Fastest Tennis Serves Ever Recorded – Men And Women [Updated 2023]
A fast serve gives tennis players many advantages. Opponents are less likely to return the ball and the server gets free points. Consistently fast service doesn’t have to expend energy in long rallies and can finish matches quickly.
Fastest serve ever recorded
Sam Groth – 163.4 mph (263 km/h)
Australian player Sam Groth served the fastest serve ever recorded at 163.4 mph (263 km/h) at the ATP Challenger Busan Open in South Korea. Groth was playing Uladzimir Ignatik in the second-round match, which Groth went onto lose 4-6, 3-6.
Sam Groth reached a career-high singles ranking of 53 in 2015. Groth is 6 ft 4 in (1.94 m) tall and was known for his big serve on the tour.
Look at Groth’s serve in the grainy video.
Though Groth hit the fastest serve ever in an ATP Challenger match, ATP does not formally recognize speed records made in Challenger events. This is because of a lack of uniformity in the radar guns used in these tournaments.
But it is worth noting that Groth’s serve was recorded using ATP-approved equipment and the data collected appeared within range. But rules are rules, and Groth’s fastest serve is unofficial.
Here is a list of the faster serves recorded on the men’s tour. Note that each player is listed only once with their fastest serve.
Men’s Fastest Serves
John Isner (Fastest Serve – 157.2 mph)
John Isner holds the record for the fastest serve recognized by the ATP. Isner is 6 ft 10 in and has one of the biggest serves on the tour. His serve against Bernard Tomic clocked at 157.2 mph (253 km/h) at the 2016 Davis Cup against Australia.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (Fastest Serve – 156.6 mph)
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina served a 156.6 mph (252 km/h) serve at the 2022 Italian Open
Ivo Karlovic (Fastest Serve – 156 mph)
Croatina player Karlovic, whose nickname is Dr. Ivo, hit a 156.0 mph (251 km/h) serve in a Davis Cup match against Germany in 2011.
Andy Roddick (Fastest Serve – 155 mph)
Andy Roddick hit a 155 mph (249.4 km/h) in the 2004 Davis Cup semifinal against Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus. Andy Roddick’s game was powered by a big serve. His opponents often struggled to return the ball and often his service games would be over in less than a minute.
Milos Raonic (Fastest Serve – 155 mph)
Canadian player Milos Raonic hit 155 mph (249.4 km/h) serve at the 2012 SAP Open. Raonic reached the Wimbledon singles final in 2016 on the back of his big serve.
Here are the fastest serve speeds of top men’s players.
Roger Federer (Fastest Serve – 143 mph)
Roger Federer has an effective serve but it is not necessarily the fastest. His accurate placement of the serve and his consistency win him free points. Federer’s average serve speed is between 125 to 130 mph. Federer’s fastest serve was at 143 mph (230.1 km/h)
Rafael Nadal (Fastest Serve – 135 mph)
Rafael Nadal has a powerful game to beat anyone but his serve is not one of the fastest on the tour. His fastest serve was 135 mph (217 km/hr) at the 2010 US Open.
Andy Murray (Fastest Serve – 141 mph)
Andy Murray, the best tennis player from Britain in a generation served 141 mph (226.9 km/h) at the 2016 US Open against Grigor Dimitrov.
Novak Djokovic (Fastest Serve – 136 mph)
Novak Djokovic doesn’t serve very fast but he has a fantastic serve that helps the rest of his game. His fastest serve was at the 2009 Madrid Masters where he served at 136 mph (219 km/h)
Women’s Fastest Serves
Sabine Lisicki (Fastest Serve – 131 mph)
German player Sabine Lisicki served 131.0 mph (210.8 km/h) serve against Ana Ivanovic at Bank of the West Classic in 2014. Lisicki reached the Wimbledon singles final in 2013.
Venus Williams (Fastest Serve – 129 mph)
Venus Williams held the record for the fastest serve until Sabine Lisicki topper her speed in 2014. Venus Williams’s fastest serve was 129.0 mph (207.6 km/h) at the 2007 US Open.
Serena Williams (Fastest Serve 128.6 mph)
With 23 grand slams, Serena Williams is one of the most successful female tennis players ever to play the game.
Serena Williams is one of the fastest servers on the women’s tour. Her fastest serve came at the 2013 Australian Open when she served at 128.6 mph (207 km/h).