Serve velocity has been and continues to be considered one of tennis’ main speaking factors. Even within the early Twenties, the speak of the city was Invoice Tilden’s cannonball serve, which was stated to have been clocked at 163.3 miles per hour.
Tilden used that weapon to dominate the opposite gamers of that period. Whereas an enormous serve right now doesn’t assure success on tour, gamers 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.
Whereas experiences of huge serves from yesteryear are laborious to confirm, the introduction of outsized racquets made out of graphite within the Eighties noticed the common gamers bounce up considerably in velocity, virtually to the purpose that the human eye might not sustain with the ball.
That noticed the introduction of the well-known Cyclops’ infrared beams, and later the Hawk-Eye system, to assist line judges name the traces on serves.
Assisted line judging expertise wasn’t the one tech to be launched, although, and on the Worldwide Gamers Championships in Miami in the course of the 1989 season, the game debuted a chunk of equipment that measured the velocity of a serve —a radar gun.
Beforehand serve speeds had been measured with unreliable expertise like a ballistic chronometer, however the radar gun supplied sooner, extra exact readings and, maybe, extra importantly, gave the tour a numerical speaking level that may very well be used to advertise the sport and its star gamers.
This publish seems on the world’s quickest males’s and girls’s tennis serves recorded all through historical past, how necessary an enormous serve is and whether or not or not the gamers profitable the large titles are those with the largest serves. Let’s have a look.
Fast Details
What’s the quickest male tennis serve ever recorded?
The quickest male tennis serve recorded was 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) in 2012 by Sam Groth of Australia. On the ATP degree, John Isner holds the ATP’s official document for the quickest serve at 253 km/h (157.2 mph).
What’s the quickest feminine tennis serve ever recorded?
The quickest feminine tennis serve was ever recorded at 220 km/h (136.7 mph) in 2018 by Georgina Garcia Pérez of Spain.
What’s the quickest serve ever recorded at Wimbledon?
The quickest 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’s the Quickest Tennis Server Ever Recorded?
On Could 9, 2012, at a Challenger occasion in Busan, South Korea, Australian Sam Groth hit the world’s quickest serve recorded at 163.7 mph (263.4 kph).
This bullet of a serve got here three match factors down throughout his second-round match in opposition to Uladzimir Ignatik from Belarus. Groth misplaced the match 4-6, 3-6. You’ll be able to see his serve within the grainy video under:
Groth has a cumbersome muscular construct however somewhat than a brief, stocky man; he stands at 6’4” (193 cm), giving him loads of uncooked energy and lengthy levers to get the racquet by means of at excessive speeds.
Some clearer footage from Groth’s match in opposition to Federer at Wimbledon in 2015, the place he clocked 147 mph on serve, additionally highlights that his record-breaking serve was no fluke. Try that floor power activation and the way he will get his physique weight by means of the shot.
Is that this the quickest serve ever recorded?
Sure and no. Groth’s serve passed off on the Challenger occasion, and the ATP doesn’t formally recognise service velocity information made on the Challenger degree because of an absence of uniformity, availability, and calibration of radar weapons.
However, Groth’s serve velocity of 263 km/h (163.4 mph) recorded in Busan was measured utilizing ATP-approved gear, and different information gathered appeared inside a standard vary.
On the ATP degree, John Isner holds the ATP’s official document for the quickest serve at 253 km/h (157.2 mph).
Who’re the Quickest Servers in Tennis?
Whereas the ATP, WTA and ITF don’t preserve or publish official serve velocity rankings, an entire dataset belongs to SportsMEDIA Know-how (SMT), who’ve been monitoring serve speeds for over 20 years.
In fact, serve velocity isn’t captured on each courtroom at each event, and typically the expertise used isn’t the identical at each venue. Nonetheless, there’s sufficient information to know what’s bodily attainable and who the largest servers are on tour.
Males’s High 42 Quickest Serves Ever (ATP)
I’ve included under a listing of the quickest servers in ATP historical past. Gamers can solely be listed as soon as, with their quickest serve being the one within the desk.
Standards
Males’s serves have to be recorded at or over 230 km/h (143 mph) minimal normal velocity.
