World’s Fastest Serves Ever Recorded
~ Men & Women
While the fastest tennis serves don’t guarantee success on the court, they can be a valuable weapon, and at the very least, they’re entertaining to watch.
In this article, I’ve rounded up the world’s fastest men’s and women’s tennis serves recorded throughout history, along with some of the fastest serves hit by some of the game’s most popular players.
The Fastest Serve Ever
On May 9, 2012, in Busan, South Korea, Australian Sam Groth hit the world’s fastest serve at 163.7 mph (263.4 kph). This serve came during his second-round Challenger match at the Busan Open against Uladzimir Ignatik from Belarus, in which Groth lost 4-6, 3-6.
Groth was born on Oct. 19, 1987, in New South Wales, Australia. He’s a right-handed tennis player who is 6’11” (193 cm) and turned pro in 2006. In 2010, he achieved a career-high of No. 53 in the world.
The video recording of his serve is pretty low quality, so I’ve included this video and a compilation of other videos showcasing his serve to give you a sense of his massive serve.
Average Serve Speed
It’s helpful to consider the average speed of serves in tennis to better understand the speeds of those listed in this article.
Here are the averages based on data gathered from over 100 ATP Tour players, which you can use as a point of reference.
- Average First Serve Speed: 115.79 mph (186.35 km/h)
- Average Second Serve Speed: 94.44 mph (151.98 km/h)
- Average Serve Speed: 109.75 mph (176.62 km/h)
With that in mind, the fastest recorded in men’s tennis is 77 km/h (48 mph), or 41% faster than the average first serve speed.
Men’s Top 20
Here, you’ll find a list of the fastest ATP tennis serves ever recorded.
Please keep in mind that I’ve listed each player only once on the list, with their single highest speed. Also, you can scroll left to right to view the entire data set.
| Rank | Country | Player | Speed | Height | Event |
| 1 | AUS | Sam Groth | 263 km/h (163.4 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2012 Busan Open |
| 2 | FRA | Albano Olivetti | 257.5 km/h (160 mph) | 6’8″ (203 cm) | 2012 Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel–Faip |
| 3 | USA | John Isner | 253 km/h (157.2 mph) | 6’10” (208 cm) | 2016 Davis Cup |
| 4 | HRV | Ivo Karlović | 251.1 km/h (156 mph) | 6’11” (211 cm) | 2011 Davis Cup |
| 4 | POL | Jerzy Janowicz | 251.1 km/h (156 mph) | 6’8″(203 cm) | 2012 Pekao Szczecin Open |
| 5 | CAN | Milos Raonic | 250.0 km/h (155.3 mph) | 6’5″ (196 cm) | 2012 Rogers Cup |
| 6 | USA | Andy Roddick | 249.4 km/h (155 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2004 Davis Cup |
| 7 | AUS | Chris Guccione | 248.0 km/h (154.1 mph) | 6’7″ (201 cm) | 2006 Davis Cup |
| 8 | SWE | Joachim Johansson | 244.6 km/h (152 mph) | 6’6″ (198 cm) | 2004 Davis Cup |
| 8 | ESP | Feliciano López | 244.6 km/h (152 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2014 Aegon Championships |
| 9 | ROU | Marius Copil | 244.0 km/h (151.6 mph) | 6’3″ (191 cm) | 2016 European Open |
| 10 | POL | Hubert Hurkacz | 243.0 km/h (151.0 mph) | 6’5″ (196 cm) | 2016 Davis Cup |
| 10 | DEU | Oscar Otte | 243.0 km/h (151.0 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2021 US Open |
| 11 | USA | Taylor Dent | 241.4 km/h (150 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2010 SAP Open |
| 12 | LVA | Ernests Gulbis | 240.3 km/h (149.3 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2007 St. Petersburg Open |
| 13 | ARG | Juan Martín del Potro | 240.0 km/h (149.1 mph) | 6’6″ (198 cm) | 2017 Stockholm Open |
| 14 | USA | Ben Shelton | 239.8 km/h (149 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2023 US Open |
| 14 | GBR | Greg Rusedski | 239.8 km/h (149 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 1998 Newsweek Champions Cup |
