Serve speed has been and continues to be one of tennis’ major talking points. Even in the early 1920s, the talk of the town was Bill Tilden’s cannonball serve, which was said to have been clocked at 163.3 miles per hour.
Tilden used that weapon to dominate the other players of that era. While a big serve today doesn’t guarantee success on tour, players like Pancho Gonzalez, Stan Smith, Roscoe Tanner, Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, and the Williams sister have used their triple-digit serve speeds to blow away opponents and win Grand Slam titles.
While reports of big serves from yesteryear are hard to verify, the introduction of oversized racquets made from graphite in the 1980s saw the average players jump up significantly in speed, almost to the point that the human eye could no longer keep up with the ball.
That saw the introduction of the famous Cyclops’ infrared beams, and later the Hawk-Eye system, to help line judges call the lines on serves.
Assisted line judging technology wasn’t the only tech to be introduced, though, and at the International Players Championships in Miami during the 1989 season, the sport debuted a piece of kit that measured the speed of a serve —a radar gun.
Previously serve speeds had been measured with unreliable technology like a ballistic chronometer, but the radar gun offered faster, more precise readings and, perhaps, more importantly, gave the tour a numerical talking point that could be used to promote the game and its star players.
This post looks at the world’s fastest men’s and women’s tennis serves recorded throughout history, how important a big serve is and whether or not the players winning the big titles are the ones with the biggest serves. Let’s take a look.
Quick Facts
What is the fastest male tennis serve ever recorded?
The fastest male tennis serve recorded was 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) in 2012 by Sam Groth of Australia. At the ATP level, John Isner holds the ATP’s official record for the fastest serve at 253 km/h (157.2 mph).
What is the fastest female tennis serve ever recorded?
The fastest female tennis serve was ever recorded at 220 km/h (136.7 mph) in 2018 by Georgina Garcia Pérez of Spain.
What is the fastest serve ever recorded at Wimbledon?
The fastest serve ever recorded at Wimbledon was 238.2 km/h (148 mph) in 2010 by the American, Taylor Dent. Fellow American Andy Roddick has the second-fastest serve ever recorded at SW19 in 2004 at 235 km/h (146 mph), and in 2017 Milos Raonic fired down the third-fastest serve at 233.3 km/h (145 mph).
What is the Fastest Tennis Server Ever Recorded?
On May 9, 2012, at a Challenger event in Busan, South Korea, Australian Sam Groth hit the world’s fastest serve recorded at 163.7 mph (263.4 kph).
This bullet of a serve came three match points down during his second-round match against Uladzimir Ignatik from Belarus. Groth lost the match 4-6, 3-6. You can see his serve in the grainy video below:
Groth has a bulky muscular build but rather than a short, stocky guy; he stands at 6’4” (193 cm), giving him plenty of raw power and long levers to get the racquet through at high speeds.
Some clearer footage from Groth’s match against Federer at Wimbledon in 2015, where he clocked 147 mph on serve, also highlights that his record-breaking serve was no fluke. Check out that ground force activation and how he gets his body weight through the shot.
Is this the fastest serve ever recorded?
Yes and no. Groth’s serve took place at the Challenger event, and the ATP does not formally recognise service speed records made at the Challenger level due to a lack of uniformity, availability, and calibration of radar guns.
Nevertheless, Groth’s serve speed of 263 km/h (163.4 mph) recorded in Busan was measured using ATP-approved equipment, and other data gathered appeared within a normal range.
At the ATP level, John Isner holds the ATP’s official record for the fastest serve at 253 km/h (157.2 mph).
Who are the Fastest Servers in Tennis?
While the ATP, WTA and ITF don’t maintain or publish official serve speed rankings, a complete dataset belongs to SportsMEDIA Technology (SMT), who have been tracking serve speeds for over 20 years.
Of course, serve speed isn’t captured on every court at every tournament, and sometimes the technology used isn’t the same at every venue. Still, there is enough data to know what’s physically possible and who the biggest servers are on tour.
Men’s Top 42 Fastest Serves Ever (ATP)
I’ve included below a list of the fastest servers in ATP history. Players can only be listed once, with their fastest serve being the one in the table.
Criteria
Men’s serves must be recorded at or over 230 km/h (143 mph) minimum standard speed.
Only one serve per player is recorded here. For example, Andy Roddick has many serves over 143 mph, but only his fastest at 249 km/h (155 mph) is included
In cases where more than one service has been recorded at the same speed by different players, the oldest recorded serve is listed first.
