How Carlos Alcaraz Held 98 of 101 Service Games at the 2025 US Open

The number that framed New York

Carlos Alcaraz did something brutally efficient in Queens. Across seven matches he held 98 of 101 service games. It is a headline number, but it is also a systems story. Once you strip away the fireworks, what emerges is a working model of how to build holds at scale: precise serve patterns, simple plus one choices, repeatable between-point habits, and footwork that turns half chances into forehands. For more pattern detail from New York, see our Alcaraz serve plus one masterclass.

In this coach’s-eye breakdown we will reverse engineer what drove that hold rate, then translate it into club-ready drills, conditioning blocks, match tactics, and even gear notes you can act on this week. For clarity, when we say “plus one ball,” we mean the first shot after the serve, usually the ball a server uses to finish or to gain control of the rally.

How he did it: three levers that travel

1) Serve patterns that buy time and space

Alcaraz did not try to be a serve-bot. He used the serve to buy a predictable first ball. Think of the serve as a steering wheel, not a hammer. The key was using three reliable patterns on each side that stacked the odds for the plus one ball.

• Deuce court, wide slice to the backhand. This pulled returners off the alley, opening a forehand into the opposite corner. The plus one was usually an inside-out forehand to the backhand corner; if the return landed short, he changed to inside-in. The wide serve also set up the drop shot when the returner sprinted deep and wide.

• Deuce court, body serve at the hip. This is a jam serve, especially to two-handed backhands. The plus one was a forehand down the middle to rush the next contact, which often coughed up a sit-up ball.

• Deuce court, T serve to the forehand. Not his highest percentage, but a momentum breaker. It took away the returner’s pattern read and reset point geometry.

• Ad court, kick up and away to the backhand. The goal was height, not raw pace. The plus one was a forehand to the open deuce court, or a backhand up the line if the return floated.

• Ad court, body serve into the chest. This forced cramped backhands. The plus one was a forehand struck early and heavy to the same side, a simple repeat that boxed the opponent.

• Ad court, flat T serve to the backhand. The point of this serve was scoreboard control. It produced quick points at 30 all and advantage.

The themes were simple. He used width to create forehands, body to steal time, and the T to cash in. In the final he dropped only nine points behind first serve, which shows how these patterns delivered clean starts inside rallies.

2) Plus one as a decision tree, not a guess

Alcaraz’s plus one choices looked instinctive, yet the logic was consistent.

• If the returner was outside the doubles sideline, attack the opposite wing with an inside-out forehand. The geometry is safe and forces a long run.
• If the return was short and central, take the inside-in forehand to the ad side. This punished neutral returns without opening the court.
• If the returner retreated deep, choose the short drop shot off either wing. This forced vertical movement after lateral movement and discouraged extreme return positions.
• If the return had heavy spin and height, loop back deep down the middle and restart the point with depth. This took away the opponent’s angle without surrendering initiative.
• Sprinkle serve and volley holds when the returner backed up. He did not overuse it, which preserved the surprise.

The plus one framework was not about being clever. It was about deleting bad options and repeating good ones under pressure.

3) A between-point routine that quiets noise

Holding serve at that rate is not just about strokes. It is about how you use the 20 to 25 seconds between points. Alcaraz’s routine looked like this:

• Reset: Walk behind the baseline and detach from the last point. Eyes up, shoulders loose.
• Breath: One slow nasal inhale, one long mouth exhale, shoulders drop.
• Cue: A simple word pair like “tall toss” or “kick high.” He did not cram five thoughts into one swing.
• Pick: Choose a target, not a general area. For example, deuce wide at the backhand hip.
• Commit: No half plans. Bounce, set, swing.

This micro-routine kept his heart rate from spiraling, and it set a single intention for the serve. The result over the fortnight was almost monotonous scoreboard pressure, losing serve just three times.

For decisive-point habits that pair with this routine, see our one-point tennis playbook.

4) Feet before fire

Explosiveness powered everything. Two technical details stood out.

• Split step timing: He landed his split as the returner made contact, which let him explode into the plus one. Early splits leave you flat, late splits force a stutter.
• First step bias to forehand: Off both serves he cheated a half step to the ad corner to favor forehand starts. That small bias turned 50-50 balls into forehands.

Think of his feet as the first tactic. He gave his forehand the ball it wanted by getting there faster.

Reverse engineering for you: on-court drills

These are court-ready and built to be coached. Use a whiteboard or phone notes to track scores. Replicate the serve patterns and the plus one decisions, then layer speed.