| 15 | RUS | Dmitry Tursunov | 237.0 km/h (147.25 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2006 Davis Cup |
| 15 | RUS | Marat Safin | 237.0 km/h (147.3 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2007 Davis Cup |
| 15 | FRA | Jo-Wilfried Tsonga | 237.0 km/h (147.25 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2014 Rogers Cup |
| 15 | USA | Framces Tiafoe | 237.0 km/h (147.3 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2018 Estoril Open |
| 15 | USA | Reilly Opelka | 237.0 km/h (147.3 mph) | 6’11” (211 cm) | 2022 Sydney |
| 15 | ESP | Bernabé Zapata Miralles | 237.0 km/h (147.3 mph) | 6’0″ (183 cm) | 2022 Monte-Carlo |
| 16 | USA | Taylor Fritz | 236.6 km/h (147.0 mph) | 6’5″ (196 cm) | 2020 US Open |
| 16 | USA | Ben Shelton | 236.6 km/h (147.0 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2023 BNP Paribas Open |
| 16 | DEU | Alexander Zverev | 236.6 km/h (147.0 mph) | 6’6″ (198 cm) | 2021 Indian Wells |
| 17 | CHL | Fernando González | 236.0 km/h (146.6 mph) | 6’0″ (183 cm) | 2007 Italian Open |
| 18 | FRA | Gaël Monfils | 235.0 km/h (146 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2007 Legg Mason Tennis Classic |
| 18 | SRB | Dušan Vemić | 235.0 km/h (146 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2008 Countrywide Classic |
| 18 | HRV | Marin Čilić | 235.0 km/h (146 mph) | 6’6″ (198 cm) | 2016 Davis Cup |
| 18 | ITA | Matteo Berrettini | 235.0 km/h (146.0 mph) | 6’5″ (196 cm) | 2021 Mutua Madrid Open |
| 19 | HRV | Ivan Ljubičić | 234.0 km/h (145.4 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2005 Mutua Madrileña Masters Madrid |
| 19 | LTU | Ričardas Berankis | 234.0 km/h (145.5 mph) | 5’9″ (175 cm) | 2011 Open d’Orléans |
| 19 | CHE | Stan Wawrinka | 234.0 km/h (145.5 mph) | 6’0″ (183 cm) | 2014 Davis Cup |
| 20 | BGR | Grigor Dimitrov | 233.4 km/h (145 mph) | 6’3″ (191 cm) | 2013 Aegon Championships |
| 20 | SRB | Viktor Troicki | 233.4 km/h (145 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2017 Davis Cup |
| 21 | CHL | Nicholás Jarry | 233.0 km/h (144.8 mph) | 6’6″ (198 cm) | 2018 Davis Cup |
| 22 | ESP | Fernando Verdasco | 232.0 km/h (144.2 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2009 French Open |
| 22 | AUT | Dominic Thiem | 232.0 km/h (144.2 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2017 Gerry Weber Open |
| 23 | USA | Mardy Fish | 231.7 km/h (144 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2007 Pacific Life Open |
| 23 | POL | Marcin Matkowski | 231.7 km/h (144 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2009 ATP World Tour Finals |
| 24 | SWE | Robin Söderling | 230.0 km/h (143 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2010 ATP World Tour Finals |
| 24 | DEU | Daniel Brands | 230.0 km/h (143 mph) | 6’5″ (196 cm) | 2011 Intersport Heilbronn Open |
| 24 | CZE | Jiří Veselý | 230.0 km/h (143 mph) | 6’6″ (198 cm) | 2014 Wimbledon |
| 25 | GEO | Nikoloz Basilashvili | 230.1 km/h (143.0 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2017 Wimbledon |
| 25 | KAZ | Alexander Bulbik | 230.1 km/h (143.0 mph) | 6’5″ (196 cm) | 2022 Indian Wells |
| 26 | NLD | Martin Verkerk | 230.0 km/h (143 mph) | 6’3″ (191 cm) | 2003 Breil Milano Indoor |
| 26 | CHE | Roger Federer | 230.0 km/h (143 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2010 Gerry Weber Open |
| 26 | ESP | Nicolás Almagro | 230.0 km/h (143 mph) | 6’0″ (183 cm) | 2016 Argentina Open |
| 26 | SRB | Laslo Djere | 230.0 km/h (142.9 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2022 Italian Open |
| 26 | DEU | Mats Rosenkranz | 230.0 km/h (142.9 mph) | 6’4″ (193 cm) | 2022 Mallorca |
*It’s worth noting that the serves highlighted on this list are not officially recognized by the ATP as the fastest ever recorded. The oldest is listed when a player hits the same serve speed twice.