Rank
Player
Speed
Event
Type
Round
1
Sam Groth
263.0 km/h (163.4 mph)
2012 Busan Open Challenger
Singles
2R
2
Albano Olivetti
257.5 km/h (160.0 mph)
2012 Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel–Faip
Singles
1R
3
John Isner
253.0 km/h (157.2 mph)
2016 Davis Cup
Singles
1R
4
Ivo Karlović
251.0 km/h (156.0 mph)
2011 Davis Cup
Doubles
1R
Jerzy Janowicz
251.0 km/h (156.0 mph)
2012 Pekao Szczecin Open
Singles
1R
Milos Raonic
249.9 km/h (155.3 mph)
2012 SAP Open
Singles
2R
6
Andy Roddick
249.4 km/h (155 mph)
2004 Davis Cup
Singles
1R
8
Chris Guccione
248.0 km/h (154.1 mph)
2006 Davis Cup
Singles
1R
9
Joachim Johansson
244.6 km/h (152.0 mph)
2004 Davis Cup
Doubles
1R
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
244.5 km/h (152.0 mph)
2023 Roland-Garros
Singles
1R
Feliciano López
244.6 km/h (152.0 mph)
2014 Aegon Championships
Singles
1R
11
Marius Copil
244.0 km/h (151.6 mph)
2016 European Open
Singles
QF
Oscar Otte
243.0 km/h (151.0 mph)
2021 US Open
Singles
4R
14
Taylor Dent
241.0 km/h (149.8 mph)
2006 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament
Singles
1R
16
Juan Martín del Potro
240.0 km/h (149.1 mph)
2017 Stockholm Open
Singles
F
17
Greg Rusedski
239.8 km/h (149.0 mph)
1998 Newsweek Champions Cup
Singles
SF
18
Dmitry Tursunov
237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)
2006 Davis Cup
Singles
SF
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)
2014 Rogers Cup
Singles
QF
Reilly Opelka
237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)
2022 Sydney
Singles
SF
Bernabé Zapata Miralles
237.0 km/h (147.3 mph)
2022 Monte-Carlo
Singles
Q
24
Taylor Fritz
236.6 km/h (147.0 mph)
2020 US Open
Singles
3R
Ben Shelton
236.6 km/h (147.0 mph)
2023 BNP Paribas Open
Singles
2R
25
Fernando González
236.0 km/h (146.6 mph)
2007 Italian Open
Singles
SF
Alexander Zverev
236.6 km/h (147.0 mph)
2021 Indian Wells
Singles
2R
27
Gaël Monfils
235.0 km/h (146.0 mph)
2007 Legg Mason Tennis Classic
Singles
QF
Dušan Vemić
235.0 km/h (146.0 mph)
2008 Countrywide Classic
Singles
?
Matteo Berrettini
235.0 km/h (146.0 mph)
2021 Mutua Madrid Open
Singles
F
31
Ivan Ljubičić
234.0 km/h (145.4 mph)
2005 Mutua Madrileña Masters Madrid
Singles
F
Ričardas Berankis
234.0 km/h (145.4 mph)
2011 Open d’Orléans
Singles
1R
Stan Wawrinka
234.0 km/h (145.4 mph)
2016 Davis Cup
Doubles
SF
34
Andy Murray
233.4 km/h (145.0 mph)
2007 SAP Open
Singles
1R
37
Nicolás Jarry
233.0 km/h (144.8 mph)
2018 Davis Cup
?
1R
38
Fernando Verdasco
232.0 km/h (144.2 mph)
2009 French Open
?
?
40
Mardy Fish
231.7 km/h (144.0 mph)
2007 Pacific Life Open
Singles
1R
42
Robin Söderling
230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)
2010 ATP World Tour Finals
Singles
RR
Jiří Veselý
230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)
2014 Wimbledon
Singles
2R
Nikoloz Basilashvili
230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)
2017 Wimbledon
Singles
2R
Nick Kyrgios
230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)
2019 Wimbledon
Singles
2R
Alexander Bublik
230.1 km/h (143.0 mph)
2022 Indian Wells
Singles
2R
Roger Federer
230.0 km/h (142.9 mph)
2010 Gerry Weber Open
Singles
F
Laslo Djere
230.0 km/h (142.9 mph)
2022 Italian Open
Singles
2R
Mats Rosenkranz
230.0 km/h (142.9 mph)
2022 Mallorca
Singles
Q
Women’s Top 21 Fastest Serves Ever (WTA)
I’ve included below a list of the fastest servers in WTA history. Players can only be listed once, with their fastest serve being the one in the table.
