Watch: Maxime Cressy serves up slowest ace ever at Indian wells Masters

Maxime Cressy served an incredibly slow ace against Christopher Eubanks at the Indian Wells Masters
Maxime Cressy served an incredibly slow ace against Christopher Eubanks at the Indian Wells Masters

Maxime Cressy produced an unintentional moment of brilliance during his first-round match against Christopher Eubanks at the Indian Wells Masters on Thursday.

The 24-year-old, who is one of the fastest servers on the ATP tour, produced one of the most unorthodox aces ever seen on a tennis court.

While serving at 30-0 in the eighth game of the second set, Cressy mistimed his serve. The ball looped up off his racket and, with some assistance from the wind, bounced on Eubanks' side of the net.

Eubanks made a valiant effort to get to the dying serve but was unable to do so, conceding the most bizarre ace in recent times. Cressy was almost embarrassed with what had taken place and could only manage a sheepish grin.

The stunned commentator remarked that he'd never seen anything like it before.

"You've got to be kidding me, I've never seen that in my life," he said. "I've seen it on a smash, never on a serve, no wonder he's laughing."

It was Eubanks who ended up having the last laugh though as he won a thrilling contest 5-7, 7-6(8), 6-4. The 25-year-old will now face eighth seed Casper Ruud in the second round.

"Most players are scared to go to the net" - Maxime Cressy

Maxime Cressy has said that most players are afraid of going to the net
Maxime Cressy has said that most players are afraid of going to the net

Cressy, who is one of the few serve-and-volleyers in the modern game, recently lamented how most players on the ATP tour are scared to come to the net.

"It’s obviously a much more grueling sport when you play from the baseline, but I think it’s also because most players are scared to go to the net and there’s many opportunities in every rally to come in, but no one comes in," he said. "That’s why they’re stuck in those 30-to-40 stroke rallies. That’s why they stay back, and they win all their matches because they’re better than all of those guys at the baseline."

Maxime Cressy has produced some decent performances so far this season. He reached the final of the Melbourne Summer Set 1, where he lost to Rafael Nadal.

He then made the fourth round of the Australian Open with wins over John Isner, Tomas Machac and Christopher O'Connell. Cressy put up a fight against Daniil Medvedev in the last 16 but lost in four sets.

During the match, Medvedev was heard calling the American's style of play "boring." The 24-year-old responded by saying many would welcome a return to that playing style, which would make the sport more "exciting and thrilling."

"I believe there needs to be a new way of winning for people to start seeing tennis as more exciting and thrilling. … The paradox is Medvedev calling my game boring, even though most people actually love to see that style come back.”

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Edited by Nihal Taraporvala
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