The Fastest Serves in Tennis History
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The fastest serve ever recorded in tennis is Sam Groth’s 163.7 mph (263.4 km/h) rocket, struck at a 2012 Challenger event in Busan, South Korea. It is the quickest serve any radar has ever clocked, even though the ATP does not officially ratify it.
The serve is tennis’s most explosive weapon, and a handful of players have pushed it past the limits of what a returner can react to. Measuring it, though, is surprisingly inexact, which is why the record book comes with asterisks. Here is the full leaderboard of the fastest serves in tennis history for both men and women, plus why equipment matters as much as raw power. All figures are as of the 2025 season.
The record holder: Sam Groth at 163.7 mph
Sam Groth, a big-serving Australian, unleashed his 163.7 mph delivery during a Challenger match in 2012. The number is staggering, comfortably the fastest serve ever measured, but it came at a lower-tier event using radar equipment that was not the standardized system found on the main ATP Tour. That technicality keeps it out of the official record, though it is universally cited as the fastest serve ever recorded.
The fastest men’s serves
The table below ranks the fastest recorded men’s serves. Note that readings come from different events and radar systems.
| Rank | Speed | Player | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 163.7 mph (263.4 km/h) | Sam Groth | Australia | 2012 |
| 2 | 160.0 mph (257.5 km/h) | Albano Olivetti | France | 2012 |
| 3 | 157.2 mph (253.0 km/h) | John Isner | USA | 2016 |
| 4 | 156.0 mph (251.0 km/h) | Ivo Karlovic | Croatia | 2011 |
| 5 | 155.3 mph (250.0 km/h) | Milos Raonic | Canada | 2012 |
| 6 | 155.0 mph (249.4 km/h) | Andy Roddick | USA | 2004 |
John Isner’s 157.2 mph, hit in a 2016 Davis Cup tie, is the fastest ATP-recognized serve. Andy Roddick’s 155 mph held the official record from 2004 until 2011, and towering servers like Ivo Karlovic and Milos Raonic filled the leaderboard through the 2010s.
The fastest women’s serves
On the women’s side, power has climbed steadily, though the records carry similar measurement caveats.
| Rank | Speed | Player | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 136.0 mph (220 km/h) | Georgina Garcia Perez | Spain | 2014 |
| 2 | 131.0 mph (211 km/h) | Sabine Lisicki | Germany | 2014 |
| 3 | 130.0 mph (209 km/h) | Brenda Schultz-McCarthy | Netherlands | 2006 |
| 4 | 129.0 mph (207.6 km/h) | Venus Williams | USA | 2008 |
| 5 | 128.6 mph (207 km/h) | Serena Williams | USA | 2013 |
Georgina Garcia Perez’s 136 mph is the fastest women’s serve ever recorded, but the reading is disputed. Sabine Lisicki’s 131 mph, hit at Stanford in 2014, is the fastest recognized by the WTA. Venus and Serena Williams, whose power reshaped the women’s game, sit just behind. The Williams sisters also feature prominently among the leaders in our most Grand Slams in tennis rankings.
Why measurement matters
Tennis has no single global authority certifying serve speeds, so each tournament uses its own radar, calibrated differently. That is why the same player can register different top speeds at different events, and why headline numbers like Groth’s are treated with caution. It also means direct comparisons across eras and tournaments are imperfect, a nuance shared with other pure-speed records like the fastest man in the world.
Why the record matters
A record serve is a moment of raw, almost unreturnable power, the fastest object in the sport. Sam Groth’s 163.7 mph sits at the top of the recorded list, with John Isner leading the officially ratified marks. The debate over which counts is part of what makes the serve-speed record uniquely fascinating, blending athletic explosiveness with the fine print of technology. Explosive speed defines other sports too, as in our fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine leaderboard.
The short version: Sam Groth’s 163.7 mph serve in 2012 is the fastest ever recorded in tennis, with John Isner (157.2 mph) the fastest ATP-recognized. On the women’s side, Georgina Garcia Perez (136 mph) leads the recorded list and Sabine Lisicki (131 mph) the official one, as of the 2025 season.
Want more on the theme? Read The Longest Tennis Match Ever Played next.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest serve in tennis history?+
The fastest serve ever recorded is Sam Groth's 163.7 mph (263.4 km/h) delivery at a Challenger tournament in Busan, South Korea, in May 2012. Because it came at a lower-tier event with non-standard radar, it is not officially ratified by the ATP. John Isner's 157.2 mph is the fastest ATP-recognized serve. All figures are as of the 2025 season.
What is the fastest women's serve in tennis?+
Georgina Garcia Perez of Spain reportedly served 136 mph (220 km/h) in 2014, the fastest recorded women's serve, though the radar reading is disputed. The fastest serve officially recognized by the WTA is Sabine Lisicki's 131 mph (211 km/h), struck at Stanford in 2014. Venus Williams and Serena Williams are close behind at around 128-129 mph.
Why isn't Sam Groth's serve the official record?+
Sam Groth's 163.7 mph serve came at a second-tier Challenger event where the speed-measuring radar was not the standardized equipment used at ATP Tour events. Tennis has no single global body certifying serve speeds, so readings vary by tournament. As a result, Groth's serve is widely cited as the fastest ever recorded but not as an official ATP record.
How are tennis serve speeds measured?+
Serve speeds are measured by radar guns positioned near the court, similar to those used in baseball. Because different tournaments use different radar systems calibrated in different ways, speeds are not always directly comparable. This is why the same player can register noticeably different top speeds at different events, and why some record readings are treated with caution.
Sources
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