteed.