The most lethal serves: The historical top 10 of the most aces in a single WTA match after Tauson joins list

During yesterday's ASB Classic, Denmark's Clara Tauson achieved a remarkable feat by registering a remarkable 26 aces in her match against Sofia Kenin. Such achievement places her in 5th place all-time in the WTA for most aces in a single match. Below we review the complete top 10 of the most outstanding players in this category.

From Kristyna Pliskova to Serena Williams to current No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, these players have always counted on their serve as one of their main weapons when it comes to winning on the court.

It is important to note that detailed statistics on the total number of aces per match are not always widely documented, especially in matches of past decades. For this reason, there is a possibility that other players could be part of this top, but with the available data it is not possible to confirm their presence in the list.

The legendary Serena Williams, winner of 23 Grand Slam titles, has been one of the most dominant players in modern tennis history. Her powerful serve has been one of her most lethal weapons and a major reason for her dominance for nearly two decades. Combined with an extremely powerful backhand and forehand, and a unique energy, Serena would knock her opponents off the court.

Serena Williams' serve is one of the fastest and most effective in the history of women's tennis. She reached speeds of up to 207 km/h, achieving a record at Wimbledon 2012. During her career, she led the WTA in aces in several seasons, recording more than 10,000 total aces in her laureate career. Also in 2012, she won 73% of points on her first serve, leading the circuit in this statistic. His serve was not only an offensive weapon, but also a strategic resource, capable of varying angles and effects to destabilize his opponents.

The current world number 1, Aryna Sabalenka, is a player who is characterized by a very powerful and aggressive style of play, giving a lot of speed to her shots. Her serve tilts the balance in her favor, rescuing her from complicated moments. Last season she was the player with the most aces in the WTA 1000, reaching 147 aces. All of them necessary to lift the trophies of the Australian Open and the US Open, dethroning Iga Swiatek as the leader of the ranking, being the tennis player to beat in the 2025 season.

Former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova has always been a reference when it comes to serving in the WTA. Pliskova has led in aces statistics in several different seasons. In 2016 she recorded a total of 530 aces. The Czech managed to reach the 2017 US Open final and the 2021 Wimbledon final, losing to Angelique Kerber and Ashleigh Barty respectively.

Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina also bases much of her game on her powerful serve. In 2022 she achieved the biggest milestone of her career when she was crowned Wimbledon champion. Last season, Rybakina averaged 7.05 aces per match, one of the highest averages on the circuit. Her serve has played a major role especially against Sabalenka, against whom she has a favorable record even over other top-ranked players.

China's Zheng Qinwen hit an astonishing 23 aces last season in her first round match against the struggling Naomi Osaka at the Ladies Open Berlin 2024. Qinwen has all the ability to dominate on serve and proved it by being one of the most successful players of the previous campaign. She reached the final of the Australian Open and reached her peak by winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

With her performance at the ASB Classic 2025 against Sofia Kenin, Tauson joins this select group. The Dane, born in 2002, has shown a rapid rise on the circuit, reaching the 50th position in the world ranking. Her powerful serve and mental toughness in key moments make her a player to watch in the coming years.

France's Caroline Garcia scored no less than 27 aces in a match against Zhang Shaui at the Toray Pan Pacific Open 2022. The former world No. 4 shares many characteristics of the other players mentioned in this top, such as her aggressive style of play from the baseline.

Sabine Lisicki established herself as another of the WTA's most notable bombshells when she played Belinda Bencic at the 2015 Birmingham Tournament. The German tennis player reached the 12th position in the world ranking and was a Wimbledon finalist in 2013.

Czech player Kristyna Pliskova has redefined the serve in women's tennis; at least from the point of view of the milestone we are reviewing: 28 aces against Monica Puig in Luxembourg 2019. But that's not all...

That's right, that's how devastating Pliskova's serve is, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in this ranking. The 32-year-old tennis player holds the absolute record for aces in a match, registering the unusual figure of 31 aces at the 2016 Australian Open also against Monica Puig. A curious fact is that despite having achieved such a large number of unreturnable serves, she would end up losing to the Puerto Rican.

The serve is fundamental in modern tennis and these players have demonstrated how an effective serve can significantly influence the course of a match. Who will be the next player to join this group?