Analysis of the differences in serve effectiveness between Billie Jean King Cup (former Fed Cup) and Davis Cup doubles tennis matches

Abstract

The doubles game has considerable relevance in professional tennis, especially in team competitions such as the Billie Jean King Cup (former Fed Cup) (BJKC) and the Davis Cup (DC). However, there are very few studies that have carried out quantitative notational analysis to provide information on the specific features of this tennis modality. The goal of this study was to analyse the differences in serve direction and effectiveness of male and female teams in matches played at BJKC and DC ties. A total of 29,207 serves; 7,578 of BJKC and 21,628 of DC matches were analysed. The data was obtained through the Hawk-Eye system. The results showed that with the first serve, both BJKC and DC teams tried to move the receiver by serving to zones W (wide) and T to take the initiative of the point, while with the second serve teams took lower risks and mainly served to zone B (body). In general, in DC matches the effectiveness of the serve was greater than in BJKC ones. The first serve effectiveness in DC matches was found to be higher in each direction, while the differences in the effectiveness of the second serve was only found in the zone C (body) of the advantage service box. This information can be particularly relevant for coaches to design the doubles training sessions and the strategic planning of doubles matches on reliable and quantitative information.