The serve is one of tennis’s most powerful weapons. A well-executed serve can produce an ace, force a weak return or immediately put the server in control of a point. At the professional level, some players have taken serving power to extraordinary levels, producing speeds over 250 km/h.
So, what is the fastest tennis serve ever recorded?
Australian player Sam Groth holds the highest widely reported men’s serve speed at 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph), recorded during the 2012 Busan Open Challenger in South Korea. Guinness World Records currently lists the speed as 263 km/h (163.4 mph).
The distinction matters because not every serve-speed reading is measured under identical conditions or recognised by the ATP or WTA. John Isner’s 253 km/h (157.2 mph) serve from the 2016 Davis Cup is commonly cited as the fastest serve recorded at the elite ATP level, while Groth’s higher figure came at a Challenger event.
On the women’s side, Spain’s Georgina García Pérez recorded 220 km/h (136.7 mph) during qualifying for the 2018 Hungarian Ladies Open. However, Guinness classifies this as an unofficial record because the tournament did not use the SMT/IDS technology used for recognised WTA and ATP main-draw speed measurements. Sabine Lisicki’s 210.8 km/h (131 mph) serve from 2014 remains the officially recognised women’s record cited by Guinness and the WTA.
What is the Fastest Tennis Serve Ever Recorded?
The highest widely reported men’s serve speed is 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph), hit by Sam Groth in 2012.
Groth produced the serve on 9 May 2012 during his second-round match against Uladzimir Ignatik at the Busan Open Challenger in South Korea. Guinness World Records records the speed as 263 km/h (163.4 mph). Groth also hit serves measured at 255.7 km/h (158.9 mph) and 253.5 km/h (157.5 mph) during the same match.
The 263.4 km/h figure is therefore widely reported as the fastest professional tennis serve, but it should not be described without qualification as the fastest ATP-recognized serve.
Top 10 Fastest Men’s Tennis Serves
The table lists the highest widely reported men’s serve speeds. Since measurement technology and record-recognition standards vary across events, these are reported speeds, not a universally standardised ATP record list. The table includes serves from Challenger, Davis Cup and major tournaments, so their record status may differ. The key distinction is between the highest reported speed and the fastest speed officially recognised under a tour’s standards.
| Rank | Player | Reported Serve Speed | Tournament/Event | Year |
| 1 | Sam Groth | 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) | Busan Open Challenger | 2012 |
| 2 | Albano Olivetti | 257.5 km/h (160.0 mph) | Trofeo Lame Perrel-Faip | 2012 |
| 3 | Mark Wallner | 257.0 km/h (159.7 mph) | Monza Challenger | 2025 |
| 4 | John Isner | 253.0 km/h (157.2 mph) | Davis Cup | 2016 |
| 5 | Ivo Karlović | 251.0 km/h (156.0 mph) | Davis Cup | 2011 |
| 5 | Jerzy Janowicz | 251.0 km/h (156.0 mph) | Pekao Szczecin Open | 2012 |
| 7 | Milos Raonic | 249.9 km/h (155.3 mph) | SAP Open | 2012 |
| 8 | Andy Roddick | 249.4 km/h (155.0 mph) | Davis Cup | 2004 |
| 9 | Chris Guccione | 248.0 km/h (154.1 mph) | Davis Cup | 2006 |
| 10 | Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard | 246.23 km/h (153.0 mph) | Wimbledon | 2025 |
1. Sam Groth – 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph)
Sam Groth produced the highest widely reported men’s serve speed in professional tennis when he reached 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) at the 2012 Busan Open Challenger.
Guinness World Records records the serve at 263 km/h (163.4 mph). It was hit on 9 May 2012 against Uladzimir Ignatik. Groth also produced two other exceptionally fast serves in the same match, measured at 255.7 km/h and 253.5 km/h. Despite the extraordinary speed, Groth lost the match 6–4, 6–3.
2. Albano Olivetti – 257.5 km/h (160 mph)
French player Albano Olivetti recorded a serve of 257.5 km/h (160 mph) at the 2012 Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel-Faip. The reading places Olivetti among the fastest servers ever recorded. His serve was produced at a Challenger event, so it belongs in the category of the fastest reported professional serves rather than an ATP Tour-recognised record.
