Men’s & Women’s Fastest Tennis Serve Ever Recorded

If you?re a tennis fan, you know that the serve is one of the most important aspects of the game. And if you?re a player, you?ve likely dreamed of hitting the fastest serve ever. But what exactly is the fastest serve ever recorded? And who holds the record?

What is the fastest Tennis serve ever recorded?

Australian Sam Groth hit the fastest recorded men’s tennis serve is 263.4 km h 163.4 mph (miles per hour) 263.4 km/h (kilometers per hour), achieved on May 9th, 2012 at the Busan Open. It was hit in the first round of the challenge event in Busan South Korea. This record was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the fastest serve recorded in an official match since it was a Challenger Event. Albano Olivetti owns the second fastest serve. Cracking the 160 MPH barrier in these service speed records was once thought unbreakable.

What is the Average Serve Speed?

For perspective, the average first serve speed of a man’s first serve on tour is about 116 miles per hour (186 km/h). The average speed and average second serve drops to 95 miles per hour (152 km/h) and the average total is 110 miles per hour (176 km/h). The average speed of a tennis serve for men is around 200 km/h (125.0 mph), while for women, it is around 170 km/h (105.6 mph). However, the top players in the world regularly hit serves above 220 km/h (136.7 mph). The top starts at 244.6 km h to 249.4 km h while high elite starts at 230.0 km h 142.9 mph.

How Much Does It Matter

Bombing the fastest tennis serves doesn’t make you a great player, but serve speed is fun to track. Sam Groth would lose the match in straight sets that day even as he was hitting serves as strong as ever. Groth reached a very respectable career-high of 53rd in the world, but he is a name many tennis fans know only because he hit the fastest modern serve on record. However, it’s important to note that big serves don’t always guarantee success. A player’s serve speed alone does not necessarily translate to wins on the court. In fact, many successful tennis players have an average serve speed of around 120-130 km/h (74.5-80.8 mph), while still managing to win Grand Slam tournaments.

What Do the Top Guys Average?

There were powerful servers years ago that didn’t have the benefit of modern equipment and strings. As you will see on our list below most of the fastest serves ever are from recent years. While many of these modern players are taller and more powerful with weight training, they’re not using wood or steel rackets, so we really can’t compare. The game of today also rewards big servers more.

A player like Groth was built more like an American football player than your typical tennis player. He stood 6-4, 220lbs which is incredibly muscular for a tennis player. That physique allowed him to generate great power. In 2011 he was a member of an Australian Rules Football club in his tennis hiatus to give you an idea of his physicality.

Common Questions About Tennis Serves

It’s worth noting that serve speeds can vary depending on various factors, including court surface, weather conditions, and measurement methods used, among others. It’s also important to note that serve speed is just one aspect of a player’s overall tennis game, and many other factors, such as accuracy, placement, and spin, are also crucial for success on the tennis court.

The fastest serve speeds can change over time as players continue to push the limits of their abilities, so it’s always interesting to keep an eye on the latest developments in the world of tennis. ATP approved equipment and advancements matter as you will see most of the players on this list are from the last 20 years. The oldest recorded serve record doesn’t extend back before modern rackets. No wooden racquet here.

The Best of the Rest

Prior to Groth, the fastest serve record was held by Croatian player Ivo Karlovic, who hit a serve at 156 miles per hour (251 kilometers per hour) in 2011. Karlovic has also held other fastest serve records, including the most aces in a career, which currently stands at over 13,500. He stands 6 feet 11 inches and his serving ability has allowed him to play after 40 years old.

Andy Roddick’s Fastest Serve

Other notable players who have hit serves at record-breaking speeds include American Andy Roddick. Andy Roddick hit a serve at 155 miles per hour (249 kilometers per hour) in 2004 at the Davis Cup. Australian Mark Philippoussis, hit a serve at 155 miles per hour (249 kilometers per hour) in 1999. Andy Roddick was a power serving pioneer.

Can You Measure Your Own Serve Speed?

