What is an Ace in Tennis? Definition and Why It’s Important

Tennis is one of the most competitive sports out there. It is an excellent way to test a player’s willpower, determination, stamina, and strength.

Everyone who loves to play tennis feels this way because they love winning in tennis even more so. And what better way to win than getting a tennis ace?

There is more to the act than the term just sounding cool. Getting a tennis ace means getting an instant point. Getting this isn’t easy. But the feeling after getting one cannot be explained in words. 

Whether a player can get an ace or not really depends on his or her abilities. But most pro players strive to get an ace to get into the momentum of the game.

Many people often ask the question: what is an ace in tennis. They hear the term but do not know what it exactly means. 

Well, hitting one is not as tough if you know how to do it. So, read on to learn more about a tennis ace and how you can easily score one.

What is an Ace in Tennis?

A game can be very enjoyable even if someone doesn’t know the correct terminology. In fact, not knowing the facts makes it quite an obstacle in a lot of ways.

But knowing all the rules and the correct terminology helps one to navigate through the various events that may happen in a single game. 

Tennis is no exception. Knowing the correct terminology in tennis makes the game worthwhile to watch. It keeps the adrenaline running to a certain extent because you know exactly what you can gain from every move. 

Now, the question we’re here to address is, what exactly is a tennis ace?

In terms of cards, an ‘Ace’ is the most influential card on the board. It is, in fact, the one who holds the most power. There is no card with a higher value than this one. 

The term of tennis ace was adopted from the card terminology. Normally, when a new game is started in tennis, a player has to serve and the opponent has to return and volley. But in some cases, the opponent is unable to return the service. This is called a tennis ace. 

In other words, the ace serve is too strong for the opponent to return. Thus, there is no other play higher than this. This is why it is called a tennis “ace.” 

For most people, it is a powerful fast service that is straightforward. It doesn’t give the opponent enough time to react. There are also people who prefer to use trickery and get twisted tennis aces. In both cases, it is very fun to watch.

How Do You Get an Ace in Tennis?

Getting an ace in tennis is like the marshmallow in your hot chocolate – it is undoubtedly a delightful thing to get. To get an ace, one needs to train the body to the very best. But the actual process of getting an ace is easier than one would think. 

There are a few things one has to keep in mind if you want to get a tennis ace. One of the most important things is that you need to consider the area where the ball would land.

While serving the ball, the player has to stand behind the service line and make sure the ball goes past the opponent’s service line. If a person is on the right, he needs to serve on the left and vice versa. 

In major matches, an umpire needs to make crucial decisions to see whether the ball was in play or not.

Expert players use a bit of physics in their play. They divide the entire court in terms of 4×4, 8×8, 10×10, and in serious cases 16×16 dimensions. They try to hit their ball precisely in the square that they envision.

Another thing, which is also the most important, is the serve itself. As mentioned before, to get an ace, people usually focus on their serves.

Most players prefer fast and strong serves. For this, they train their upper bodies and strengthen their forearms. 

They decide on the square to hit and swing with all their might. This takes more control than the power to execute. 

For the tricky ones, they focus more on their elbows for the swing. They trick their opponents to go in a different direction or make the ball curve. The forehand and backhand are also drivers in getting the perfect ace. 

The Importance of Striking an Ace

Tennis is a game of sheer points and willpower. The more you rally with your opponent, the less efficient you can become – you may start to lose a lot of stamina. So, striking an ace is a must if you want to win the match efficiently and quickly. 

Getting an ace means getting an extra point. In terms of tennis, the points are low, ranging from nil, 15, 30, 40, and final game. So, you need 4 points to win. 

But if both players are at 40-40, it is called deuce. When this occurs, a player needs two consecutive points to win the game. This is called a game. 

Games of three and games of six make a set. Winning two sets out of three wins makes you the player of the match.

That is why every ace counts. It gives the player an instant point and takes him one step closer to victory. Most of the professional players aim to get an ace right off the bat.

Also read: How Long Does a Tennis Game Last?

Records for Most Aces in A Single Tennis Game

John Isner currently holds the record for the most aces scored in a match with 113 aces. This is what makes the difference between winning and losing.

Here are other players that hold the consecutive records:

Top 5 Ace Scorers in a Single Game (Men)

Players	No of Aces
John Isner vs Nicholas Mahut	113
Nicholas Mahut vs John Isner	103
Ivo Karlovic vs Radek Stepanek	78
Ivo Karlovic vs Horacio Zeballos	75
Reilly Opelka vs Thomas Fabbiano	67

Top 5 Ace Scorers in a Single Game (Women)

Players	No of Aces
Kristyna Pliskova vs Monica Puig	31
Sabine Lisicki vs Belinda Bencic	27
Kaia Kanepi vs Lucie Safarova	24
Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka	24
Serena Williams vs Zheng Jie	23

Conclusion

If you’ve reached the end of this article, you should now know the answer to the question: what is an ace in tennis? You should also realize the importance of scoring an ace in a match.

Tennis is more fun if you know how to win your match. And, again, what is a better way to do that than scoring an ace?