Top 10 Fastest Serves Ever Recorded

Fast serves are part of what makes modern tennis exciting. A very fast serve can end a point in a single shot and it can change the flow of a match. Over the years several players have recorded extremely high speeds on the radar and those numbers often make headlines. In this article we look at the top ten fastest serves ever recorded, we explain the event where the serve happened and we add a short note on how serve speed is measured and why numbers can vary across events. The language is simple and direct and the article reads like a fan speaking about great shots on the court.

Top 10 Fastest Serves Ever Recorded

• Sam Groth

  Speed reported: 263.4 km/h or 163.7 mph. This speed was recorded at a Challenger event in Busan in 2012 and it is widely cited as the fastest recorded serve in professional play. The mark is in the record books and appears on official lists that compare serve speeds across years and tournaments. Groth is also known for a big serving game that gave him success on fast surfaces and in short matches.

• Albano Olivetti

  Speed reported: about 257 km/h in lower tier events during the early 2010s. Olivetti is a player noted for a huge serve and occasional entries near the top of speed lists. Many very fast serves come in Challenger or Futures level events where radar placement and court conditions can vary.

• John Isner

  Speed reported: 253.0 km/h or 157.0 mph at an official ATP event, recorded during Davis Cup play in 2016. Isner holds some of the fastest officially recorded serves in ATP level competition and he is also among the top career aces leaders. The Isner mark is often cited when people compare ATP event records with those from other circuits. 

• Ivo Karlovic

  Speed reported: around 251 km/h or 156 mph in a Davis Cup match in 2011. Karlovic used his height and long arm action to generate extreme serve speed and many aces. He is one of the most consistent high speed servers in a long ATP career. News reports and official records mention his top speed among the fastest on record.

• Milos Raonic

  Speed reported: roughly 249.9 km/h or about 155.3 mph in ATP level competition. Raonic combined power with disciplined technique and he frequently ranked near the top of single match serve speed charts during his best seasons. He became a poster name for the era of power servers on tour.

• Andy Roddick

  Speed reported: about 249 km/h or 155 mph in Davis Cup action in 2004. Roddick used a compact but explosive motion to generate high velocity. He was the benchmark in the early twenty first century for serve speed and for powerful first serve performance.

• Chris Guccione

  Speed reported: over 248 km/h in Davis Cup matches and select tour events. Guccione is a left handed server who used height and a long toss to create heavy pace and difficult angles for returners.

• Jerzy Janowicz

  Speed reported: near 251 km/h in challenger events and lower tier tournaments. Janowicz showed that younger big servers could burst onto the scene with very high radar numbers in the early stages of a career.

• Roscoe Tanner

  Speed reported: about 246.2 km/h or 153 mph in the late 1970s using earlier generation speed measurement. Tanner was one of the first players widely known for huge serve speed in the modern open era. Historical comparisons must note that measurement technology changed a lot since that time.

• Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and other recent names

  Speed reported: recent tournaments show new names appearing in high speed lists as training and racket technology evolve. Young players with big serve mechanics can register very high numbers in specific matches. When looking at modern lists expect new entries to appear as measurement methods and tour coverage expand.

Why Serve Speed Numbers Need Careful Reading

Different events use different radar set ups

Serve speed is measured using radar guns or motion tracking systems and these tools must be placed carefully to read peak speed. A radar unit behind the server will read a different peak than one at the net or at the baseline. Some events use official ATP equipment while others use local radar devices that can show higher or lower values. Because of this a very high number from a Challenger event needs to be read in context with ATP and Grand Slam measurements.

Type of event matters

An official ATP main draw match, a Davis Cup match or a Challenger event do not always use the same measurement standard. Some of the fastest recorded serves appeared at Challenger tournaments or exhibition events. Lists that mix all sources together can give a different ranking than lists that restrict the data to ATP level events.

Technology and calibration change over time

Early radar systems and some historic measurements are not directly comparable to modern high resolution tracking systems. A serve speed reported in the nineteen seventies may not match the same accuracy as a modern reading. That means older top speeds should be treated as historic indicators rather than exact matches to present day marks.

Weather and surface can help generate extra speed

Serving on a very hot day or on a fast court can increase the speed measured on radar. Players can aim for maximal velocity when they target aces or when they have a short returner. Many high speed serves come on grass or indoor hard courts where the ball carries and radar may capture a higher peak.

How fans should use these lists

Serve speed lists are entertaining and they show which players use serve as a major weapon. For practical comparison watch video of the serve and consider the event where it happened. A top claim from a Challenger event is impressive but a very fast serve at an ATP main draw match or a Davis Cup match often carries greater weight because of the standardized measurement and the level of competition.

Conclusion

Fast serves are part of the spectacle in modern tennis. Sam Groth holds the headline mark with a 263.4 km/h serve recorded in two thousand twelve and several ATP stars like John Isner and Ivo Karlovic fill the list of highest recorded speeds. Remember that radar placement event type and technology all affect the final number. Use serve speed as a quick way to recognise big serving talent and then look at match footage to see how that serve actually wins points and changes matches.