**Highlighted serves are not recognized by the ATP.
Unfortunately, most of the fastest men’s serves aren’t available online for us to share here. I’ve compiled a playlist that showcases each player on my list so you can see them in action, but in most cases, it’s not their fastest. Sit back and enjoy!
Here are a few notes that sum up the list of fastest men’s serves:
- The average speed is 148 mph (238 km/h)
- The median speed is 146 mph (236.6 km/h)
- Serve speed in mph ranges from 142.9 mph to 163.4 mph (20.5 mph)
- Serve speed in km/h ranges from 230 km/h to 263 km/h (33km/h)
- Player height in feet ranges from 5’9″ to 6’11” (1’2″)
- Player height in cm ranges from 175 cm to 211 cm (36 cm)
- The earliest serve on the list goes back to 1998, while the most recent as of the writing of this article is 2023, for a 25-year spread
Here’s a breakdown by country, where each country has at least two players on the list:
- United States 8
- Spain 4
- Germany 4
- France 3
- Croatia 3
- Poland 3
- Serbia 3
- Australia 2
- Sweden 2
- Russia 2
- Chile 2
- Switzerland 2
Popular ATP Players
Some of the biggest names in tennis have fantastic serves, but they rely on placement, consistency, and other parts of their games for success.
While you can’t underestimate the importance of quality serving at any level of tennis, a few of the following players show that a faster serve doesn’t necessarily equate to a better player.
Let’s look at some of the top speeds hit by some of the biggest names in tennis and a few others that come up from time to time. Click any of the links below to jump to learn more about each serve.
- John Isner – 253 km/h (157.2 mph)
- Milos Raonic – 250 km/h (155.3 mph)
- Andy Roddick – 249.4 km/h (155 mph)
- Roscoe Tanner – 246 km/h (153 mph)
- 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)
- Roger Federer – 230 km/h (143 mph)
- Novak Djokovic – 219 km/h (136 mph)
- Rafael Nadal – 217 km/h (135 mph)
John Isner
John Isner stands at a massive 6’10” and dwarfs most of his opponents. The right-hander from Greensboro, NC, takes full advantage of his height as one of the biggest servers on tour, and he holds the fastest ever recorded that the ATP officially recognizes. His 157.2 mph (253 km/h) serve came in 2016 at the Davis Cup, when he played and defeated Australian Bernard Tomic.
Milos Raonic
Over the years, Raonic’s dominant serve has garnered a lot of attention. The right-handed Canadian is 6’5″ and regularly hits massive serves, which have been the centerpiece of his game since he joined the ATP tour in 2008. In 2012, in front of his home crowd at the Rogers Cup, Milos recorded his fastest ever at 155.3 mph (250 km/h) against another one of the game’s biggest servers, Viktor Troicki.
Andy Roddick
Throughout his career, Andy Roddick’s biggest weapon was his serve, which, along with his huge forehand, allowed him to capture the world’s No. 1 ranking in 2003. Roddick hit 155 mph (249.4 km/h) in the semifinal of the 2004 Davis Cup against Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus.
Roscoe Tanner
Well known for his big lefty serve, Roscoe Tanner is a former Grand Slam champion and world No. 4 whose serve reached a top speed of 153 mph (246 km/h) in 1978 at the American Airlines Tennis Games.
Alexander Zverev
Although Alexander Zverev is somewhat famous for his inconsistent second serve, he can blast first serves with the best of them. In 2021 at the Indian Wells Masters, Zverev hit 147 mph (236.6 km/h), aided by his impressive 6’6″ (198 cm) height.
Andy Murray
At 6’3″, Andy Murray has always been able to crank up his serve, and his top speed of 145 mph, which he clocked at the 2007 SAP Open in San Jose while playing Kevin Kim, proving he’s no slouch when it comes to turning up the heat. His second fastest is 145 mph, which he hit at the 2016 US Open vs. Grigor Dimitrov.
Nick Kyrigios
One of the ATP Tour’s most dynamic players, Nick Kyrigios, is well-known for his raw talent, athleticism, and explosive shot-making. In particular, his serve is one of his biggest weapons, which he can hit with significant variety and pace. In 2019 at Wimbledon, Nick clocked his fastest-ever serve speed while playing Rafael Nadal during the second round.
Roger Federer
While Roger Federer doesn’t top the list of biggest servers, he scrapes his way onto it with a highly respectable 143 mph serve. Without question, Federer’s serve is a lethal weapon and arguably the best the game has ever seen because of his incredible accuracy and consistency.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic hasn’t necessarily had a reputation for being one of the best serves in the game. However, his serve is a reliable weapon that, when combined with his well-rounded game and speed on the court, has helped him become one of the top men’s players of all time.
