Big servers have enjoyed success on the ATP Tour for decades, as winning ‘free points’ with aces often sets you on the path to victory.
The tallest players on the ATP Tour may struggle with other parts of their game, but when it comes to serving, they’re usually the best around.
Over the years, several big servers have won Grand Slam titles, with Goran Ivanisevic perhaps the most memorable of them all.
In today’s game, nobody serves bigger than the 6ft 8 Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who has recorded a tour-high 16.3 aces per match over the past 12 months.
Those numbers could well rival one of the greatest servers of all time, Sam Querrey, who set the bar with his ace record in 2007.
2007 Indianapolis Tennis Championships: Sam Querrey hit a record ten aces in a row
Making his debut on the ATP Tour in 2006, Querrey quickly rose to fame for his serving prowess.
Standing at 6ft 6, the American would make light work of his service games, often taking sets to tiebreakers.
In 2007, Querrey traveled to Indianapolis in search of his first tour-level title, but was up against it competing against the likes of Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Mardy Fish.
Top eight seeds at the 2007 Indianapolis Tennis Championships
- 1. Andy Roddick
- 2. James Blake
- 3. Dmitry Tursunov
- 4. Mardy Fish
- 5. Ivo Karlovic
- 6. Hyung-taik Kee
- 7. Robby Ginepri
- 8. Benjamin Becker
Taking down Frenchman Julien Benneteau in round one, Querrey advanced to take on fellow big-server Ivo Karlovic in the second round.
Unsurprisingly, there wasn’t much to separate the pair, as the American narrowly edged past his Croatian opponent 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 [8-6].
Moving on to the quarterfinals, Querrey met his fellow American and the number two seed, James Blake.
Querrey’s serve was on fire against Blake, hitting 36 aces in total, setting an ATP record during the match.
Producing ten consecutive unreturnable serves, Querrey broke the record for the most aces in a row in tennis history.
Those aces fired him to the first top-ten win of his career, defeating Blake 7-6 [8-6], 6-7 [4-7], 7-6 [7-4], booking his spot in the semifinals where he lost to Dmitry Tursunov.
Continuing to set the bar high for servers with his aces, Querrey broke into the top ten in the all-time ace list, finishing his career ranked number seven.
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Aces |
| 1 | John Isner | American | 14,470 |
| 2 | Ivo Karlovic | Croatian | 13,728 |
| 3 | Roger Federer | Swiss | 11,478 |
| 4 | Feliciano Lopez | Spanish | 10,261 |
| 5 | Goran Ivanisevic | Croatian | 10,237 |
| 6 | Andy Roddick | American | 9,074 |
| 7 | Sam Querrey | American | 8,879 |
| 8 | Pete Sampras | American | 8,858 |
| 9 | Milos Raonic | Canadian | 8,445 |
| 10 | Marin Cilic | Croatian | 8,242 |
However, 8,879 aces weren’t quite enough for Querrey to win a Grand Slam, as he never managed to get his hands on a major title.
Did Sam Querrey ever come close to winning a Grand Slam?
Competing in 60 Grand Slam tournaments throughout his career, Querrey qualified for the quarterfinals on just four occasions, between 2015 and 2019.
- 2016 Wimbledon – Sam Querrey lost in QF
- 2017 Wimbledon – Sam Querrey lost in SF
- 2017 US Open – Sam Querrey lost in QF
- 2019 Wimbledon – Sam Querrey lost in QF
Eight years ago, Querrey headed to the All England Club looking to improve upon his run to the quarterfinals in 2016.
The American was made to work hard for his place in the last eight, but battled through two five-setters to set up a quarterfinal clash with home favorite and defending champion Andy Murray.
| Round | Opponent | Score |
| 1R | Thomas Fabbiano | 7-6, 7-5, 6-2 |
| 2R | Nikoloz Basilashvili | 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
| 3R | Jo-Wilfried Tsonga | 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 7-5 |
| 4R | Kevin Anderson | 5-7, 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 |
Querrey struggled during the first three sets, falling behind 1-2 as Centre Court roared on their two-time champion.
However, as Murray began to falter, Querrey was quick to strike, taking the final two sets 6-1, 6-1, to advance to his first career Grand Slam semifinal.
Standing between Querrey and a place in the Wimbledon final was Croatia’s Marin Cilic, the number seven seed.
Looking to make the most of his opportunity, Querrey clinched the first set in a tiebreaker 7-6 [8-6].
Unfortunately for the American, he couldn’t hold on to the advantage, as Cilic fought back to win in four sets 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-5.
Querrey returned to the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2019, but lost out to Rafael Nadal in three sets and retired three years later without a Grand Slam title to his name.
Today, Querrey can be heard voicing his opinions on tennis during the weekly ‘Nothing Major’ podcast, alongside his fellow Americans, John Isner, Jack Sock, and Steve Johnson.
A popular figure in the sport, Querrey may not have a Grand Slam title to his name, but he will always be remembered as one of the greatest servers of all time.
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