Fastest Tennis Serve
By
Amelia Walker
Senior Content Writer Updated: 01 March 2024
Amelia Walker Senior Content Writer
Amelia Walker is a Senior Content Writer at Betting.US. She has a law degree and deep knowledge of the gambling laws in the United States. Her mission is to keep players informed about responsible gambling, while her passion for sports helps her create useful guides. Amelia has over a decade of experience in betting, which has positioned her as a trusted voice among our readers.
Fastest Serve in Tennis
- Fastest Men’s Tennis Serve
- Fastest Female Tennis Serve
- What Are the Fastest Tennis Serves in History?
- Average Speed of Serves
- Fastest Second Serves
- Notable Players’ Serve Speeds
- Frequently Asked Questions
The speed of a tennis serve is one of the most exciting aspects of the sport. The fastest players can hit balls well over 150 mph, putting immense pressure on opponents – along with making for great watching! In this blog post, we’ll break down some of the fastest tennis serves ever recorded. This will cover both men and women – and we’ll even be looking at the fastest second serves later, too! So, without further ado – let’s get started!
Fastest Men’s Tennis Serve
On the men’s tour, no one in history has officially served faster than John Isner’s 157.2 mph shot in the 2016 Davis Cup. However, Australian Sam Groth is recognized by many as the player with the fastest serve ever, coming in at a staggering 163.7 mph during a 2012 Challenger event. Standing at 6’11”, Groth used his towering physique to generate the immense power required to blast the ball so fast!
However, it’s important to point out that this event wasn’t ATP-sanctioned, meaning, in the record books, it’s Isner’s serve that’s official. Most, however, do give credit to Groth. Other big servers have come close to cracking the 160 mph barrier, including Ivo Karlovic, Albano Olivetti, and Nick Kyrgios. Andy Roddick’s 155 mph made the record books back in 2004, too. Today, you can even bet on serve speed at some online sportsbooks with tennis markets!
Fastest Female Tennis Serve
While male tennis players naturally have more power behind them, female players can also hit some impressively fast serves! At the time of writing, the record for fastest female tennis serve belongs to German player Sabine Lisicki, who hit a 131 mph shot at the 2014 Stanford Classic. However, faster serves have been hit at lower-level events without official speed tracking.
During a 2018 qualifying match, Spanish athlete Georgina Garcia Perez reportedly hit a 136.7 mph serve. If the technology used was accurate, this speed would rival the pace of many top seeds! Serbia’s Ivana Jorovic is said to have hit 128.6 mph in Fed Cup competition as well. However, as mentioned, these are unofficial speeds, and for the fastest female tennis service to be ‘official’ it needs to be at an authorized event.
Female tennis players have a long history of increasing their serve speed – as do men. For example, Russian player Anna Kournikova was the first woman documented to break the 120 mph barrier all the way back in 1998. Now, eight more women have joined the 120+ club and most top female players average over 110 mph on first serves.
Former world number ones Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Maria Sharapova have all hit serves over 120 mph in competitive matches. Rising WTA stars also have some impressive numbers behind them, like Canada’s Leylah Fernandez, Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, and America’s Amanda Anisimova. Then, you’ve got the teenage stars like Coco Gauff, Linda Fruhvirtova and Brenda Fruhvirtova who all can hit serves at speeds of 115+ mph!
What Are the Fastest Tennis Serves in History?
Throughout tennis history, there have been many players that have tried to claim the fastest serve in tennis history. On the men’s side, the debate for the fastest serve ever is between Australian Sam Groth’s 163.7 mph hit in 2012 and John Isner’s 157.2 mph serve in 2016. Groth’s serve is considered by many to be the true record holder, but it was not captured at an official ATP event – so it’s not official.
Other men like Ivo Karlovic, Andy Roddick, and Milos Raonic have cracked 155 mph in competition as well. And then, you’ve got the rising stars like Reilly Opelka and Felix Auger-Aliassime who are both regularly hitting 145+ mph shots.
On the women’s side, German player Sabine Lisicki holds the WTA-verified record at a cool 131 mph. But faster serves have been recorded at lower-level events, like Georgina Garcia Perez’s 136.7 mph hit. The Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova and Pliskova twins have all topped 120+ mph, too.
