Dominance Ratio (DR)
Also known as: dominance ratio, dominance ratio tennis, DR tennis stat, tennis dominance ratio, DR plus, points dominance ratio
Dominance ratio, or DR, divides the share of return points you won by the share of your own serve points you lost. A DR of exactly 1.0 means you played evenly on serve and return. Winners usually finish above 1.0 and losers below it, so DR works as a one-number summary of how well you played.
DR was created by analyst Carl Bialik and is shown on Tennis Abstract player pages. To work it out, take your return points won as a percentage. Then divide by the percentage of your serve points you lost.
Say you won 40% of return points and lost 32% of your serve points. Your DR is 40 divided by 32, which is 1.25. That means you did better on both sides than your opponent did.
DR improves on total points won. Total points can be skewed if one player served many more points than the other. DR balances serve and return, giving a fairer single number.
It does not measure clutch play. A player can lose with a DR above 1.0 by losing the big points. Tennis Abstract adds a related stat, DR+, which multiplies DR by a measure of how well the player did on important points.
Tips by skill level
You don't need DR to improve. Start by tracking serve points won and return points won.
Compare DR with the result. A win with a DR below 1.0 often means you played the big points better, which may not repeat.
Example
Ana won 45% of return points and lost 35% of her serve points. Her DR was about 1.29, a clear sign she controlled the match.
Why it matters
One number that balances serve and return makes it easier to judge a performance. It shows whether a result was deserved or came down to a few points.
Common mistakes
- Dividing points won by points won instead of return won by serve lost
- Reading a DR above 1.0 as a sure win
- Using DR from a few games as if it describes a whole match
Frequently asked questions
What is a good dominance ratio in tennis?
Anything above 1.0 means you outplayed your opponent on serve and return combined. Winners are usually above 1.0.
How do you calculate dominance ratio?
Divide your return points won percentage by the percentage of your serve points you lost. A result of 1.0 is even.
Sources
Related terms
- Return Points Won, Hold % and Break %Return points won is the share of points you win when your opponent is serving. It tells you how much pressure your return puts on their serve, and it drives how often you break. Hold % is the share of your own service games you win. Break % is the share of your return games you win.
- Serve Points Won (First and Second Serve)First-serve points won is the share of points you win when your first serve lands in. Second-serve points won is the share you win when the point goes to a second serve. The gap between the two shows how much your second serve is costing you.
- Hold and Break of ServeYou hold serve when you win a game you are serving. You break serve when you win a game your opponent is serving. Breaking back means winning the next return game after being broken. The server usually has the edge. One break is often enough to win a set.
- Break Point Conversion RateBreak point conversion rate is the percentage of break point chances a player wins. It is a key measure of performance on the most pressure-heavy points.
- Momentum Shift in a MatchA momentum shift is a clear change in which player controls a match. Breaks of serve, long games won on key points, and runs of games often trigger it.
Related guides & benchmarks
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