ATP Tour
It all adds up: Why Borges is best at the net
The Portuguese has the highest percentage of points scored in front of the net in 2025
January 18, 2026
ATP
Nuno Borges is a former Tour-level champion.
Jerome Coombe
During the Australian Open, ATPTour.com will give fans an inside look at the leaders in key statistical categories, showing how performances throughout 2025 contribute to a successful season and the promise of more great years in 2026.
Nuno Borges turned net offense into a winning formula in 2025.
When the Portuguese gets to the baseline and closes in on the net, the scoring often ends up going his way. In 2025, Borges won an impressive 72.3% of his points at the net, the highest success rate on the ATP Tour all season.
While Borges produced many magical moments, effectiveness in front of the net hinged on efficiency. Crisp volleys, solid positioning and clinical decision-making allow him to shorten the scoring and take away time from his opponents.
“When a guy goes to the net, he still has over a 50 percent chance of winning points, and I think I just chose wisely when to go to the net,” Borges explained. “That’s something I’ve been working on: the methods, when to step in, and choosing the right shots.”
So what explains Borges’s remarkable efficiency in front of the net? For the Portuguese, it comes down to smart choices and reading the moment.
“There were a few times when I might have been pushed to the net when I didn’t want to, but maybe I hit it deep and let the guy try to lob me,” Borges said. “On faster surfaces, I tend to go in more because the pass is more difficult and you have less time to angle the shot.”
That offensive clarity translated into the most productive season of his career. Underscoring his growing consistency, Borges notched a personal best of 30 tour-level wins in 2025, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Eighteen of those wins came on hard courts, including his run to the ATP 250 semifinals in Auckland.
Point differential (2025)
visit our Infosys ATP Statistics Section for more insights.
