Daily Data Viz: Simona Halep's stellar defense at 2016 U.S. Open

Through four rounds at the 2016 U.S. Open, No. 5-seed Simona Halep has shown her defensive prowess on the court.

Through four rounds at the 2016 U.S. Open, No. 5-seed Simona Halep has shown stellar defense. She’s put 87% of her returns back in the court, returned over two-thirds of her opponents’ aggressive shots and stymied her opponents from the backcourt. She’s broken serve 25 times in 40 return games (63% of the time) which is equivalent to letting her opponent serve every game of the match and still winning 6-3, 6-4. 

The ultimate test is coming up for Halep is her quarterfinal opponent, the best server in women’s tennis, World No. 1 Serena Williams. Serena has yet to lose serve in the tournament and has faced only one break point in reaching the quarterfinals.

Check SI.com's 2016 U.S. Open data hub page throughout the whole tournament for the latest data-driven infographics and charts from IBM, the official technology partner for the U.S. Open. IBM captures and analyzes the data that powers all of the Grand Slams, as well as the digital platforms that extend the experience to fans around the world.