You can measure your own speeds with a tennis radar gun. It uses a speed sensor. A ballistic clock was previously used to measure the fastest serve speeds prior to 1989 on the pro circuit. The introduction of the radar gun provided faster, more accurate readings of tennis serves. Perhaps more crucially, it gave the tour a quantifiable talking point that could be used to advertise the game and its top players. Tennis now has the accurate official serve speed rankings through radar guns.

Does Height Help When It Comes To Serving?

Yes, many of the fastest servers of all time were very tall. Technique, power, and precision are the key factors at the end. Tennis pros concentrate on every aspect of their serve for hours at a time, from their grip to their footwork to their follow-through. But to hit the fastest tennis serve ever recorded there has to be some physical aspect.

The player’s grip is one crucial element. The Continental grip, which allows for the most power and spin, is used by most players. The player’s stance is another consideration. In order to build power, many players choose the platform attitude, which involves a bigger base and a more robust platform.

But creating the most racquet head speed is the secret to a quick serve. Leg drive, arm speed, and core strength are all needed for this. Players must also be able to place the ball precisely in the desired spot, whether it is up the T, out wide, or down the middle to have success even if they have the fastest serve. It’s not all serve speed. Serve speed is important but serve speed also needs placement. The ball toss matters too.

Therefore, it is crucial to concentrate on your technique and increase your strength and power if you want to hit the fastest serve possible from a tennis player.

Video of The Fastest Serve

Below is the video of the actual fastest serve ever recorded. It’s a little lower-quality stream so I’ve also included some high-definition network broadcast of Groth’s Wimbledon highlights. Those highlights are better quality, and you get a better feel for his power. Grass is also considered the fastest tennis court surface.

The Fastest Men’s Tennis Serves

The data gathered appeared fastest male tennis serve

1	Sam Groth	263.0 km/h (163.4 mph)	2012 Busan Open Challenger Tennis
2	Albano Olivetti	257.5 km/h (160.0 mph)	2012 Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel?Faip
3	John Isner	253.0 km/h (157.2 mph)	2016 Davis Cup
4	Jerzy Janowicz	251.0 km/h (156.0 mph)	2012 Pekao Szczecin Open
4	Ivo Karlovi?	251.0 km/h (156.0 mph)	2011 Davis Cup
6	Milos Raonic	249.9 km/h (155.3 mph)	2012 SAP Open
7	Andy Roddick	249.4 km/h (155.0 mph)	2004 Davis Cup
8	Feliciano L?pez	244.6 km/h (152.0 mph)	2014 Aegon Championships
8	Joachim Johansson	244.6 km/h (152.0 mph)	2004 Davis Cup
10	Marius Copil	244.0 km/h (151.6 mph)	2016 European Open
11	Oscar Otte	243.0 km/h (151.0 mph)	2021 US Open
11	Hubert Hurkacz	243.0 km/h (151.0 mph)	2016 Davis Cup
13	Taylor Dent	241.0 km/h (149.8 mph)	2006 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament
14	Reilly Opelka	240.3 km/h (149.3 mph)	2021 Australian Open
15	Juan Mart?n del Potro	240.0 km/h (149.1 mph)	2017 Stockholm Open
16	Greg Rusedski	239.8 km/h (149.0 mph)	1998 Newsweek Champions Cup
17	Bernabe Zapata Miralles	237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)	2022 Monte Carlo Masters (Q)
17	Taylor Fritz	237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)	2020 US Open
17	Frances Tiafoe	237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)	2018 Estoril Open
17	Jo-Wilfried Tsonga	237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)	2014 Rogers Cup
17	Dmitry Tursunov	237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)	2006 Davis Cup
22	Ben Shelton	236.6 km/h (147.0 mph)	2023 Indian Wells Masters
22	Alexander Zverev	236.6 km/h (147.0 mph)	2021 Indian Wells Masters
24	Fernando Gonz?lez	236.0 km/h (146.6 mph)	2007 Italian Open
25	Matteo Berrettini	235.0 km/h (146.0 mph)	2021 Madrid Masters
25	Marin ?ili?	235.0 km/h (146.0 mph)	2016 Davis Cup
25	Du?an Vemi?	235.0 km/h (146.0 mph)	2008 Countrywide Classic
25	Ga?l Monfils	235.0 km/h (146.0 mph)	2007 Legg Mason Tennis Classic
29	Stan Wawrinka	234.0 km/h (145.4 mph)	2014 Davis Cup
29	Ri?ardas Berankis	234.0 km/h (145.4 mph)	2011 Open d?Orl?ans
29	Ivan Ljubi?i?	234.0 km/h (145.4 mph)	2005 Madrid Masters
32	Viktor Troicki	233.4 km/h (145.0 mph)	2017 Davis Cup
32	Grigor Dimitrov	233.4 km/h (145.0 mph)	2013 Aegon Championships
32	Andy Murray	233.4 km/h (145.0 mph)	2007 SAP Open
35	Nicol?s Jarry	233.0 km/h (144.8 mph)	2018 Davis Cup
36	Dominic Thiem	232.0 km/h (144.2 mph)	2017 Gerry Weber Open
36	Fernando Verdasco	232.0 km/h (144.2 mph)	2009 French Open
38	Marcin Matkowski	231.7 km/h (144 mph)	2009 ATP World Tour Finals
38	Mardy Fish	231.7 km/h (144 mph)	2007 Pacific Life Open
40	Robin S?derling	230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)	2010 ATP World Tour Finals
40	Alexander Bublik	230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)	2022 Indian Wells
40	Nick Kyrgios	230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)	2019 Wimbledon
40	Nikoloz Basilashvili	230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)	2017 Wimbledon
40	Ji?? Vesel?	230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)	2014 Wimbledon
40	Roger Federer	230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)	2010 Gerry Weber Open

