Tennis Data Visualization

Author

Jacek Kała

This report visualizes key aspects of men professional tennis, focusing on tournament distribution, player rankings, and match outcomes. The charts provide insights into Novak Djokovic’s dominance, the global spread of tournaments, and the evolution of betting odds at different stages. Together, these visualizations reveal trends in competition and players’ performance over the years (2000-2024).

Global Distribution of Men Tennis Matches in 2024

Top Host Nation: U.S. Leads with 576 Matches

This map visualizes the number of men tennis matches played in each country in 2024 (excluding walkovers). The U.S. (576) hosted the most, followed by France (280), China (203), Spain (187), and Australia (176).

Tennis Tournaments Across Continents

Rather Stable Trends in Global Tournament Distribution

The number of tennis tournaments across continents has remained relatively stable from 2009 to 2024, with Europe consistently hosting the most events. North America saw slight fluctuations, while Asia experienced a small increase. South America showed variation, peaking in 2014. Africa maintained a low number of tournaments, and Australia remained unchanged.

Ranking Journeys of Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal

Historic No. 1 Records

This line plot tracks the rankings of Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal over the years. Nadal held a record 912 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 from age 18 to 36—the longest streak in ATP history. Djokovic has spent the most weeks as world No. 1 (428 weeks total), while Federer holds the record for 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1 (2004–2008). Federer retired after his final match in the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinals against Hubert Hurkacz.

Novak Djokovic’s Winning Trends Over the Years

Dominance Across Two Decades: 11 Seasons Above 85% Win Rate

In 2011, Djokovic won 70 of 76 matches (92% win rate), securing 10 titles, including three Grand Slams. He began the season with a 41-match winning streak, remaining unbeaten until the French Open semifinals. Regarded as the greatest season in tennis history, it was one of 11 seasons in which his winning percentage exceeded 85%.

Betting Odds Across Tournament Rounds

95% Confidence Intervals for Players Odds Difference Across Rounds

This visualization presents the average betting odds for tennis matches at each tournament stage from 2000 to 2024, with confidence intervals indicating variability. Not all tournaments include the 3rd round and 4th round, leading to differences in the number of matches across rounds. Odds tend to be higher in the early rounds due to greater uncertainty. Variability increases up to the 4th round, where usually not-favorite players are defeated, but decreases in later stages as stronger players advance, leading to lower odds in the semifinals and final.