Rafael Nadal
Rafa isn’t known for his serve, which is why it’s surprising to see him on the list, but he does have an incredibly solid serve that we believe to be underrated. Of course, he backs his serve up with an even more impressive game.
Women’s Top 10
Next, I’ve listed the fastest WTA serves ever recorded. In this section, I’ve pared it down to the top 10 and only listed each player once.
What’s better than a list of the fastest women’s serves? A collection of videos showcasing each of the players on my list serving. Unfortunately, most of the women’s serves weren’t caught on video or aren’t publicly available, so I’ve compiled examples of their serves.
You can scroll left to right to view the entire data set.
| Rank | Country | Player | Speed | Height | Event |
| 1 | ESP | Georgina Garcia Pérez | 220.0 km/h (136.7 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2018 Hungarian Ladies Open |
| 2 | BEL | Aryna Sabalenka | 214.0 km/h (133.0 mph) | 5’11” (182 cm) | 2018 WTA Elite Trophy |
| 3 | DEU | Sabine Lisicki | 210.8 km/h (131.0 mph) | 5’10” (178 cm) | 2014 Stanford Classic |
| 4 | NLD | Brenda Schultz-McCarthy | 209.2 km/h (130.0 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2006 Cincinnati Masters (Qualifiers) |
| 5 | USA | Venus Williams | 207.6 km/h (129 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2007 US Open |
| 5 | USA | Alycia Parks | 207.6 km/h (129.0 mph) | 6’1″ (185 cm) | 2021 US Open |
| 5 | AUS | Ajla Tomljanović | 207.6 km/h (129.0 mph) | 5’11” (180 cm) | 2018 Cincinnati Masters |
| 6 | USA | Serena Williams | 207.0 km/h (128.6 mph) | 5’9″ (175 cm) | 2013 Australian Open |
| 6 | SRB | Ivana Jorović | 207.0 km/h (129 mph) | 5’7″ (174 cm) | 2017 Fed Cup |
| 7 | USA | Coco Gauff | 206.0 km/h (128.0 mph) | 5’9″ (175 cm) | 2022 US Open |
| 8 | DEU | Julia Goerges | 203.0 km/h (126.1 mph) | 5’11” (180 cm) | 2012 French Open |
| 8 | FRA | Caroline Garcia | 203.0 km/h (126.1 mph) | 5’10” (177 cm) | 2016 Fed Cup |
| 9 | NLD | Brenda Schultz-McCarthy | 202.7 km/h (126.0 mph) | 6’2″ (188 cm) | 2007 Indian Wells Masters |
| 10 | UKR | Nadiia Kichenok | 202.0 km/h (125.5 mph) | 5’7″ (172 cm) | 2014 Australian Open |
| 11 | CZE | Lucie Hradecká | 201.2 km/h (125.0 mph) | 5’10” (177 cm) | 2015 Wimbledon |
| 12 | DEU | Anna-Lena Groenefeld | 201.1 km/h (125.0 mph) | 5’11” (180 cm) | 2009 Indian Wells Masters |
| 13 | JPN | Naomi Osaka | 201.0 km/h (125.0 mph) | 5’11” (180 cm) | 2016 US Open |
| 13 | SRB | Anna Ivanovic | 201.0 km/h (125.0 mph) | 6’0″ (184 cm) | 2007 French Open |
| 13 | CZE | Denisa Allertová | 201.0 km/h (125.0 mph) | 5’11” (180 cm) | 2015 Australian Open |
| 13 | USA | Bernarda Pera | 201.0 km/h (125.0 mph) | 5’9″ (176 cm) | 2021 US Open |
| 13 | RUS | Liudmila Samsonova | 201.0 km/h (125.0 mph) | 5’11” (182 cm) | 2023 Dubai |
| 14 | FRA | Kristina Mladenovic | 200.0 km/h (124.3 mph) | 6’0″ (184 cm) | 2009 French Open |
*The oldest is listed when a player hits the same serve speed twice.