So close to making the fastest male tennis serve list with serves in tennis of km h 142.9 mph Laslo Djere, 230.0 km h 142.9 mph, Mats Rosenkranz, 230.0 km h 142.9 mph, Nicol?s Almagro. Ryan Harrison ? 152.0 mph (244.6 km/h).

The ATP Record

The ATP’s official record is officially John Isner’s 253.0 km/h 157.2 mph serve is the third fastest serve, but the fastest serve ever recorded on the ATP tour 253 km/h (157.2 mph) at the Davis Cup in 2016. Everyone really wants to know what the fastest tennis serves ever recorded in professional tennis it’s John Isner offically who is one of the biggest servers. Serve speed and the fastest serve is equivalent to the home run of tennis. That is the fastest serves hit in the ATP. One fastest serves ever recorded and the fastest serve in a grand slam was by fellow american Taylor Dent in the 2010 French Open, where he hit a serve of 246 km/h (152.6 mph).

Fastest Serves From Popular Players

Roger Federer’s Fastest Serve

Roger Federer

230.0 km/h (142.9 mph)

The fastest serve isn’t always the best serve. Roger Federer was one of the best servers ever despite not having the elite of elite speed. He had a serve that ranks in the top 50 which is still very impressive with a career fastest serve of 143 mph. It helped him win 20 grand slam titles. Where as many of the tennis professionals like Taylor Dent on the above list peaked at the third round or fourth round his entire game carried him. Others with a big serve on this list would have liked to make it to the second round match. Success and a great serve aren’t mutually exclusive. A powerful serve helps but other data and skills do as well.

Roger Federer is undoubtedly one of the most beloved and successful tennis players of all time, and for good reason. One of his most impressive skills is his ability to serve at incredible speeds, regularly hitting serves over 120 mph. This is all the more impressive when you consider that Federer isn’t necessarily known for his serve speed, unlike other players such as Karlovic and Sam Groth.

What sets Roger Federer apart is his consistency on the court. He’s always been one of the best servers on the ATP tour, and his record-breaking serve at Wimbledon in 2016 came as no surprise to those who’ve followed his career closely. In fact, he holds the record for the most aces hit in a single tournament, with an impressive 101 aces at Wimbledon. This just goes to show how skilled and accurate he is when it comes to serving, and how he can generate impressive speed without compromising on accuracy.

Others

The other two members of the Big three were not among the world’s fastest men’s serves. They were however in a normal range and possessed a minimum standard speed. Rafael Nadal particularly wasn’t known as a great server.