Just one serve per participant is recorded right here. For instance, Andy Roddick has many serves over 143 mph, however solely his quickest at 249 km/h (155 mph) is included
In circumstances the place a couple of service has been recorded on the identical velocity by completely different gamers, the oldest recorded serve is listed first.
Rank
Participant
Velocity
Occasion
Kind
Spherical
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 Event
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 Traditional
Singles
QF
Dušan Vemić
235.0 km/h (146.0 mph)
2008 Countrywide Traditional
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
Ladies’s High 21 Quickest Serves Ever (WTA)
I’ve included under a listing of the quickest servers in WTA historical past. Gamers can solely be listed as soon as, with their quickest serve being the one within the desk.
Standards
Ladies’s serves have to be recorded at or over 200 km/h (124 mph) minimal normal velocity
Just one serve per participant is recorded right here. For instance, Serena Williams has a whole lot of serves above 200 km/h, however solely her quickest at 207 km/h (128.6 mph) is included
In circumstances the place a couple of service has been recorded on the identical velocity by completely different gamers, the oldest recorded serve is listed first
Rank
Participant
Velocity
Occasion
1
Georgina García Pérez
220 km/h (136.7 mph)
2018 Hungarian Girls 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 Quick Serves – Actuality or Folklore?
Earlier than the radar gun got here on the scene within the Eighties, serve velocity needed to be measured utilizing strategies that had been solely partially as correct.
For instance, Roscoe Tanner’s serve velocity was registered at 153 mph at Palm Springs in 1978 in the course of the last in opposition to Raúl Ramírez utilizing older gear.
It’s additionally stated that Invoice Tilden, pictured above, had a serve clocked at 163.3 mph, however sadly, there’s nothing concrete to confirm that.
So is that this the quickest serve with a wood racquet, or is it simply folklore that’s had a couple of miles per hour added over time? With the right method and biomechanics, we all know 150mph is feasible however 163mph? Unlikely.
How Quick is a School or Excessive College Serve?
Just like the ATP and WTA excursions, serve speeds vary broadly on the school and highschool degree. Whereas common first-serve speeds on the ATP tour might be greater than school gamers, loads of school and leisure gamers can fireplace down tremendous fast serves.
Gamers like Steve Johnson, who got here by means of the school system, usually hit 130 mph on serve throughout their Division 1 years, and with the right method, kinetic switch and sufficient follow, breaking the 130 mph barrier is just not out of attain for lots of athletes, even when the remainder of their recreation isn’t as much as scratch.
Does the Quickest Serve Imply the Finest Serve?
Whereas a quick first serve is undoubtedly a priceless software within the arsenal, tennis is a multi-faceted recreation and setting information on the velocity gun solely typically interprets to success.
Have a look at the quickest recorded server of all time, Sam Groth. He made it to 24 on the earth however has but to make it previous the third spherical of a Grand Slam. Whereas his serve was a key driver in attaining that rating, it wasn’t sufficient to propel him to the higher echelons of the game.
Examine that to 2 gamers who don’t even characteristic within the desk above, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. They’ve 45 Grand Slam titles however hardly ever exceed the 125 mp/h mark. Nonetheless, they’ve each hit prime speeds of 136 mp/h (219 km/h) and 135 mp/h, respectively, which can’t be sniffed at.
Federer, who does make the listing of the quickest ever, stated in an interview in 2005 that he by no means serves at 100% velocity as you lose accuracy. He believed that once you’re across the 120 mph mark, that’s fast sufficient, and accuracy issues extra.
What Serve Speeds Do the High Gamers within the World Serve At?
The very best-ranked gamers naturally have good serves, however somewhat than the uncooked velocity, they usually depend on placement, consistency and selection to win matches. Let’s take a look at what speeds among the present High 10 generate.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic has one of the vital improved serves on tour and, below Becker’s tutelage, turned a weak point right into a power.
The Serb ditched the yippy bowling movement into one of many cleanest strategies, and whereas he isn’t setting velocity information, his tempo and accuracy are a handful for all comers.
Participant
Novak Djokovic
Nation
Serbia
Peak
188cm (6ft 2″)
Quickest serve velocity
219 km/h (136 mph)
Age when serve hit
22
Event
2009 Madrid Masters
Profession Common First Serve Velocity
184 km/h (114.5 mph)
Rafael Nadal
Out of all Nadal’s attributes on a tennis courtroom, his serve is the least spectacular when it comes to method, spin, variation and velocity, however when it’s working, it does bag him some free factors.