As racket technology improves and training methods evolve, we’re seeing more big serves across both tours. Already powerful players are better understanding how to utilize their size for increased power – and this leads to a faster serve! Expect serving speeds to continue rising over the next decade as new athletes enter the world of tennis, too! Here’s a quick rundown of the fastest tennis serves in history:
| Player | Speed |
|---|---|
| Sam Groth | 163.4 mph |
| Albano Olivetti | 160 mph |
| John Isner | 157.2 mph |
| Ivo Karlovic | 156 mph |
| Jerzy Janowicz | 156 mph |
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Average Speed of Serves
While the fastest tennis serve is the reason most readers will be on this page, there are also some other interesting factors to consider. For example, in this section, we’ll be looking at the average speed of serves. On the ATP Tour, for example, the typical first serve speed is 115.79 mph. To put that into perspective, the fastest men’s tennis serve was a whopping 48 mph faster than the average!
If you look at slightly lower-ranked players, you’ll typically find an average serve speed of between 90 and 100 mph. Of course, the actual speed varies a lot, depending on factors like experience, strength and serve technique.
The WTA has a lower average speed than the ATP, at 95 to 115 mph. Female players like Serena, Osaka, and Sabalenka sit at the top end of this scale, while the more ‘average’ pros serve slower.
But speed doesn’t tell the full story, as placement, spin, precision, and reliability also determine an effective serve. For instance, Rafael Nadal has carved out an all-time great career based on a well-constructed 117 mph serve, while plenty of other top professionals have serve speeds that fall outside of the top 100 fastest recorded serves. It’s not just about speed, after all; many players focus on balance, power, accuracy, and percentage rates rather than just speed.
If you’re interested in non-pro averages; recreational players usually serve between 50 and 90 mph – depending on their skill, size, power, and form.
Fastest Second Serves
While first serve speed is the most commonly tracked metric, second serves can also be hit impressively fast. Some players have very solid second serves that they only bring out when they need an ace or a service winner. Croatian Ivo Karlovic is said to hold the record for the fastest second serve in history at a whopping 144 mph. Karlovic recorded this feat back in 2007.
Other documented second serve records include American Ben Shelton’s 143 mph shot at the 2023 US Open, Nick Kyrgios’ 143 mph hit at 2019 Wimbledon, and Alexander Bublik’s 138 mph shot at the 2020 Citi Open. Don’t forget, though, that these players don’t hit their second serves this quickly all the time; they take a risk when they need to win a point, game, or set.
When it comes to averages; most second serves are hit between 90 and 130 mph – but this is top-level players. Lower-seeded players generally aim for around 90 mph for second serves, with many choosing to go even slower when they need to be cautious.
Notable Players’ Serve Speeds
Below, we’re going to look at a few of the world’s best-known tennis players and examine their serve speeds:
Andy Roddick
When Andy Roddick entered professional tennis, he brought unprecedented power that, many say, actually revolutionized the men’s world of tennis. Thanks to his 6’2″ frame, Roddick was able to serve at much higher speeds than most – and he was frequently recorded hitting 150 mph serves.
His fastest serve was back in 2004 when he was recorded at a massive 155 mph – setting, at the time, the world record for the fastest serve in tennis. Roddick ended up playing tennis for 15 years, winning 32 singles titles, and even enjoying a brief spell as the world’s number one.
Roger Federer
Roger Federer wasn’t one of the world’s best servers, but the Swiss icon always possessed well-rounded, adaptable skills. He’s also one of the most famous tennis players in history, known for his charming charisma, personality, and good looks. In 2010, he hit one of his fastest serves, coming in at 143 mph.
Especially earlier in his career, Federer regularly topped 130 mph, although near the end of his career, he slowed down his serve speed, focusing more on accurate deliveries. Still, the 20-time Grand Slam champion has spent over 310 weeks ranked number one, so it’s impossible to argue with his technique!
Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal has, like Federer, not been known as a power-server, but the Spaniard has racked up 19 Grand Slam wins, so again, it’s impossible to argue with his technique! In terms of serve speed, Nadal enjoyed his fastest recorded tennis serve in 2010, hitting it at 135 mph.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is arguably the best-known female tennis player in history – and while her sister, Venus, is also incredibly well-known, Serena is slightly more accomplished. Capable of overwhelming opponents from any court position, Serena regularly hit 125+ mph serves, a speed which would give most male players a serious run for their money! She’s also won the second-most Grand Slams of any female tennis player – a staggering 23 in total!