A. Target ladder: three serves per side

Goal: Pattern accuracy under mild fatigue.

• Set four cones in each service box: wide, body, T, and a deep center target for second serves.
• On the deuce side, serve 3 balls wide, 3 body, 3 T. On the ad side, serve 3 kick wide, 3 body, 3 T.
• Scoring: 2 points for a direct hit, 1 point for a ball within one racquet length of the cone. Target 18 points in 36 balls.
• Progression: After each serve, coach or partner feeds a neutral ball for a plus one forehand to a called target. Missed serve equals no feed. This reinforces the cause and effect between target and plus one.

B. Jam-and-rip circuit

Goal: Practice the body serve into a rushed plus one.

• Server calls “body deuce” or “body ad,” hits the body serve, then must hit the first groundstroke within 1.5 seconds of the bounce. Use a metronome or a coach’s clap.
• Scoring: Best of 10. A double fault or a late plus one loses the point by default. The drill rewards commitment to the first strike.

C. Wide-to-open pattern under chase

Goal: Rehearse the wide serve to inside-out forehand with real movement.

• Place a marker two steps outside the doubles line on the deuce side. Server must touch it after contact, then recover to hit the plus one into the open ad court.
• Add a live returner if possible who tries to bunt the return cross to force a run. This simulates match chaos.

D. Drop-on-retreat read

Goal: Train the read that invites the short ball.

• Returner starts five feet behind the baseline. On kick serves to the ad court, if the returner retreats further, the server must play a soft drop shot within two shots.
• Scoring: 1 point for the drop shot landing inside the service box and winning the point within the next ball, 0 points otherwise. Play to 7.

E. Serve and volley sprinkle

Goal: Keep the surprise alive.

• On a 12-point service game simulation, the server must serve and volley twice, chosen at random scorelines. If the returner guesses serve and volley and lobs with height, point to the returner. This builds the habit of picking the right moments, not just the right technique.

Conditioning blocks that support the engine

Holding serve is a power endurance problem. Build the qualities that make first steps faster and decisions clearer at high heart rates. Here is a two day template that fits around regular hitting.

Day 1: Speed and hips

• Acceleration sprints: 6 sets of 10 meters from a tennis split stance, 90 seconds rest. Focus on the first two steps.
• Crossover bounds: 3 sets of 6 each side. Land on the outside edge, stick, and go.
• Medicine ball hip throws: 4 sets of 8, rotational, each side. Use a six to eight pound ball.
• Isometric split squat hold: 3 sets of 20 seconds each leg, torso upright. Pair with 5 rapid split step hops.

Day 2: Repeatability and core

• Tempo shuttles: 6 reps of 15 seconds on, 45 seconds off, covering the baseline with small steps, then exploding to each sideline and back. Heart rate should hit the yellow zone but allow full recovery before the next rep.
• Reactive ladder: 4 patterns that mix in lateral-in, in-in-out, and 180 pivots, 20 seconds work, 40 seconds rest.
• Anti-rotation core: Pallof press holds, 3 sets of 25 seconds each side. Pair with 8 dead bugs.
• Box breathing: 5 minutes, 4 seconds inhale, 4 hold, 4 exhale, 4 hold. Do this immediately after the session to train rapid recovery between points.

Off-court training is the most underused lever in tennis. OffCourt unlocks it with personalized physical and mental programs built from how you actually play.

Match tactics for juniors and coaches

Translate the patterns and routines into clear tactical choices. The goal is not to copy every shot, but to copy the decision logic.

Scouting checklist before you serve

• Where does the opponent stand to return on both sides, and does that change on second serve?
• Which hip jams their backhand, forehand side or backhand side?
• Do they run around second serves on the ad court?
• Are they better at redirecting line or crosscourt when stretched?

Service game plans by opponent type

• Two-handed backhand counterpuncher: Hammer body serves to the backhand hip on both sides. The plus one is a heavy forehand to the same side to pin the rib cage. Use kick on the ad court to force high contact.
• Big forehand returner: Mix T serves on the deuce to the forehand and wide slice on the ad to the backhand. The plus one should go deep middle to remove angle. Add two serve and volley plays per set on second serve to steal free holds.
• Left-hander with heavy slice: On the deuce side, use body serves that drift into the backhand. On the ad side, go T with kick to prevent their slider from dragging you off the court. The plus one is inside-out forehand into the deuce corner.