**Highlighted serves are not recognized by the WTA.
Here are a few takeaways from our list of the fastest women’s serves in tennis:
- The average speed is 126 mph (205.2 km/h)
- The median speed is 126 mph (203 km/h
- Serve speed in mph ranges from 136.6 mph to 124.3 mph (12.4 mph)
- Serve speed in km/h ranges from 200 km/h to 220 km/h (20km/h)
- Player height in feet ranges from 5’7″ to 6’2″ (7″)
- Player height in cm ranges from 144 cm to 188 cm (44 cm)
- The earliest serve on the list goes back to 2007, while the most recent as of the writing of this article is 2023, for an 16-year spread
Here’s a breakdown of serves by country, where each has at least two players on the list:
- United States 5
- Germany 3
- France 2
- Serbia 2
- Netherlands 2
- Czech Republic 2
Popular WTA Players
In recent years, the WTA has seen a significant boost in the number of women hitting big serves, and the speeds also top many of the men on the ATP tour.
Here are a few ladies that my community regularly asks about when it comes to the top speeds on the WTA. Click any of the links below to jump to learn more about each serve.
Aryna Sabalenka
With a powerful baseline game and serve, Aryna Sabalenka has cemented herself as one of the WTA’s elite players. Her serve speed has topped out at 133.0 mph (214 km/h), number two on my list of the fastest ever. She achieved the feat in 2018 at the WTA Elite Trophy, a year-end tournament.
Sabine Lisicki
The powerful right-hander from Germany broke into the No. 1 slot when she topped Venus Williams in the first round of the Bank of the West Classic in 2014 against Ana Ivanovic, who eventually went on to win the match.
Venus Williams
Both Williams sisters make the list of the top 10 fastest women’s servers, but Venus sits at No. 3 on the list with a 129 mph serve that she held as the fastest for seven years before Sabine Lisicki broke that record in 2014. Venus remains one of the best servers on the WTA tour.
Alycia Parks
Another big-hitting female tennis player on my list, Alycia Parks, has an explosive game, which includes one of the WTA’s biggest serves. In 2021 she hit her biggest ever at 129 mph (207.6 km/h), which she clocked during her first-round match against Olga Danilovic.
Serena Williams
Serena’s dominance in the WTA is indisputable, and her serve a crucial part of her game. While she doesn’t top the list of fastest women’s servers, there’s no doubt Serena is an all-time great when it comes to her serving prowess.
Coco Gauff
Since turning pro in 2018, Coco Gauff has had one of the more powerful games on tour, and her career best is proof. At the young age of 18, Coco hit her top speed, which reached 128 mph (206 km/h) while playing at the 2022 US Open. Born in 2004, she’ll have plenty of opportunities to break her record.
Naomi Osaka
Four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka is one of the WTA’s brightest talents whose well-rounded game includes a powerful serve that’s a crucial element in her success. At the 2016 US Open, she hit her fastest at 125 mph (201 km/h) and still has plenty of time left in her career to one-up this number.
Maria Sharapova
Now retired, Maria Sharapova possessed a powerful baseline game that she complemented with a big serve courtesy of her 6’2” height. Earlier in her career, Maria blasted her biggest serve at 121 mph (194 km/h) in the semifinals of the 2010 Aegon Classic while playing against Alison Riske.
Common Questions
What is the fastest male tennis serve ever recorded?
The fastest male tennis serve ever recorded was a record 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) in 2012 by Sam Groth of Australia.
What is the fastest female tennis serve ever recorded?
The fastest female tennis serve ever recorded was a record 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 ever recorded at Wimbledon was 238.2 km/h (148 mph) in 2010 by Taylor Dent. Andy Roddick has the second-biggest ever recorded at Wimbledon in 2004 at 235 km/h (146 mph), and in 2017 Milos Raonic clocked the third-fastest at 233.3 km/h (145 mph).
What is the fastest serve ever recorded at the Australian Open?
The biggest serve ever at the Australian Open was 242 km/h (150 mph) by Marius Copil of Romania in 2015. Previously, American Taylor Dent held the fastest ever recorded at the Australian Open at 231 km/h (144 mph) in 2006.
What is the fastest serve ever recorded at the US Open?
During his fourth-round singles match, German tennis player Oscar Otte hit the fastest tennis serve ever at the 2021 US Open, clocking a speed of 243 km/hr (151 mpg). Previously, Taylor Fritz held the record, serving 236.6 (147 mph) during his third-round match in 2020.
What is the fastest serve ever recorded at the French Open?
In 2009, Fernando Verdasco hit the French Open’s biggest serve with a speed of 232 km/h (144.2 mph).
What is the fastest serve ever returned?
The top speed ever returned was a 244.6 km/h (152 mph) serve by Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden while playing Andy Roddick in the 2004 Davis Cup quarterfinals. It was the last point of the match.
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