Rafael Nadal ? 135 mph (217kmh)

Novak Djokovic ? 136 mph (219 kmh)

• Alexander Zverev ? 236.6 km/h (147.0 mph)
• Andy Murray ? 233.4 km/h (145 mph)
• Nick Kyrigios ? 230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)

The Fastest Women’s Tennis Serves

While the fastest female serve may not be as fast as the men?s record, female players are continuing to push the boundaries and prove that they can serve just as powerfully. Whether it?s Sabine Lisicki?s record-breaking serve or Venus Williams? impressive speed, women?s tennis’s fastest serve is not to be underestimated as one of the biggest weapons. There are female tennis players who are the fastest serve compete with the average males. Here are the fastest serves and the world’s fastest serve and the fastest women’s tennis serves.

Georgina Garc?a P?rez

Georgina Garcia Perez, a talented Spanish tennis player, made headlines in the 2nd round of qualifying at the 2018 Hungarian Ladies Open when she unleashed a stunning serve clocking in at 220 km/h or 136.7 mph the fastest tennis serve ever recorded by the fastest female tennis serve. While this feat was certainly impressive, it is not officially recognized by the WTA ( Women’s Tennis Association ) as the fastest serve by a female tennis player. The WTA tour only recognizes serves made at a main draw level of a WTA event. Regardless it’s the fastest tennis serve ever recorded by a woman. The fastest female serve.

The current record for the fastest female tennis serve officially recognized as the fastest serve ever recorded by the WTA is held by Sabine Lisicki of Germany. She set the record with a serve of 210.8 km/h or 131 mph at the 2014 Stanford Classic. You can watch this incredible serve in the video below. Despite Garcia Perez’s incredible serve, it is important to note that Lisicki’s record still stands as the official fastest serve in women’s tennis and women’s tennis serves recorded.

1	Georgina Garcia P?rez	220.0 km/h (136.7 mph)	2018 Hungarian Ladies Open
2	Aryna Sabalenka	214.0 km/h (133.0 mph)	2018 WTA Elite Trophy
3	Sabine Lisicki	210.8 km/h (131.0 mph)	2014 Stanford Classic
4	Brenda Schultz-McCarthy	209.2 km/h (130.0 mph)	2006 Cincinnati Masters (qualifiers)
5	Venus Williams	207.6 km/h (129.0 mph)	2007 US Open
5	Alycia Parks	207.6 km/h (129.0 mph)	2021 US Open
5	Ajla Tomljanovi?	207.6 km/h (129.0 mph)	2018 Cincinnati Masters
8	Serena Williams	207.0 km/h (128.6 mph)	2013 Australian Open
8	Ivana Jorovi?	207.0 km/h (128.6 mph)	2017 Fed Cup
10	Coco Gauff	206.0 km/h (128.0 mph)	2022 US Open
11	Julia G?rges	203.0 km/h (126.1 mph)	2012 French Open
11	Caroline Garcia	203.0 km/h (126.1 mph)	2016 Fed Cup
13	Brenda Schultz-McCarthy	202.7 km/h (126.0 mph)	2007 Indian Wells Masters
14	Elena Rybakina	202.0 km/h (125.5 mph)	2022 BJK Cup Finals
14	Nadiya Kichenok	202.0 km/h (125.5 mph)	2014 Australian Open
16	Lucie Hradeck?	201.2 km/h (125.0 mph)	2015 Wimbledon
16	Naomi Osaka	201.2 km/h (125.0 mph)	2016 US Open
18	Anna-Lena Gr?nefeld	201.1 km/h (125.0 mph)	2009 Indian Wells Masters
19	Ana Ivanovic	201.0 km/h (124.9 mph)	2007 French Open
19	Denisa Allertov?	201.0 km/h (124.9 mph)	2015 Australian Open
19	Bernarda Pera	201.0 km/h (124.9 mph)	2021 US Open
19	Liudmila Samsonova	201.0 km/h (124.9 mph)	2023 Dubai Championships

Serena Williams’ Fastest Serve

Serena Williams is hands down one of the best tennis players to ever grace the court. Her mighty serve is one of the most remarkable things about her game and has helped her dominate opponents like a true champ despite not holding the fastest female tennis serves recorded.