Scoreboard scripts you can steal

• 30 all deuce side: Body first serve, commit to a forehand down the middle plus one. Simple and high percentage.
• 15 30 ad side: Kick first serve to the backhand to raise contact height. If the return lands short, take the inside-in forehand to the forehand side, not the riskier change of direction.
• Advantage server ad side: Flat T with a pre-planned inside-out forehand. Decide before the bounce, not during the toss.

In-game adjustments when the first serve dips

• Shift to 70 percent pace with a higher net clearance and keep aiming at the body. The goal is a neutral plus one, not an ace.
• Move starting position a step farther behind the baseline after contact to buy time for the plus one. This is temporary and should disappear once your rhythm returns.
• Tighten the between-point routine. One cue only. Breathe, pick, commit.

Practical gear notes that support these choices

You do not need a pro’s contract to build a pro-style hold rate. You need gear that keeps you fast and decisive.

• Shoes for hard courts: Favor lighter agility models with solid shanks. Examples include Nike Vapor Pro, Adidas Ubersonic, and Asics Solution Speed. If you are over 180 pounds or you play on gritty acrylic, consider a stability model for match days and keep the lighter shoe for practice sprints.
• Racquet frames: Power oriented frames with a stiffer beam and 98 to 100 square inch heads help you turn body serves into weak returns. Examples include Babolat Pure Drive, Head Extreme, and Wilson Ultra. If you already swing a control frame, consider a slightly lower string tension to gain free depth on the plus one.
• Strings: A co-polyester in the 1.25 to 1.30 millimeter range at mid tensions can stabilize the plus one. If your elbow complains, hybrid with a multifilament in the crosses. Re-string more often in summer since heat kills tension.
• Grips and sweat control: A fresh overgrip every match or every two long practices. Keep a rosin bag and a spare towel in the bag. Slippage is a hidden enemy of the drop shot and the kick serve.

None of these choices will save a bad plan. They will, however, let a good plan run at speed.

Adapting the model to hot, humid Asia swing conditions

Late September and October bring heat and humidity across the Asia swing. That does not mean you abandon the blueprint. You tune it. For a deeper approach to heat, see our Shanghai 2025 heat guide.

• Serve targets that save legs: Use more body serves to cut down lateral chases. Reserve the extreme wide serves for break points and 30 all. The aim is short rallies when the air is heavy.
• Second serve shape: Add a little more topspin to keep the ball high in muggy air that slows the court. You want a kick that climbs above shoulder height even when the ball is heavier.
• Between-point heat routine: Cap the routine at 15 seconds of focus. Towel the hand, sip electrolytes, one breath, one cue. Long rituals balloon your heart rate in heat.
• String and ball feel: Drop tension one to two pounds to restore depth as the felt picks up moisture. Bring an extra set of dry balls to practice to simulate the first two games of each set.
• Footing and traction: Humidity can make hard courts slick. Choose outsoles with a firmer rubber compound and replace shoes earlier than you would in dry climates. Dry socks at each changeover if allowed, and pack a second pair for practice.
• Tactics that shorten: Add two planned serve and volley points per set and one sneak in behind a plus one when the return floats. The goal is ten fewer long rallies per match.

What the numbers really imply

Holding serve at that rate shifts the mental load to the other side of the net. Opponents feel they must extract breaks from thin air, which pressures their own service games. You do not need to find ten more winners. You need to delete three problem games per match. Once you protect your games with clear patterns, the breakthroughs will come from return games that start looser because you are not carrying scoreboard fear.

If you coach juniors, set a seasonal goal by service tier, not just outcomes. For example, target 65 percent first serves in, 70 percent points won behind first serve, and one forced error per game on the returner through body serves and deep plus ones. Track these on paper for two months. Watch the hold percentage climb without chasing highlight shots.

Train it with OffCourt

If you want these ideas to stick, build them into your off-court and on-court weeks. Off-court training is the most underused lever in tennis. OffCourt unlocks it with personalized physical and mental programs built from how you actually play. Record a week of serves with simple tags like deuce wide, ad body, plus one inside-out. Pair that with two conditioning blocks from this article. In a month you will have your own hold blueprint, just like the one that carried Alcaraz to 98 of 101 in New York.

Next steps for coaches and parents:

• Pick two serve patterns per side to feature for the next four weeks and build the drills around them.
• Install the between-point routine today. It costs nothing and pays off immediately.
• Schedule Day 1 and Day 2 conditioning for the next two Mondays and Thursdays. Keep sessions under 45 minutes.
• Audit shoes, strings, and grips this weekend. Make one change that supports speed and clarity.

Then go test. Hold more. Make opponents do the sweating.