It was a great season for Julia Görges: She cracked the top ten for the first time – and made it to the semi-finals in Wimbledon. Not least because it was at the top of several service statistics for 2018.
492 was the magic number for Julia Görges in her special season. By the thumb, one could say: With almost 500 aces, the 30-year-old won the title as “Ace Queen” in 2018 – and that in 68 matches. The second-placed Karolina Pliskova, the dethroned defending champion, “only” achieved 393 aces in 70 games.
Third place in the highly regarded statistics compiled by SAP in cooperation with the WTA was taken by the Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens (325 Asse/69 matches). The fourth rank of Ashleigh Barty (297/61) is remarkable when you consider that the Australian is only 1.66 metres tall and has clear disadvantages compared to Görges (1.80 m), Pliskova (1.86 m) and Bertens (1.82 m) only in terms of the impact angle.
Görges was also at the top in terms of “points won after the first serve”. There, too, “pursuer” Barty, who once played cricket professionally, proved that, regardless of her size, she can be counted among the absolute service specialists on the tour.
First Serve Points Won in 2018:
1 Julia Goerges: 73.8% (68 matches)2. Ashleigh Barty: 71.6% (61 matches)3. Kristyna Pliskova: 71.2% (36 matches)4. Naomi Osaka: 70.1% (60 matches)5. Madison Keys: 70% (42 matches)
Barty, however, triumphed in the “service games won” with a wafer-thin lead of 0.1 percent over Görges (78.7:78.6 percent). Bronze went to US Open winner Naomi Osaka, who won 76 percent of her service games.
Zhuhai winner Barty also took pole position in the points won after the second serve at the end of the season. It’s interesting that suddenly professionals come into play here, who ended up on a lower rank in all statistics of the first serves (aces, service games won, etc.). In the return statistics, industry leader Simona Halep was ahead by a nose.
Second Serve Points Won in 2018:
1. Ashleigh Barty: 52.2% (61 matches)2. Caroline Garcia: 51.3% (61 matches)3. Sloane Stephens: 49.15% (54 matches)4. Elina Svitolina: 49% (59 matches)5. Petra Martic: 48.9% (43 matches)
Görges went on holiday after a strong tennis year in 2018, in which she won the titles in Auckland and Luxembourg. In a Twitter message she thanked her fans and her team around coach Michael Geserer and Physio Florian Zitzelsberger for their support. “Jule” wrote of “unbelievable moments” she experienced on the court during this special season.