People who have been playing tennis for a while will know what an ace looks like. However, those just beginning to play the game might be a bit confused by some of the terminology.
Even if you’ve heard the term “ace” and have some idea of what it means, you don’t necessarily know all the rules involved in scoring an ace.
It is possible to determine whether the ball hits the line as in or out, or what happens if it clips the net before scoring what would otherwise qualify as an ace.
This article will explain the basics of an ace, how it is scored, and the various rules that apply.
What’s an ace?
An ace is a player who serves the ball to the right area of their opponent’s court (service zone) and their opponent cannot touch it.
It is one of the fastest ways to score points in tennis, and it is an important part of the game. Pros spend a lot of time practicing their serve to improve their chances of scoring high-quality aces.
Many believe that a strong, fast serve is key to scoring high numbers. However, in some cases, it can be helpful to be able to serve to the weaker side of a player to help you score aces. A court’s surface can have an impact on how likely it is to serve aces. Faster surfaces allow for more of them because they are played at a faster pace.
Where is the ball supposed to land?
There are two service areas in tennis. A player must serve from the sidelines and strike the ball diagonally into their opponent’s box.
If you start on the right, you’ll be serving the right-sided area of the court (your opponent’s right).
The ball must remain within the box. The ball is considered in when it lands on the line.
Professional games are full of players asking the umpire if a ball is in or not. Because the serve can be very fast, technology such as Hawkeye has been used to help make critical decisions.
This is called a let if the ball hits the net and bounces into the service area. If it’s their first serve, the player can have another attempt.
How to score an Ace
As we have already mentioned, it is important to get power behind the ball in order to play a quick serve. Your ability to score aces at amateur level will depend on the skill of your opponent. It is more difficult to score an Ace if your opponent is better than you.
You can score an ace by using the court space in your favor.
If you hit it in the back corner of a service box, for example, your opponent will have to move further in order to get the ball.
To determine which side is more difficult to return the ball, you can see where your opponent is placing their serve.
It is a smart tactic to play the ball to their backhand if you are aware that they have weaknesses.
It is possible to practice hitting aces with no opponent. You simply aim the ball at the area of the service that is most likely for you to score aces. The back corner.