3. Mark Wallner – 257 km/h (159.7 mph)
German player Mark Wallner recorded a serve of 257 km/h (159.7 mph) at the 2025 Atkinsons Monza Challenger. The serve came during a doubles match and moved Wallner into the top group of the fastest reported serves in professional tennis.
4. John Isner – 253 km/h (157.2 mph)
John Isner is one of the most famous big servers in tennis history. He recorded a 253 km/h (157.2 mph) serve during the 2016 Davis Cup. Isner’s mark matters when discussing the fastest serve under elite ATP-level competition. His 253 km/h serve is generally cited as the fastest serve recorded at an ATP-level event, making it distinct from Groth’s higher Challenger reading.
5. Ivo Karlović – 251 km/h (156 mph)
Croatian server Ivo Karlović recorded a 251 km/h (156 mph) serve during the 2011 Davis Cup. Karlović previously held the men’s fastest-serve record before Groth surpassed the mark in 2012. Groth’s Guinness-listed 263 km/h serve also surpassed Karlović’s previous 251 km/h record.
6. Jerzy Janowicz – 251 km/h (156 mph)
Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz also reached 251 km/h (156 mph), matching Karlović’s reported top speed. Janowicz produced the serve at the 2012 Pekao Szczecin Open, placing him alongside Karlović among the fastest servers on the historical list.
7. Milos Raonic – 249.9 km/h (155.3 mph)
Canadian player Milos Raonic recorded a serve of 249.9 km/h (155.3 mph) at the 2012 SAP Open. Raonic became well known for his powerful first serve and used it as a defining weapon in his game. His peak recorded speed places him among the fastest servers in professional tennis history.
8. Andy Roddick – 249.4 km/h (155 mph)
Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick recorded a 249.4 km/h (155 mph) serve during the 2004 Davis Cup. Roddick was one of the most prominent power servers of his generation, and his serve was central to his success on the ATP Tour. His recorded peak remains among the fastest in the historical rankings.
9. Chris Guccione – 248 km/h (154.1 mph)
Australian player Chris Guccione reached 248 km/h (154.1 mph) during the 2006 Davis Cup. Although less frequently discussed than players such as Roddick, Isner and Karlović, Guccione’s peak speed puts him firmly among the fastest recorded servers in professional tennis.
10. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard – 246.23 km/h (153 mph)
French player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard recorded a 246.23 km/h (153 mph) serve at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. The serve was particularly notable because it broke the previous Wimbledon record of 148 mph, set by Taylor Dent in 2010. Mpetshi Perricard’s 153 mph serve therefore became the fastest serve recorded in Wimbledon history.
Fastest Women’s Tennis Serves
Women’s tennis has also produced some extraordinary serve speeds. However, the distinction between reported and officially recognised records is particularly important here.
Georgina García Pérez’s 220 km/h serve is the highest widely reported women’s speed, but it was recorded during qualifying at the 2018 Hungarian Ladies Open. Because the event did not use the SMT/IDS technology used for recognised WTA and ATP main-draw speed measurements, the WTA does not recognise it as its official record.
Fastest Women’s Serves
| Player | Reported Serve Speed | Tournament/Event | Year | Record Status |
| Georgina García Pérez | 220 km/h (136.7 mph) | Hungarian Ladies Open qualifying | 2018 | Unofficial |
| Aryna Sabalenka | 214 km/h (133.0 mph) | WTA Elite Trophy | 2018 | Reported |
| Sabine Lisicki | 210.8 km/h (131 mph) | Bank of the West Classic | 2014 | Official WTA/Guinness record |
| Venus Williams | 207.6 km/h (129 mph) | US Open | 2007 | Reported |
| Alycia Parks | 207.6 km/h (129 mph) | US Open | 2021 | Reported |
| Serena Williams | 207 km/h (128.6 mph) | Australian Open | 2013 | Reported |
| Coco Gauff | 206 km/h (128.0 mph) | US Open | 2022 | Reported |
Georgina García Pérez – 220 km/h (136.7 mph)
Georgina García Pérez recorded a 220 km/h (136.7 mph) serve on 19 February 2018 during the final round of qualifying for the Hungarian Ladies Open in Budapest.