Criteria
Women’s serves must be recorded at or over 200 km/h (124 mph) minimum standard speed
Only one serve per player is recorded here. For example, Serena Williams has hundreds of serves above 200 km/h, but only her fastest at 207 km/h (128.6 mph) is included
In cases where more than one service has been recorded at the same speed by different players, the oldest recorded serve is listed first
Rank
Player
Speed
Event
1
Georgina García Pérez
220 km/h (136.7 mph)
2018 Hungarian Ladies Open
2
Aryna Sabalenka
214 km/h (133.0 mph)
2018 WTA Elite Trophy
3
Sabine Lisicki
210.8 km/h (131.0 mph)
2014 Stanford
4
Venus Williams
207.6 km/h (129.0 mph)
2007 US Open
4
Alycia Parks
207.6 km/h (129.0 mph)
2021 US Open
4
Ajla Tomljanović
207.6 km/h (129.0 mph)
2018 Cincinnati Masters
7
Serena Williams
207 km/h (128.6 mph)
2013 Australian Open
7
Ivana Jorović
207 km/h (128.6 mph)
2017 Fed Cup
9
Coco Gauff
206 km/h (128.0 mph)
2022 US Open
10
Julia Görges
203 km/h (126.1 mph)
2012 French Open
10
Caroline Garcia
203 km/h (126.1 mph)
2016 Fed Cup
12
Brenda Schultz-McCarthy
202.7 km/h (126.0 mph)
2007 Indian Wells Masters
13
Nadiia Kichenok
202 km/h (125.5 mph)
2015 Australian Open
13
Elena Rybakina
202 km/h (125.5 mph)
2022 Billie Jean King Cup finals
14
Republic Lucie Hradecká
201.2 km/h (125.0 mph)
2015 Wimbledon
14
Naomi Osaka
201.2 km/h (125.0 mph)
2016 US Open
16
Anna-Lena Grönefeld
201.1 km/h (125.0 mph)
2009 Indian Wells Masters
17
Ana Ivanovic
201 km/h (124.9 mph)
2007 French Open
17
Denisa Allertová
201 km/h (124.9 mph)
2015 Australian Open
17
Bernarda Pera
201 km/h (124.9 mph)
2021 US Open
17
Liudmila Samsonova
201 km/h (124.9 mph)
2023 Dubai
20
Kristina Mladenovic
200 km/h (124.3 mph)
2009 French Open
Unrecorded Fast Serves – Reality or Folklore?
Before the radar gun came on the scene in the 1980s, serve speed had to be measured using methods that were only partially as accurate.
For example, Roscoe Tanner’s serve speed was registered at 153 mph at Palm Springs in 1978 during the final against Raúl Ramírez using older equipment.
It’s also said that Bill Tilden, pictured above, had a serve clocked at 163.3 mph, but unfortunately, there is nothing concrete to verify that.
So is this the fastest serve with a wooden racquet, or is it just folklore that’s had a few miles per hour added over the years? With the proper technique and biomechanics, we know 150mph is possible but 163mph? Unlikely.
How Fast is a College or High School Serve?
Like the ATP and WTA tours, serve speeds range widely at the college and high school level. While average first-serve speeds on the ATP tour will be higher than college players, plenty of college and recreational players can fire down super quick serves.
Players like Steve Johnson, who came through the college system, regularly hit 130 mph on serve during their Division 1 years, and with the proper technique, kinetic transfer and enough practice, breaking the 130 mph barrier is not out of reach for a lot of athletes, even if the rest of their game isn’t up to scratch.
Does the Fastest Serve Mean the Best Serve?
While a fast first serve is undoubtedly a valuable tool in the arsenal, tennis is a multi-faceted game and setting records on the speed gun only sometimes translates to success.
Look at the fastest recorded server of all time, Sam Groth. He made it to 24 in the world but has yet to make it past the third round of a Grand Slam. While his serve was a key driver in achieving that ranking, it wasn’t enough to propel him to the upper echelons of the sport.
Compare that to two players who don’t even feature in the table above, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. They have 45 Grand Slam titles but rarely exceed the 125 mp/h mark. However, they have both hit top speeds of 136 mp/h (219 km/h) and 135 mp/h, respectively, which cannot be sniffed at.
Federer, who does make the list of the quickest ever, said in an interview in 2005 that he never serves at 100% speed as you lose accuracy. He believed that when you’re around the 120 mph mark, that’s quick enough, and accuracy matters more.
What Serve Speeds Do the Top Players in the World Serve At?
