Why does Alcaraz's serve cause so much damage on grass?

Jose Morón | 26 Jun 2025 | 13.15

Why does Alcaraz's serve cause so much damage on grass? Photo: Getty

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At the beginning of the season, Carlos Alcaraz's serve was a recurring topic of debate almost every match he played. His new serving mechanics sparked reactions in the press and social media, with Carlitos struggling to adapt to it initially. However, that has completely changed by this point in the season. Alcaraz's serve has become one of the most important weapons in his game, especially crucial at this stage of the year.

Some wondered how it was possible for Carlos to win twice at Wimbledon with his serve, using it as one of his major weapons throughout the clay court season and in the first grass court tournament at Queen's. The truth is Alcaraz's serve has a particular characteristic that makes it especially dangerous on this surface for any opponent.

The spins: Carlitos' greatest ally

Alcaraz is a master of spins, able to produce them both during rallies and from his serve. This seemingly minor skill is actually crucial. In today's tennis, where many players struggle to generate power and spin due to the new balls used on the tour, Alcaraz excels thanks to his ability to generate power from his forearm and his playing style.

Hence, in his serve, he can apply a wicked spin that causes significant trouble for his opponents on lively surfaces like clay and grass. Just look at how Jannik Sinner struggled to control Carlos' kick serve in Rome and Paris. Watch again the Rome final, how Alcaraz saved three match points down 0-40, and how his serve helped him out of that tough situation.

During the first week of competition at Queen's, Alcaraz's serve made headlines for the considerable damage it inflicted. Once again, his spins wreaked havoc on various opponents who struggled to handle the ball's irregular bounce caused by Carlitos' spin, especially with his kick serve.

If we add to this Alcaraz's specific focus on improving his accuracy, it places the Spanish player in a privileged position, experiencing one of his best serving weeks in his career. The young man from Murcia hit 60 aces during his five matches at Queen's, averaging 12 aces per match. In the semifinals and final, he served 33 aces, setting the record for the most aces in a three-set match in his career so far.

However, what truly stands out is the number of his serves that do not come back. This is where you see if a serve really works or not. At Queen's, 50% of Alcaraz's first serves did not return. In other words, every other first serve he hit meant a free point for him. Moving to the second serve, 26% did not come back, translating to one in four. This surpasses the circuit's average by a large margin, as shown in the graphic provided by Tennis Insights, TDI Data for the ATP.

Where Alcaraz places these serves

Carlos typically places his serves, on both clay and grass, in the outer corners. Due to the spin imparted, the ball shoots outwards sharply. This achieves two possibilities: either an ace or forcing the opponent to be out of position, leaving Carlos with an open court to win the point at the net or mid-court.

On grass, the ball is propelled out by the spin and depending on where it bounces, it can even take a tremendous leap, almost as if on clay. The goal is to give the opponent a very uncomfortable ball. Besides aiming to win points outright, in tennis, it's also about discomforting the opponent. Especially on grass, delivering "tricky" balls to opponents can help win points, explaining why Alcaraz has won 29 out of 32 matches played on grass so far. This success is not coincidental but the result of hard work and a unique playing style tailored to wreak havoc on this surface.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ¿Por qué el saque de Alcaraz hace tanto daño en hierba?

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