It is impossible to imagine modern tennis without a power feed that brings victory points and helps the player create a psychological mood for the competition by putting pressure on the opponent. This article is dedicated to this element. We will try to find out what ace is in tennis. We will find out what are the statistics on the use of this element in men and women.
Feed Execution
Tennis game consists of several sets (up to 5 in men’s Grand Slam tournaments ), divided into games. During each of them, one and the same contestant serves. In the next game, this right passes to the opponent. To win, he needs to consistently score 15, 30 and, finally, 40 points. With an equal score, you need a gap in two winning draws. Therefore, this segment of the game can be quite lengthy.
A well-executed first strike creates several advantages. Winning the game on its pitch is considered a natural thing. But to take the opponent’s pitch means to make a break and a serious bid for victory in the set. This is especially true for men with strokes up to 251 km / h. The official record belongs to the Croatian Ivo Karlovich (2011). Although in 2012, in the games of the Challenger series, Samuel Grog filed at a speed of 263 km / h, which, incidentally, did not bring him victory in the match.
What are the benefits of serving and what does ace mean in tennis? Performing the blow first, the player has the opportunity to direct the ball to any point on the court, giving it rotation if necessary. He is also able to adjust the strength of the blow and the height of the rebound. In other sports where the pitch is used, an ace is considered to be any winning throw with which the opponent failed. In tennis - only one in which the host did not even manage to reach the ball with a racket. This definition is given by the encyclopedia of I. Ivitsky.
Filing requirements
To win the rally with the first throw, you need to work out the strike technique, gain stability and properly tune in to the game. An important role is played by the racket grip. On it, the opponent is trying to guess the nature of the blow. She is no different from a grip when hitting the right. However, in the Western manner, it is impossible to spin the ball, which is immediately noted by the enemy. The most convenient is continental, opening the way for maneuver.
It often seems to amateurs that the power of the blow depends on the power of the hands. For top players, the really muscle mass of the giving hand is noticeably different, which is visible even with the naked eye. But to give the ball high speed to make it clear to the opponent what ace is in tennis is possible only when using the energy of the body and shoulders due to their sharp turn. It is important and to correctly throw the ball to a height of 5-7 cm with a deviation to the right by the length of the outstretched arm. Negligence can lead to disaster. For insufficient height and amplitude of the throw can lead to disruption of the strike. The key to success is constancy, working out an element in training from the same position and deciding how and in which section of the court the throw will be made, before the start of the service.
The hardest feeds for the opponent
Only top players from the first hundred are able to take feeds at a speed of 200–220 km / h. Some girls are able to give such acceleration to the flight of the ball. For example, the sisters Williams, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka. But one impact force is not always enough. It is difficult to accept low innings, in which the ball moves in an arcuate manner and finds itself deep in the opponent’s field. In order for the judges to count the point, it is necessary to transfer it to the opponent’s side, hitting the court or on the line. Striking strictly at the right place, barely touching the line, is a great art. When the ball is twisted, the opponent sometimes does not even react, expecting the ball to go out. As a result, he has to experience what ace is in tennis.
It is difficult to take balls aimed at the opponent’s body. He has to bounce to retaliate. And he does not always have time to react. Sometimes the server makes a false swing, deceiving an opponent who rushes to the opposite side of the court from the blow. It’s good if all the feints and ball twisting are carried out at high speed. Then the score is secured. But with a supply failure, you can get hit back, which distinguishes real cool players. When performing an ace, the player secures himself a quick victory in the point draw, but this is always risky. According to the rules of tennis, each server has at its disposal two attempts. If the ball touches the net, the kick is replayed without taking this attempt into account.
What is the aces and doubles strategy in tennis?
Investing in the pitch, each player understands that it is necessary to provide for possible errors. If both attempts fail, the point is counted towards the opponent. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the risk. Ace usually happens on first serve. In the event of errors - an interruption, misses into the area, hit the net - the player has the opportunity to exercise his right to re-enter the ball into the game. This is usually a more careful hit. It indicates that the player lost his sight or he was physically tired.
Real masters are able to take risks on the second hit, if they are lucky and a lot depends on winning the ball. Especially on setball or matchball. It is impossible to play the whole match to the limit of human capabilities. Therefore, each athlete has his own strategy. It includes the determination of situations in which an ace is necessary or, conversely, double errors are permissible. If there is an advantage in the game, you can take a chance on the second pitch to save time and physical strength.
For each match statistics are kept. It includes winners (actively won balls), the percentage of hits with the first ball, aces, double mistakes, the number of break points played, points won at the net. As a rule, indicators show the advantage of the winning player. According to the results of matches, general statistics of aces in tennis are also kept. Who is the leader in this element of the game?
Top scores
The record of earned aces for the game belongs to John Isner (USA), who won the match at the Wimbledon tournament Nicolas May (2010). With his 112 innings, he overtook the Croatian Ivo Karlovich, whose record was less by 34. This allowed the American to prevail in 92 games, which is also an absolute record. To understand what ace is in tennis, you need to watch the matches of such masters as Goran Ivanishevich, Ivo Karlovich, Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras and Milos Raonic. Thanks to the cannon feed, they scored a thousand aces per season. The absolute record for the Croatian Ivo Karlovich. During his incomplete career, he has already authored 10,237 aces, breaking the record of Goran Ivanishevich. German Sabina Lissitzky is the absolute leader in the feed rate for women (more than 210 km / h). She is also the record holder for the number of aces for the match - 27 (2015).
Tennis Betting
Tennis is a popular sport among bookmakers, on which fans of forecasts are actively betting. This is facilitated by a large number of competitions, high odds and the ability to bet on aces in tennis and other elements of the game described by statistics. Tennis is an individual form, therefore everything depends on the player himself. Studying his strengths and weaknesses, physical condition, psychological attitude and statistics, you can make pretty good predictions.