Tennis
What is the fastest tennis serve ever recorded?
There are different techniques to serves in tennis and speed is one of the primary techniques used by tennis players to get one over their opponent. The fastest ever recorded did, however, not determine the outcome of the game but nonetheless stands as the record 12 years on.
The fasted serve in tennis ever recorded poses a bit of a dilemma owing to the technicalities around the recognition of serves by both the ATP and WTA.
Recorded in 2012 at the Busan Open in South Korea, the fastest serve was achieved by a right-handed Australian tennis player who had no acclaim in the sport, still finding his way in second-tier Challenger events.
In this article, we look at the fastest serve ever recorded and discuss the residual implications surrounding that record.
New serve record set in Busan Open by unknown Aussie
Ranked No.340 in the world and the former husband of fellow Aussie tennis player Jarmila Gajdosova, Sam Groth struck a thunderous serve against Belarus’ Vladzimir Ignatik.
Groth’s record-setting serve was clocked at an impressive 163.7 mph (263.4 km/h), surpassing Croat Ivo Karlovic’s record from the previous year in a doubles match at the Davis Cup, which stood at 156.0 (251.1 km/h).
The Aussie’s serve was a monumental feat considering how far it eclipsed the standing record as compared to other record-breaking serves. Groth obliterated Karlovic’s record by a staggering 7.7 mph (12.3 km/h), far greater than other players who merely shaved their peers’ records.
The record serve did, however, not translate into a victory as he was beaten by his opponent on the day, and to add insult to injury, his record was not officially recognised by the ATP.
Challenger event’s speed data not recognised by ATP
Although Groth set a remarkable achievement for himself, it is somewhat of a bitter pill to swallow that his record is not recognised by the body he subscribed to as a professional tennis player. The ATP’s rules around speed guns used at Challenger Events are somewhat self-contradictory.
The body does not recognise speed data from Challenger Events for several reasons, some of which suggest that the serve-speed guns used at that level are not of the highest standards, not very accurate and tend to have technical issues.
This might be frustrating for tennis players, as well as other stakeholders in the sport such as analysts and statisticians, since the equipment used at the Busan Open and other Challenger events was approved by the ATP.
The data from Busan was confirmed by the ATP making an announcement several days later, further corroborating its veracity and suggesting that it all appeared within normal range.
Does that mean Groth’s serve is not number 1?
Depending on how one views the standard measure of records and the contradictory nature of the ATP’s rules, Sam Groth’s serve is not officially recognised as number 1. That does not take away from the fact that he set a record, and a pronouncement was made upon it by the profession’s highest body.
Therefore, whenever mention is made of the fastest serve in tennis, his name will come up first before anyone delves into the semantics pertaining to the rules of ranking the fastest.
Josh Isner, who is third overall in terms of rankings after Albano Olivetti, whose 160 mph (257.5 km/h) serve set at the 2012 Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel-Faip in France is also not recognised by the ATP, is officially recognised as tennis’ holder of the fastest serve. His came in 2016 at the Davis Cup in a singles event, at 157.2 mph (253.0 km/h) and still stands at the time of writing.
With that in mind, let’s have a look at the top 5 serves in both the male and female divisions of tennis.
The fastest serve at Wimbledon belongs to Taylor Dent whose 136.7 mph (220 km/h) in a doubles match from 2010 stands till today.
Top 10 fastest male serves
Rank | Player | Speed | Event |
1 | Sam Groth* | 163.7 mph (263.4 km/h) | Busan Open Challenger, 2012 |
2 | Albano Olivetti* | 160.0 mph (257.8 km/h) | Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel-Faip, 2012 |
3 | John Isner | 157.2 mph (253.0 km/h) | Davis Cup, 2016 |
4 | Ivor Karlovic | 156.0 mph (251 km/h) | Davis Cup, 2011 |
5 | Jerzy Janowicz* | 156.0 mph (251 km/h) | Pekao Szczean Open, 2012 |
6 | Milos Raonic | 155.3 mph (249.9 km/h) | SAP Open, 2012 |
7 | Andy Roddick | 155 mph (249.9 km/h) | Davis Cup, 2012 |
8 | Chris Guccione* | 154.1 mph (248.0 km/h) | Davis Cup, 2006 |
9 | Joachim Johansson* | 152.0 mph (244.6 km/h) | Davis Cup. 2004 |
10 | Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard | 152.0 mph (244.6 km/h) | French Open, 2024 |
*Not recognised by the ATP
Does a fast serve guarantee a win?
We believe that to not be the case as was seen in Groth’s record-setting serve match against Uladzimir Ignatik. However, considering the dynamism in tennis matches, it might sway the overall match result.
Top 10 fastest female serves
Rank | Player | Speed | Event |
1 | Georgina Garcia Perez* | 136.7 mph (220 km/h) | Hungarian Ladies Open, 2018 |
2 | Aryna Sabalenka* | 133.0 mph (214 km/h) | WTA Elite Trophy, 2018 |
3 | Sabine Lisicki | 131.0 mph (210.8 km/h) | Standford, 2014 |
4 | Venus Williams | 129.0 mph (207.6 km/h) | US Open, 2007 |
5 | Alycia Parks | 129.0 mph (207.6 km/h) | US Open, 2021 |
6 | Serena Williams | 128.6 mph (207 km/h) | Australian Open, 2013 |
7 | Coco Gauff | 128.0 mph (206 km/h) | US Open, 2022 |
8 | Naomi Osaka | 127.4 mph (205 km/h) | Abu Dhabi Open, 2024 |
9 | Elena Rybakina* | 126.8 mph (204 km/h) | Abu Dhabi Open, 2024 |
10 | Caroline Garcia* | 126.1 mph (203 km/h) | Fed Cup, 2013 |
*Not recognised by the WTA
Sam Groth’s last hoorah in tennis
In 2018, the tennis serve record holder retired following the Australian Open where he lost in singles qualifying and made it as far as the quarter-finals in doubles with former world no. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.
Groth’s transition to politics was preceded by a stint as a host on Postcards for the Nine Network television network. In politics, he has more success than he had in his tennis career, having won a seat for the Liberal Party in the electoral district of Nepean.
His highest ranking in the ATP Singles events was No. 53 in August 2015 and No. 24 in doubles in the very same year in February. As far as titles go, luck or the brute ability to secure one were not on his side with his best singles result being a semi-final appearance at the 2014 Hall of fame Tennis Champions.
Jimmy is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and has a Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies. He’s a sports fanatic of several sporting disciplines which he is well versed with.