Whereas not the quickest, he’s tinkered round with it over time, notably on the 2010 US Open, the place he added ten miles per hour greater than we’d seen earlier than, and that’s the place he hit his profession quickest serve of 135 mph.
Participant
Rafael Nadal
Nation
Spain
Peak
185cm (6ft 1″)
Quickest serve velocity
217 km/h (135 mph)
Age when serve hit
25
Event
2010 US Open
Profession Common First Serve Velocity
180 km/h (112 mph)
Dominic Thiem
Thiem’s serve has undergone a number of adjustments over time, transferring from pinpoint stance to platform, tweaking his movement between a protracted fluid swing to an abbreviated Monfils or Roddick type, after which again to a full fluid movement.
Participant
Dominic Thiem
Nation
Austria
Quickest serve velocity
232 km/h (144 mph)
Peak
185 cm (6ft 1″)
Highest rank
3
Age when serve hit
24
Event
2017 Gerry Weber Open
Profession Common First Serve Velocity
182 km/h (113mph)
Roger Federer
Undoubtedly one of many best servers of all time, Roger Federer can hit serves within the 130 mph vary, along with his quickest ever being 143 mph.
Slightly than uncooked velocity, Federer depends extra on selection and states he hardly ever serves at 100% velocity because of the related drop-off with having the ability to land it precisely. Serving at excessive velocity additionally places a big pressure on the physique, which with a historical past of again issues, is one thing the Swiss is eager to keep away from.
Participant
Roger Federer
Nation
Switzerland
Quickest serve velocity
230 km/h (143 mph)
Peak
185 cm (6ft 1″)
Age when serve hit
29
Event
2010 Gerry Weber Open
Profession Common First Serve Velocity
187 km/h (116 mph)
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Participant
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Nation
Greece
Quickest serve velocity
214 km/h (133 mph)
Peak
193cm (6ft 4″)
Age when serve hit
20
Event
2018 Wimbledon
Profession Common First Serve Velocity
193 km/h (120mph)
Daniil Medvedev
Participant
Daniil Medvedev
Nation
Russia
Quickest serve velocity
209 km/h (130 mph)
Peak
198cm (6ft 6″)
Age when serve hit
23
Event
2018 Wimbledon
Profession Common First Serve Velocity
190 km/h (118mph)
Alexander Zverev
Participant
Alexander Zverev
Nation
Germany
Quickest serve velocity
229 km/h (142mph)
Peak
198cm (6ft 6″)
Age when serve hit
22
Event
2019 Wimbledon
Profession Common First Serve Velocity
201 km/h (125mph)
Does Peak Assist When It Comes To Serving?
The reply right here is sure, and the information shortly proves it. Have a look at the graph under that exhibits the connection between velocity and peak for the ten quickest serves of all time:
Can You Measure Your Serve Velocity?
The prices of radar gear a couple of years in the past had been prohibitively costly, however as expertise has superior, costs have come down, and devices such because the Pocket Radar have made it extra accessible.
The Pocket Radar is priced at $299 to $399, so for a person, it’s in all probability not value it as you’ll use it as soon as in a blue moon. Nonetheless, for a coach or a gaggle purchase at a tennis membership, it’s a enjoyable little software to trace enchancment if you’re making an attempt to ramp up the mp/h.
A number of apps promise to trace server velocity; that is often accomplished by following the ball through frames per second and understanding distance over time. They seemingly may very well be extra correct, however they’re value a go for a little bit of enjoyable.
Who Has The Finest Serve?
I listed who I believed the High 5 servers of all time had been a couple of years in the past; that listing is due for an replace, however listed below are my takes on the next:
Who has the perfect serve?
By way of method and fluidity, Milos Raonic.
Who has the toughest serve to return?
Sadly, I haven’t confronted it, but it surely needs to be John Isner.
Who has essentially the most selection on serve?
Roger Federer, all from the identical ball toss for nice disguise.
Who has essentially the most correct serve?
Once more, Roger Federer.
Who has essentially the most dependable serve?
Of the gamers, I’ve seen, Pete Sampras.
How shortly do you serve? Have you ever confronted any huge servers at membership degree? Let me know within the feedback.
