John Isner Sets New World Record For Aces Served | ATP Tour

With his fifth ace on Friday in his Wimbledon third-round match against Jannik Sinner, John Isner broke the world record for aces on the ATP Tour. The 6-foot-10 American now stands alone with 13,748 untouchable serves and counting, passing Ivo Karlovic’s previous leading mark of 13,728. Record-keeping began in 1991 with ATP Match Stats, part of the Infosys ATP Scores & Stats Centre.

Isner needed just two service games to break the record Friday on Wimbledon’s No. 2 Court, firing the record-breaking ace at 1-1, 15/30. He finished the match with 24 aces in a 4-6, 6-7(4), 3-6 defeat.

“I’m actually very proud of that record,” Isner reflected post-match. “I wish I could have broken it in a win, but to have set the all-time aces record at Wimbledon I think is very special. It’s a credit to — in my mind — how professional I’ve been to keep myself healthy for such a long time, to keep myself on the court to give myself the opportunity to hit those aces.

“It is something I’m actually pretty proud of. I don’t pat myself on the back too much, but this one I think is pretty cool.”

Before he broke the record, Isner discussed the potential longevity of the new mark.

“I’ll keep playing, keep adding to my total,” he said. “I don’t know if it will get broken. I could be up there for a long time.”

The American also leads the 2022 ace race with 653 on the season following Friday’s match. The 37-year-old has finished first on the ATP Tour in aces in seven seasons and eclipsed the 1,000-aces mark seven times, including a career-high of 1,260 in 2015. Isner accomplished both feats for the first time in 2010 after turning pro in 2007 following a standout career at the University of Georgia.

As Isner closed in on the aces record, Andy Roddick helped settle a debate on Twitter about who has the better serve between the two: “Isner’s serve is the best ever,” he wrote, backing up the opinion of longtime Georgia head coach Manny Diaz. “I’d trade my old one for his immediately without thinking twice.”

Behind his booming serve, Isner has won 92 per cent of his service games, including 79 per cent of first-serve points. He’s also saved 71 per cent of break points. With an intimidating game built around that standout strength, Isner has won 16 tour-level titles and reached a career-high of No. 8 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in 2018.