In tennis, an ace is a legal serve that is not touched by the receiver, winning the point for the server.[1] In professional tennis, aces are generally seen on a player's first serve, where the server can strike the ball with maximum force and take more chances with ball placement, such as the far corners of the service box.[2] According to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, this term was coined by the sports journalist Allison Danzig.[3]
Professional singles records
Aces have been officially recorded by the top-level professional tennis circuits since 1991,[4] so these records start at that time.
Only main draw singles matches are included here.
Key
W
|
F
|
SF
|
QF
|
#R
|
RR |
Q#
|
DNQ
|
A
|
NH
|
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
ATP Tour
John Isner has the most aces in a tournament with 214 during the 2018 Wimbledon,[5] and he has the most in a single match with 113 during his 11-hour encounter with Nicolas Mahut in 2010. John Isner has served the most aces with 14,470.[6][7]
Milos Raonic hit 47 aces in 2024 Queen's, the most in a best-of-three-set match.[8] Ivo Karlović became the only player to hit at least 40 aces in three consecutive matches during 2015 Wimbledon.[9]
Goran Ivanišević has the most in a single season with 1,477 in 1996.[10] He also has the second most in a tournament with 213 when he won the 2001 Wimbledon title.[5]
Roger Federer hit 50 aces in the 2009 Wimbledon final, the record for a Grand Slam final.[11] He is also third on the career list.[6]
Aces
No. |
Career [12][13]
|
14,470 |
John Isner
|
13,728 |
Ivo Karlović
|
11,478 |
Roger Federer
|
10,261 |
Feliciano López
|
10,237 |
Goran Ivanišević
|
9,074 |
Andy Roddick
|
8,879 |
Sam Querrey
|
8,858 |
Pete Sampras
|
8,445 |
Milos Raonic
|
8,242 |
Marin Čilić
|
8,138 |
Ivan Ljubičić
|
minimum 8,000 aces
|
|
No. |
Aces in a season |
Year
|
1,477 |
Goran Ivanišević |
1996
|
1,447 |
Ivo Karlović |
2015
|
1,318 |
Ivo Karlović |
2007
|
1,260 |
John Isner |
2015
|
1,213 |
John Isner |
2018
|
1,185 |
Ivo Karlović |
2014
|
1,159 |
John Isner |
2016
|
1,156 |
Goran Ivanišević |
1994
|
1,131 |
Ivo Karlović |
2016
|
1,123 |
John Isner |
2017
|
1,107 |
Milos Raonic |
2014
|
1,065 |
Goran Ivanišević |
1998
|
1,048 |
John Isner |
2010
|
1,032 |
John Isner |
2019
|
1,017 |
Andy Roddick |
2004
|
1,014 |
Reilly Opelka |
2019
|
1,011 |
Goran Ivanišević |
1997
|
1,005 |
John Isner |
2012
|
1,002 |
Milos Raonic |
2012
|
minimum 1,000 aces
|
|
Top 10 most aces served in a match
Most aces in a US Open match
Most aces in a clay-court tournament
Note: This marked the third time that Isner had hit 100+ aces in a clay-court tournament.
Most aces in a one-week tournament
Most aces served in a three-set match
Most combined aces in a three-set match
Most consecutive aces
Serving five consecutive aces from 0–40 down
Most aces without a double fault
Seasons with 1000+ aces
|
Most seasons finished as ace leader
|
WTA Tour
Serena Williams holds the record for most aces in a tournament with 102 en route to winning the 2012 Wimbledon title.[57]
Most aces in a match
There have been 32 matches played in which a player has served 20 or more aces, since 2008.[58]
Most seasons finished as ace leader
Note: Most aces served in a season since 2010.[67]
Seasons with 500+ aces
Karolína Plíšková has the most aces in a single season with 530 in 2016,[72] which broke her own record of 517 in 2015.[73] She has also served the most aces in a match on clay, with 21 in her second round victory over Jeļena Ostapenko at Stuttgart in 2021.[74]
Most aces in WTA 1000s in a season
Elena Rybakina has served the most aces in WTA 1000 events in a season with 235 in 2023, the most since 2009. Followed by Karolína Plíšková with 234 and Serena Williams with 233.[76]
Half-ace
In 1999, the Swedish artist and writer Kjell Höglund proposed a term for when an opponent manages to hit the ball without it actually entering into play. He suggested it should be called a "half-ace".[77]
See also
References
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