The serve came against Patty Schnyder. Guinness recognises the reading as an unofficial women’s record because the tournament did not use the SMT/IDS technology used to measure serves at recognised WTA and ATP events.
Sabine Lisicki – 210.8 km/h (131 mph)
Sabine Lisicki holds the officially recognised women’s fastest-serve record listed by Guinness World Records, with a serve measured at 210.8 km/h (131 mph).
She produced the serve on 29 July 2014 during her first-round match against Ana Ivanovic at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California. Lisicki’s serve surpassed Venus Williams’ previous WTA benchmark of 207.6 km/h (129 mph), recorded at the 2007 US Open.
How is Tennis Serve Speed Measured?
Professional tennis tournaments use speed-measuring systems to determine how fast a serve travels. However, the technology and standards have not been identical across every tournament, particularly when comparing historical events, Challenger tournaments and qualifying matches. This is why record lists sometimes contain different numbers for the same player or event.
Sam Groth is a good example. His serve is commonly reported as 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph), while Guinness currently records the result as 263 km/h (163.4 mph).
The same issue explains why Georgina García Pérez’s 220 km/h serve is not treated as the official WTA record. Guinness states that the Hungarian tournament did not use the SMT/IDS technology used for recognised main-draw speed measurements.
Therefore, when comparing the fastest tennis serves, it is important to specify whether a figure is a reported speed, an unofficial record or an officially recognised tour record.
Is a Faster Tennis Serve Always Better?
Not necessarily. A faster serve can make life more difficult for the returner, but speed is only one part of an effective service game. Placement, spin, variation and consistency can be just as important.
For example, a player may hit a serve at extreme speed but miss the service box frequently. Another player might serve slightly slower while consistently placing the ball close to the corners or using spin to make the return difficult.
The best servers therefore do more than simply chase the highest possible speed. They use pace as part of a larger strategy that combines power, placement, spin and variation.
Fastest Tennis Serve vs Fastest Official Tennis Serve
The difference between these terms is worth remembering:
- Fastest widely reported men’s serve: Sam Groth, 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) in 2012.
- Guinness-listed men’s record: Sam Groth, 263 km/h (163.4 mph) in 2012.
- Fastest elite ATP-level serve commonly cited: John Isner, 253 km/h (157.2 mph) in 2016.
- Fastest reported women’s serve: Georgina García Pérez, 220 km/h (136.7 mph) in 2018.
- Officially recognised women’s record: Sabine Lisicki, 210.8 km/h (131 mph) in 2014.
This distinction prevents the common mistake of treating every recorded speed as an equivalent official tour record.
Conclusion
The fastest tennis serves ever recorded highlight the extraordinary speed professional players can generate. Sam Groth’s 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) serve at the 2012 Busan Challenger remains the highest widely reported men’s speed, while John Isner’s 253 km/h (157.2 mph) serve from the 2016 Davis Cup is commonly cited as the fastest at the elite ATP level. On the women’s side, Sabine Lisicki holds the officially recognised record with a 210.8 km/h (131 mph) serve recorded in 2014.
More recently, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard’s 246.23 km/h (153 mph) serve at Wimbledon in 2025 set a new Wimbledon record. However, serve speed alone does not determine effectiveness. The best servers combine pace, accuracy, placement, spin and consistency to gain an advantage from the first shot.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Sam Groth recorded the fastest widely reported men’s tennis serve at 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) at the 2012 Busan Open Challenger. Guinness World Records currently lists the speed as 263 km/h (163.4 mph).
Sam Groth holds the Guinness World Records title for the fastest serve of a tennis ball at 263 km/h (163.4 mph). The serve was recorded at the 2012 Busan Challenger.
John Isner recorded a 253 km/h (157.2 mph) serve during the 2016 Davis Cup. It is commonly cited as the fastest serve recorded at the elite ATP level.
Sabine Lisicki holds the officially recognised women’s record listed by Guinness World Records, with a 210.8 km/h (131 mph) serve recorded at Stanford in 2014.
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard recorded a 246.23 km/h (153 mph) serve at Wimbledon in 2025, setting the tournament’s fastest-serve record. It surpassed Taylor Dent’s previous Wimbledon record of 148 mph, set in 2010.
