More than ten years have passed since the world witnessed the fastest tennis serve ever recorded, a feat still held by an unexpected figure from Australia who never reached the sport’s highest ranks.
Powerful serving remains a crucial element in tennis, yet players known for their blistering serves often face challenges in other facets of the game. Attributes such as height, strength, and body mass—essential for generating high-speed serves—can sometimes hinder overall performance and versatility on the court.
While renowned servers like Andy Roddick, Greg Rusedski, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga have enjoyed considerable success, none have surpassed the speed achieved by this lesser-known Australian.
The Record Holder’s Serve
Sam Groth, a former professional tennis player from Australia, holds the official record for the fastest serve in men’s tennis. Over a 13-year career, Groth advanced to the third round of both the Australian Open and Wimbledon, reaching his peak in 2015. Following his tennis career, he transitioned into politics in Victoria, Australia, before retiring from that field as well.
Groth’s record-breaking serve was delivered on May 9, 2012, during a second-round match at a tournament in Busan, South Korea. He unleashed a serve clocked at 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) against Belarusian player Uladzimir Ignatik. Despite the record-setting speed, Groth lost the match 4-6, 3-6.
Although several players have approached this extraordinary mark, none have surpassed it. France’s Albano Olivetti registered a serve of 257.5 km/h (160.0 mph) at the 2012 Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel-Faip, while American John Isner recorded a 253.0 km/h (157.2 mph) serve during the 2016 Davis Cup.