During the 2013 Australian Open, Serena managed to hit a serve at a jaw-dropping speed of 128.6 mph (207.0 km/h), making it the fastest serve she’s ever recorded. This was an incredible achievement, particularly when you consider that the average serve speed for women’s tennis is roughly 100 mph (160 km/h).

It’s also worth mentioning that Williams has come close to surpassing her personal best serve on numerous occasions. She’s nailed serves over 127 mph (204 km/h) three other times and has consistently been ranked among the top five fastest servers in women’s tennis throughout her illustrious career.

Serena Williams fastest serve clocks in at 207 km/h (128.6 mph), eight of all time unofficially. Sabine Lisicki of Germany holds the official record at 131 mph (211 km/h) during a match at the 2014 Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California. It is considered the fastest-recorded women’s tennis serve as recognized by the WTA. We’ve also included those unofficial fastest serves in our list as well.

Fastest Serves from Popular Women’s WTA Players

Lisicki broke the previous record set by Venus Williams’s personal fastest serve at the 2007 US Open, where she hit a serve of 129 mph (208 km/h) in women’s professional tennis. They were the fastest women’s tennis numbers

Fastest 2nd Serve

It’s hard to believe, but some players have managed to hit their second serves faster than most tennis players hit their first serves. However, due to the limited information available on second serve speeds in tennis, we can’t provide a comprehensive list of the fastest ones out there. These are some of the same speed of serve speeds as all-time ranked first serves. Some incredible 2nd serves in tennis. These players didn’t possess only one serve that was dangerous.

Ivo Karlovi?	Croatia	232 km/h (144.2 mph)	QF 2007 Legg Mason Tennis Classic
Nick Kyrgios	Australia	230 km/h (143 mph)	2nd Round 2019 Wimbledon

Top Servers Men & Women Profiles and Tournaments

Player	Roger Federer
Country	Switzerland
Height	185 cm (6ft 1?)
Average First Serve Speed	187 km/h (116 mph)
Fastest Serve Speed	230 km/h (143 mph)
Event	2010 Gerry Weber Open

Player	Rafael Nadal
Country	Spain
Height	185 cm (6ft 1?)
Average First Serve Speed	180 km/h (112 mph)
Fastest Serve Speed	217 km/h (135 mph)
Event	2010 US Open

Player	Novak Djokovic
Country	Serbia
Height	188 cm (6ft 2?)
Average First Serve Speed	184 km/h (114.5 mph)
Fastest Serve Speed	219 km/h (136 mph)
Event	2009 Madrid Masters

Player	Andy Murray
Country	Great Britain
Height	191 cm (6ft 3?)
Average First Serve Speed	184 km/h (114.2 mph)
Fastest Serve Speed	233.4 km/h (145.0 mph)
Event	2007 SAP Open

Player	Nick Kyrgios
Country	Australia
Height	193 cm (6ft 4?)
Average First Serve Speed	198 km/h (123 mph)
Fastest Serve Speed	230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)
Event	2019 Wimbledon

Player	Serena Williams
Country	USA
Height	175 cm (5ft 9?)
Average First Serve Speed	171.2 km/h (106.4 mph)
Fastest Serve Speed	206.4 km/h (128.3 mph)
Event	2013 AUS Open

Player	Maria Sharapova
Country	Russia
Height	188 cm (6ft 2?)
Average First Serve Speed	161 km/h (99.9 mph)
Fastest Serve Speed	194 km/h (121 mph)
Event	2010 Aegon Classic

Conclusion

The ability to have one of the fastest serves is noteworthy, but it is not the only factor in a tennis match that matters. To compete at the greatest levels, athletes must also possess powerful groundstrokes, a good net game, and mental tenacity. Not just the fastest serve although having the fastest serve helps.

The fastest serve ever made is a remarkable accomplishment, but it is crucial to keep in mind that there are other factors involved in the game besides speed. A player can enhance their serve and advance their game by concentrating on technique and practice, but a well-rounded game is important.