In the wake of Carlos Alcaraz’s Australian Open campaign, tennis legend Andy Roddick has pinpointed a critical area in Alcaraz’s game that could be hindering his performance against top opponents: his serve. Although Alcaraz has become one of the most formidable players on the ATP Tour at a young age, Roddick believes his serve “leaves a lot to be desired” and suggests it’s the “most obvious place to improve” for the Spaniard if he aims to achieve greater consistency and dominance in big tournaments.
Speaking on his *Served with Andy Roddick* podcast alongside tennis journalist John Wertheim, Roddick provided a detailed breakdown of Alcaraz’s serve, emphasizing that it’s an aspect of the young star’s game that has shown little improvement over the last couple of years. “That is the one thing that I don’t think has really improved much at all in the last two years,” Roddick observed, adding, “I remember watching him a couple of years ago during his breakout at Miami, where he was serving 135 miles per hour. Now, he’s down to around 127.”
Alcaraz’s serve performance has certainly raised questions, especially after his quarterfinal loss to Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open. In that match, Alcaraz’s serve was broken seven times—an unusually high number for a player of his caliber. His serving statistics over the past 52 weeks further reveal some gaps. Although he is ranked ninth in the overall ATP serve rating leaderboard, he has the lowest average of aces per match (4.1) among the top 41 ranked servers, as well as the lowest percentage of first serve points won (72.5%) among the top 24 players. These numbers indicate that while Alcaraz has an impressive baseline and return game, his serve could be a liability against the elite players who know how to exploit it.
Roddick’s commentary highlighted not only the power but also the technical limitations of Alcaraz’s serve. “There’s not a lot of motion to it,” Roddick noted, referring to the way Alcaraz’s delivery seems somewhat mechanical and lacks variation. He explained how some of the best servers, like Roger Federer, don’t necessarily rely solely on power but on motion and spin to make their serves more difficult to handle. “There are big servers who serve straight through the court. They’re the type of servers that serve 136, but if you get a racket on it, you can square it up. Then there’s the Roger-type servers that can serve 118, but the ball’s sliding against your racket and just feels a bit unpredictable.”
This comparison underscores what Alcaraz’s serve lacks in unpredictability. According to Roddick, Alcaraz’s serve often doesn’t have that elusive “tail” effect, which makes it easier for opponents to anticipate and return with solid contact. The absence of variation in the serve means that, even if Alcaraz opts for a slice serve, it travels in a relatively straight line, making it easier for opponents to read and return.
Roddick emphasized the value of incorporating more movement and spin into Alcaraz’s serve, suggesting that if the young Spaniard can develop a serve that tails away from his opponents, it could significantly bolster his game. The former world No. 1 explained, “Alcaraz, if he’s not hitting that kick serve that gets you up and out of the zone, people can firm up his first serve even when he’s going for it. He needs to create a little more motion on that serve—a bit of tail.” Drawing parallels with Pete Sampras, Roddick mentioned how the American legend’s slice serve would curve away, forcing opponents to adjust, chase, and often hit uncomfortable returns. Adding that element of surprise to Alcaraz’s game could give him a crucial edge in tight matches.
The potential for improvement in Alcaraz’s serve could have a ripple effect across other aspects of his game. Alcaraz is known for his aggressive play and his ability to dominate rallies with his powerful groundstrokes. By developing a more versatile serve, he could increase his chances of winning free points, allowing him to put opponents on the defensive right from the start of each rally. Roddick noted that Alcaraz is already exceptional on the first ball following his serve, so enhancing his serve would only amplify this advantage.
Roddick also pointed out that certain upcoming tournaments, particularly Indian Wells, might offer Alcaraz an opportunity to experiment with these adjustments. The surface at Indian Wells tends to be slow and high-bouncing, which would favor his kick serve and give him more margin for error on his delivery. This could be the ideal setting for him to test out a more varied service motion, without risking too much against opponents who might otherwise capitalize on a flatter, more predictable serve.
Looking forward, Alcaraz’s serve remains a focal point for his continued development and evolution as a player. While he has already achieved considerable success, including two Grand Slam titles, refining this aspect of his game could unlock even greater potential and help him secure more titles against top-tier opponents like Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev. As the stakes get higher and competitors become more adept at neutralizing his strengths, a versatile and effective serve will be essential for Alcaraz to consistently compete at the highest level.
Roddick’s insights highlight how even the most talented players can have areas for improvement, and for Alcaraz, the serve seems to be the area that could provide the most immediate returns. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if he takes Roddick’s advice and works to add more motion, spin, and precision to his serve in the coming months. If he succeeds, it could very well be the key to sustaining his climb toward the top of the tennis world.