Alcaraz’s Serving Surge Fuels Perfect Start to 2026 Season
By Andrew Eichenholz
Carlos Alcaraz is making a statement on the court, and a key component of his success is an improved serve. Already the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, the Spaniard has enjoyed a flawless start to the 2026 season, boasting a 12-0 record and titles from the Australian Open and Doha.
An analysis by Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers reveals that enhancements to his serving have been instrumental in Alcaraz’s strong performance. Whereas already a formidable server, Alcaraz has elevated his game, achieving marginal gains across several key statistics.
Last year, Alcaraz was sixth on the ATP Tour in service games won, securing 87.6% of his service games.1 This year, he has raised that percentage to 90.8% through 12 matches, contributing to his undefeated streak despite a slightly lower-than-average success rate on return.
“I think everyone has to create changes, small details. For me the serve is something that I really want to be better every year, in every tournament,” Alcaraz stated at the Australian Open.1 “I am just putting constant work on the serve.”
Alcaraz’s Serving Statistics: 2025 vs. 2026
| Serving Stat | Career | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| First-Serve % | 65% | 68.3% |
| First-Serve Pts Won % | 72.2% | 74.3% |
| Second-Serve Pts Won % | 56% | 59.4% |
| Aces Per Match | 4.3 | 6.1 |
| Service Games Won | 84.6% | 90.8% |
Alcaraz’s improvements aren’t defined by a single dramatic leap in any one area. Instead, he’s consistently performing slightly better across the board. He’s landing a higher percentage of first serves (64.2% to 68.3%), winning a slightly greater percentage of first-serve points (74.1% to 74.3%), and second-serve points (56.8% to 59.4%). He’s similarly hitting more aces per match on average (5.8 to 6.1).1
This progress comes after a stellar 2025 season where Alcaraz overtook Jannik Sinner to claim the ATP Year-Complete No. 1 presented by PIF honors for the second time.2
Alcaraz excels at defending his second serve, ranking third on record by winning 56% of his career second-serve points, trailing only Rafael Nadal (57.1%) and Roger Federer (56.8%).1 This year, he’s winning 59.4% of his second-serve points, surpassing his previous figures.
While Alcaraz doesn’t overpower opponents with his serve – his 74.3% first-serve win rate is 45th on the ATP Tour among qualifying players this season – he’s made incremental improvements to an already top-tier game.1
In three of his five matches at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, Alcaraz didn’t drop serve.1
Despite historically standing out in return games, winning among the top three players on the ATP Tour in return games won in the past five seasons, Alcaraz’s 30.3% return games won percentage this season is slightly below his 31% career mark. However, the small improvements on his serve have translated into a perfect start to his results.
1 Infosys ATP Beyond The Numbers analysis.
2 Alcaraz clinches ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours, November 13, 2025
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