INSIGHTS: In Attack Explained

Peter Staples/ATP Tour

In Attack shows the percentage of shots played in attack by both players.

Figure 1 shows Novak Djokovic hitting 24 per cent of his shots in attack, compared to 16 per cent from Casper Ruud. The average percentage of shots in attack for an ATP Tour player is 23 per cent.

_{^{Figure 1: In Attack score from 2022 Internazionali BNL d'Italia Semi-Final}}

There are three possible phases a player can be in when they hit a shot:
Attack: A player has an advantage in the point and a higher probability of winning the point.
Neutral: Neither player has an advantage at that moment.
Defence: A player is at a disadvantage in the point and has a lower probability of winning the point.

In Attack identifies the player who is creating more attacking opportunities. Artificial intelligence considers multiple data points when identifying whether the player is in attack, neutral, or defence.

These include:
- The quality of the incoming ball. For example, a player receiving a lower quality shot will increase the chance of that player being in attack.
- The player’s location on the court. For example, a player contacting the ball further up the court will increase the chance of that player being in attack.
- The player’s contact point. For example, a player contacting a very low ball, or playing on the stretch, will increase the chance of that player being in defence.
- The opponent’s recovery position. For example, a player creating space by moving their opponent out of position will increase the chance of that player being in attack.

The player who has the higher In Attack percentage will win 68 per cent of matches. This probability increases as the gap between the two players increases.

Figure 2 shows that as the gap between two players' In Attack percentage increases, their chance of winning the match increases.

Players have a higher probability of winning a point once they have gained an attacking advantage. This explains why having a higher In Attack percentage in a match will often result in a win. However, the player’s Conversion and Steal Scores will also be an important variable in deciding who wins the match.