Top five players with most aces in a tennis match

John Isner holds the record for most aces in a tennis match.

In tennis, which is known for its intensity, a potent serve can be a game-changer. When it comes to aces, it’s a case of the more the merrier. It hands points to the server with minimal effort. Aces can indeed turn the tide of a match, especially at crucial stages where it is a must-win situation.  

Joachim Johansson hit 51 aces against Andre Agassi in the 2005 Australian Open. He also hit 51 aces against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at Wimbledon 2024. Both are noteworthy mentions who narrowly missed out on being part of the list, underscoring the high bar set by the record holders.

Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic holds the record for his 47 aces at Queen’s Club in 2024 – the highest tally in a best-of-three match. On that note, let’s take a look at the top five players with the most aces in a single tennis match.

Players with the most aces in a tennis match-

Albano Olivetti – 56 aces – 2016 Wimbledon

Frenchman Albano Olivetti has the fifth most aces in a single match. He recorded 56 aces at Wimbledon in 2016 against Australian Matthew Barton. Olivetti, another player well north of six feet (6’8”), lost to Barton in five sets. 

The opening round match between two qualifiers ended in Barton’s favour with a 6-7(7) 7-6(5) 6-3 6-7(5) 14-12 scoreline in four hours. Barton was no slouch in the aces department, matching Olivetti’s effort with 32 aces of his own. Olivetti, being generous with his double faults (17), contributed significantly to his loss that day in London. 

Also Read: Top five longest tennis matches played in history

Reilly Opelka – 67 aces – 2019 Australian Open 

The 6’11” tall Reilly Opelka hit 67 aces against Thomas Fabbiano, while the latter could only hit 2 aces in reply. Yet, Fabbiano was the one who emerged victorious, 6-7(15), 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) in three and a half hours.

The Italian, at just 5’8” tall, is over a foot shorter than Opelka and gave the 2019 edition its David and Goliath moment. Fabbiano was the more consistent of the two when it came to service states. He landed 80% of serves in, coupled with a 73% winning percentage of service points.   

Ivo Karlovic – 76 aces –  2017 Australian Open 

Ivo Karlovic set the record for the third most aces at the 2017 Australian Open against Argentinian Horacio Zeballos. The score at the end of the five-hour, fifteen-minute match read 6-7(6), 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 22-20. Half of those 76 aces came in the final set, which ended up being the longest in Australian Open history.

The 42-game deciding set between Karlovic and Zeballos bested the 21-19 final set score from the 2003 AO quarter-final between  Andy Roddick and Younes El Aynaoui. Karlovic and Zeballos racked up 108 aces between them to keep the crowd in Melbourne entertained.

Also Read: Top five longest tennis matches in Grand Slam history ft. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal & more

Nicolas Mahut – 103 aces – 2010 Wimbledon

At Wimbledon 2010, John Isner’s French opponent, Nicolas Mahut, responded to Isner’s barrage of serves with his serve. Mahut served 103 aces in their opening round match. The deciding set consumed eight hours and took 138 games of back-and-forth to yield an outcome.

John Isner – 113 aces – 2010 Wimbledon

The record for most aces in a single match belongs to John Isner at Wimbledon 2010. The American player hit 113 aces during that match.

That’s not the only reason the opening round match made the record books. It was also the longest match in Wimbledon history, clocking 11 hours and spread over three days. Isner won that match an hour into the third day with the scoreline reading 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68.

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