Unleash the Power: Top 10 Fastest Tennis Serves Ever!

The serve is the single most important shot in tennis. It’s the single time you have absolute control over the ball. For the ambitious player, a powerful serve is the cornerstone of a dominant game. While we focus on the mechanics of a great tennis serve, it’s impossible not to be in awe of the raw power showcased at the professional level.

So, what is the absolute limit of service speed? This blog will highlight the sheer power of the tennis serve and the impact it has on the game by examining the record books. This isn’t just a list; it’s an analysis of the tennis stars who have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. Get ready to explore the 10 fastest tennis serves ever officially and unofficially recorded.

A Quick Note on Records: ATP vs. Challenger Events

Before the top-10 list, it’s important I make a distinction. The ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) only officially recognises serve speeds recorded at ATP Tour main draw events and the Davis Cup. The reason is that in such events, the equipment is standardised. Some of the fastest serves in history were recorded at Challenger events, which may have used different equipment. But of course, these are still legitimate records! They just aren’t on the “official” ATP record list. I’ll point out which is which, worry not, my friend.

The Top 10 Fastest Serves in Tennis History

Here are the men who have produced the most blistering serves the sport has ever seen.

10. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard – 244.6 km/h (152 mph)

Event: 2024 Roland Garros (Doubles)
The French big server is still young, but he has already broken into the top 10 list of the fastest tennis serves ever recorded. Powerhouse Mpetshi Perricard is a player who is building his game around a huge first serve, and this rocket is a testament to his explosive power. He produced this monster of a serve during the first round of the Roland Garros Doubles event in 2024.

9. Feliciano López – 244.6 km/h (152 mph)

Event: 2014 Aegon Championships (HSBC Championships)
The Spanish veteran is known for his slick, lefty game, but his serve is pure brute force. He fired this 152 mph bomb on the grass courts of Queen’s Club, a surface that has always rewarded the game’s biggest servers.

8. Andy Roddick – 249.4 km/h (155 mph)

Event: 2004 Davis Cup
For years, Andy Roddick was the benchmark for the fastest men’s tennis serve. I only witnessed some of his matches during the sunset of his career, but I was impressed from the start. His incredibly violent, abbreviated service motion was one of the most feared sights in tennis. This 155 mph serve was an official record for years and remains an iconic moment of raw power.

7. Milos Raonic – 249.9 km/h (155.3 mph)

Event: 2012 SAP Open
The Canadian is a giant of the game, and he uses every inch of his 6’5″ frame to generate incredible racket head speed. Raonic’s serve is a masterclass in biomechanics, a key topic we’ll be exploring later in our series of blogs about the serve. This serve, just shy of 250 km/h, is one of the fastest ever recorded at an official ATP event.

6. Jerzy Janowicz – 251 km/h (156 mph)

Event: 2012 Pekao Szczecin Open (Challenger)
The 2013 Wimbledon semi-finalist from Poland is another player who combines immense height (6’8″) with fluid power. While recorded at a Challenger event, this 251 km/h serve demonstrates the incredible force he could generate.

5. Ivo Karlović – 251 km/h (156 mph)

Event: 2011 Davis Cup
Tied with Janowicz is the undisputed ace king, Dr. Ivo. At a staggering 6’11”, Karlović has one of the highest contact points in history, allowing him to fire serves down into the box at impossible angles and speeds. This serve is officially recognised by the ATP and was a world record at the time.

4. John Isner – 253 km/h (157.2 mph)

Event: 2016 Davis Cup
For some time, this was the official fastest serve in tennis that was recognised by the ATP. The 6’10” American, John Isner, is famous for his serve and for playing the longest match in history. His technique allows him to launch serves that are simply unreturnable. This delivery in the Davis Cup is the official gold standard.

3. Albano Olivetti – 257.5 km/h (160 mph)

Event: 2012 Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel–Faip (Challenger)
We now enter the territory of the unofficial records. France’s Albano Olivetti, standing at 6’8″, is a Challenger tour regular known for his colossal serve. Smashing the 160 mph barrier is a feat few can even comprehend.

2. Sam Groth – 263 km/h (163.4 mph)

Event: 2012 Busan Open (Challenger)
For a long time, this was considered the single fastest tennis serve ever hit. Australia’s Sam Groth, a powerful athlete with a traditional, fluid motion, unleashed this thunderbolt in South Korea. While the ATP doesn’t officially recognise it due to the event’s Challenger status, the number itself is staggering and held the top spot for a decade.

1. Ben Shelton – 263.5 km/h (163.7 mph)

Event: 2023 US Open
Topping our list is the electrifying American, Ben Shelton. He unleashed this record-breaking serve during his impressive run at the 2023 US Open. What makes this even more remarkable is that it was recorded on one of the sport’s biggest stages, under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Shelton’s explosive, lefty motion represents the new guard of power servers in tennis.

What About the Women’s Game?

The power in the women’s game is also reaching incredible heights. While not reaching the same top speeds as the men, the fastest serve in women’s tennis is a serious weapon. The official record of the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) is held by Sabine Lisicki at a blistering 210.8 km/h (131.0 mph), with Georgina Garcia Pérez holding an unofficial record of 220 km/h (136.7 mph).

What Does This Mean for the Average Club Player’s Game?

I must admit, even I was in shock after seeing these numbers. I remember witnessing Shelton’s monster of a serve during his US Open run in 2023. Everyone was gobsmacked.

Let’s focus on you. For 99.9% of club players, control and placement are far more important than raw power. You cannot just start firing your serve without controlling it. Otherwise, you will be gifting your opponents with a barrage of double-faults. These athletes are outliers, physical specimens who have perfected a motion over hundreds of thousands of repetitions. They turned their serve into a weapon fit for their on-court strategy.

However, studying them can teach us a lot about generating effortless power through proper technique. A key aspect of the serve is using the entire body in a kinetic chain to produce maximum racket head speed. Another key element is the grip – here’s how to achieve the perfect tennis serve grip, known as the Continental grip.

This list is just the beginning. In our next article, I will begin breaking down the mechanics of the modern tennis serve, so you can start adding more controlled power to your own game. Stay tuned.