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Novak Djokovic with crowd at Shanghai 2019

Statistical analysis: Novak Djokovic dominates in Asia


Novak Djokovic has enjoyed remarkable success in Asia whereas Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Alexander Zverev and Marin Cilic have won more than 75 tournaments between them, but they also have something else in common.

 

Not one of them has won a title during the autumn Asia swing, which has become an established part of the tournament calendar on both the men’s and the women’s tours.

While some players thrive in Asia, there are plenty who struggle. For some it is too big a physical challenge at the tail-end of a demanding season, while others simply have difficulty coping with the jet lag or the change in environment.

In the women’s game Serena Williams has the best win percentage ratio during the Asia swing over the last 10 years, but she has played it only twice since 2009. The most consistently successful female player has been Caroline Wozniacki, who has won more main-tour matches (70) and more titles (seven) than any of her rivals in Asia over that period.

Nevertheless, Wozniacki’s record cannot match that of Novak Djokovic, who has enjoyed remarkable success in the Far East, having won 10 of the 14 tournaments he has played on the Asia swing since 2008. Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have also been consistently successful over the same period.

Unsurprisingly, it can be a particularly profitable time of year for Asian players. China’s Qiang Wang played five weeks in a row in Asia after last year’s US Open and reached the semi-finals or better of each tournament. Meanwhile Kei Nishikori’s win percentage on the Asia swing in the last 10 years has been bettered only by the “Big Four” of Djokovic, Murray, Federer and Nadal.

Asian swing stats

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.