The highest-ranked players naturally have good serves, but rather than the raw speed, they often rely on placement, consistency and variety to win matches. Let’s look at what speeds some of the current Top 10 generate.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic has one of the most improved serves on tour and, under Becker’s tutelage, turned a weakness into a strength.
The Serb ditched the yippy bowling motion into one of the cleanest techniques, and while he isn’t setting speed records, his pace and accuracy are a handful for all comers.
Player
Novak Djokovic
Country
Serbia
Height
188cm (6ft 2″)
Fastest serve speed
219 km/h (136 mph)
Age when serve hit
22
Tournament
2009 Madrid Masters
Career Average First Serve Speed
184 km/h (114.5 mph)
Rafael Nadal
Out of all Nadal’s attributes on a tennis court, his serve is the least impressive in terms of technique, spin, variation and speed, but when it’s working, it does bag him some free points.
While not the quickest, he’s tinkered around with it over the years, notably at the 2010 US Open, where he added ten miles per hour more than we’d seen before, and that is where he hit his career fastest serve of 135 mph.
Player
Rafael Nadal
Country
Spain
Height
185cm (6ft 1″)
Fastest serve speed
217 km/h (135 mph)
Age when serve hit
25
Tournament
2010 US Open
Career Average First Serve Speed
180 km/h (112 mph)
Dominic Thiem
Thiem’s serve has undergone several changes over the years, moving from pinpoint stance to platform, tweaking his motion between a long fluid swing to an abbreviated Monfils or Roddick style, and then back to a full fluid motion.
Player
Dominic Thiem
Country
Austria
Fastest serve speed
232 km/h (144 mph)
Height
185 cm (6ft 1″)
Highest rank
3
Age when serve hit
24
Tournament
2017 Gerry Weber Open
Career Average First Serve Speed
182 km/h (113mph)
Roger Federer
Undoubtedly one of the greatest servers of all time, Roger Federer can hit serves in the 130 mph range, with his fastest ever being 143 mph.
Rather than raw speed, Federer relies more on variety and states he rarely serves at 100% speed due to the associated drop-off with being able to land it accurately. Serving at high speed also puts a significant strain on the body, which with a history of back problems, is something the Swiss is keen to avoid.
Player
Roger Federer
Country
Switzerland
Fastest serve speed
230 km/h (143 mph)
Height
185 cm (6ft 1″)
Age when serve hit
29
Tournament
2010 Gerry Weber Open
Career Average First Serve Speed
187 km/h (116 mph)
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Player
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Country
Greece
Fastest serve speed
214 km/h (133 mph)
Height
193cm (6ft 4″)
Age when serve hit
20
Tournament
2018 Wimbledon
Career Average First Serve Speed
193 km/h (120mph)
Daniil Medvedev
Player
Daniil Medvedev
Country
Russia
Fastest serve speed
209 km/h (130 mph)
Height
198cm (6ft 6″)
Age when serve hit
23
Tournament
2018 Wimbledon
Career Average First Serve Speed
190 km/h (118mph)
Alexander Zverev
Player
Alexander Zverev
Country
Germany
Fastest serve speed
229 km/h (142mph)
Height
198cm (6ft 6″)
Age when serve hit
22
Tournament
2019 Wimbledon
Career Average First Serve Speed
201 km/h (125mph)
Does Height Help When It Comes To Serving?
The answer here is yes, and the data quickly proves it. Look at the graph below that shows the relationship between speed and height for the ten fastest serves of all time:
Can You Measure Your Serve Speed?
The costs of radar equipment a few years ago were prohibitively expensive, but as technology has advanced, prices have come down, and gadgets such as the Pocket Radar have made it more accessible.
The Pocket Radar is priced at $299 to $399, so for an individual, it’s probably not worth it as you would use it once in a blue moon. However, for a coach or a group buy at a tennis club, it’s a fun little tool to track improvement if you are trying to ramp up the mp/h.
Several apps promise to track server speed; this is usually done by following the ball via frames per second and working out distance over time. They likely could be more accurate, but they’re worth a go for a bit of fun.
Who Has The Best Serve?
I listed who I thought the Top 5 servers of all time were a few years ago; that list is due for an update, but here are my takes on the following:
Who has the best serve?
In terms of technique and fluidity, Milos Raonic.
Who has the hardest serve to return?
Unfortunately, I haven’t faced it, but it has to be John Isner.
Who has the most variety on serve?
Roger Federer, all from the same ball toss for great disguise.
Who has the most accurate serve?
Again, Roger Federer.
Who has the most reliable serve?
Of the players, I’ve seen, Pete Sampras.
How quickly do you serve? Have you faced any big servers at club level? Let me know in the comments.