ATP Tour

Where Alcaraz is top of the class on grass

Carlos Alcaraz’s secret to grass-court success is not what you might expect.

Grass has long been a surface on which big servers and those comfortable at net have thrived. Although Alcaraz can excel in those areas, according to an Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis, the Spaniard has stood out from the crowd on the traditional surface by excelling on first-serve return.

The 22-year-old has turned the first serve — a shot that has given so many players a grass-court advantage — against his opponents. Alcaraz has won 32.56 per cent of his first-serve return points on grass in his career, the best mark on record. Novak Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, has claimed 30.73 per cent of his first-serve return points.

Career First-Serve Return Points Won On Grass (active)

Alcaraz’s 26.51 per cent win rate in return games on grass is best among active players, with Djokovic (25.9%), De Minaur (24.08%) and David Goffin (23.66%) next on the list. He is second among active players (only trailing Djokovic) in return games won on all surfaces at 31.52 per cent.

Alcaraz’s first-serve return numbers have not been bolstered by dominant early-round performances, either. In six grass-court matches in the semi-finals or later, he has won 33.67 per cent of first-serve return points, which is better than his career average.

Success in this department is not limited to grass for Alcaraz, who is also the leader among active players on all surfaces at 34.65 per cent. Djokovic (33.63%) is the only other active player in the Top 15.

The World No. 2’s first-serve return performance is so impactful that it masks his second-serve return efforts — his 51.2 second-serve return winning percentage on grass ranks 117th on record, and 13th among active players. That is a steep dropoff for a player who is 20th on record — and second among active players — for all surfaces at 53.88 per cent.

Alcaraz's Return Stats On Grass

Alcaraz’s great rival, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, has won just 28.99 per cent of his first-serve return points on grass (compared to Alcaraz’s 32.56%), but has won a higher rate of second-serve return points (52.2% to 51.2%) than the Spaniard.

If the 20-time tour-level titlist Alcaraz can improve that part of his game, he will become even more dangerous on a surface on which he has already lifted the past two Wimbledon trophies and earned a crown at the historic Queen’s Club ATP 500 event.

With plenty of confidence from a memorable Roland Garros triumph earlier this month, Alcaraz will begin his grass-court season this week at the HSBC Championships. The top seed will start his pursuit of his second title at the tournament against countryman Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.