Big-serving players have benefited throughout tennis history. One of the most advanced weaponry a tennis player may have is a powerful, well-placed first serve. While most professionals can put the ball anywhere they want, only a few are capable of reaching speeds in the upper 140s and also the 150s.

Sam Groth set a new world record for the fastest tennis serve with a speed of 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph). Regretfully, for the Australian, the ATP does not recognise that record because it was set at a Challenger tournament.

However, we'll limit ourselves to ATP-recognised fastest serves in tennis history for the applications of this top ten.

Top 14 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Without any further ado, let us dive right into the topic. Please keep in mind that only one serve per player is recorded here.

14. Juan Martin del Potro | 149.1 mph (240km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 240 km/h (149.1 mph)
Event: 2017 Stockholm Open (ATP 250)
Round: Singles Final

Juan Martin del Potro, also known as 'The Tower of Tandil', is unsurprisingly included in the list. He is the finest Argentinian player of his generation, having won the US Open.

No one struck it in the final encounter that they won out of all the players who are in the top ten, except him.

Del Potro claimed the Stockholm Open in 2017 after defeating Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets(6-4, 6-2). In the process, he did not forget to hit a 149.1 mph serve.

However, his overall performance earned him the 10th position in our list of the Top 14 fastest serves in tennis history.

Read more: Juan Martin Del Potro: an emotional farewell to the Argentinian sensation

13. Reilly Opelka | 149.3 mph (240.3 km/h)

Top 14 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised) [2025 Updated] - Reilly Opelka - 149.3 mph (240.3 km/h) - sportzpoint.com — Opelka has the record for the second fastest serve at any Grand Slam. Image | US Open

Speed: 240.3 km/h (149.3 mph)
Event: 2021 Australian Open (Grand Slam)
Round: Singles 2R

6-foot-11 American Reilly Opelka, just like other tall tennis players, has the uncanny usual big and fast serves in his arsenal. The 27-year-old is tied with Ivo Karlović for the tallest-ever ATP-ranked player ever.

Termed as the 'Next Big Thing' in tennis, Opelka achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 17 in singles in February 2022.

Though he has hit many serves over 140 mph in his career, his serve against Taylor Fritz (one of his opponents in 2015, when Opelka beat Fritz to eventually win the Junior Wimbledon) stood out. In the second round of the 2021 Australian Open, against Fritz, Opelka served at 240.3 km/h (149.3 mph), the second fastest serve in Grand Slam history.

Read Also | Most Grand Slam Titles in Men's Tennis

12. Taylor Dent | 150 mph (241.4 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 241.0 km/h (149.8 mph)
Event: 2006 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament (Rotterdam, ATP 500)
Round: Singles 1R

There was a time when Taylor Dent and Andy Roddick were thought to be the two toughest servers in the game.

Whilst Dent didn't have quite the same amount of achievement as Roddick, he certainly made it to the fourth round of a few Grand Slams.

The only player in our Top 10 who has confirmed his mobility on Clay is Taylor Dent. He reached a career-high of No. 21 despite a career marred by ailments.

In the first round of the 2010 French Open, the American hit a 240 km/h (149.1 mph) serve that stunned the crowd. This went on to become the quickest serve in the tournament's history and landed him on this list of Top 10 fastest serves in tennis history.

Read Also | Tennis Record: Most wins in Wimbledon (men's)

11. Ben Shelton | 150 mph (241.4 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 241.4 km/h (150.0 mph)
Event: 2025 BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells, ATP Masters 1000)
Round: Singles 2R

The 21-year-old tank-topped terror generated gasps with a 150mph serve at the 2024 Indian Wells.

Shelton beat fellow top prospect Jakub Mensik 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in round two. The American smacked eight aces and bombed one serve at 150 mph while advancing after exactly two hours.

This marks the first time Shelton has picked up a main-tour win over a younger opponent.

Read Also | Djokovic vs Nadal vs Federer: Tennis Title Battle

10. Oscar Otte | 151 mph (243.0 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 243.0 km/h (151.0 mph)
Event: 2021 US Open (Grand Slam main draw)
Round: Singles 4R

German player Oscar Otte secured the tenth spot on this list, showcasing his exceptional serving abilities with speeds of 243 km/hr (151 mph).

This rising star has demonstrated his potential to dominate matches with his powerful serves.

Otte rocketed his personal best against Matteo Berrettini in the fourth round of the 2021 US Open Championships.

He put up a solid performance against the Italian but couldn't outfox him at the hardcourt Major.

Read Also | Most ATP Masters Titles in tennis history

9. Marius Copil | 151.6 mph (244.0 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 244.0 km/h (151.6 mph)
Event: 2016 European Open (ATP event)
Round: QF

The Romanian has never made the top 50 in the world rankings, but he is executing some of his best performances. As a result of his outstanding performance, he completed 2018 as the 57th-best player in the world.

He has, however, always depended primarily on his serve, which has earned him a stellar record.

The Romanian landed the ball perfectly in the quarterfinals of the 2016 European Open, registering a speed of 244 km/h (151.6 mph). Thus, he achieved the 9th position in our list of Top 10 fastest serves in tennis history.

Read Also | Top 10 Oldest No.1 ATP ranked players in tennis

8. Feliciano Lopez | 152.0 mph (244.6 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 244.6 km/h (152.0 mph)
Event: 2014 Aegon Championships (ATP 500)

Feliciano Lopez, a Spanish tennis player, managed to reach a career-high ranking of 12 in 2015.

Due to being a veteran who has been around the circuit for a long time, many people seem to have forgotten how amazing a server Feliciano Lopez was during his heyday.

He delivered one of the fastest serves ever at the Aegon Championships in 2014. The Spaniard slammed the ball to serve with a pace of 244.6 km/h (152 mph) in the opening round encounter.

Read Also | ATP Tour records: Most titles in tennis career (men's)

7. Joachim Johansson | 152 mph (244.6 km/h)

Fastest Tennis Serves - Joachim Johansson - 152 mph (244.6 km/h) - sportzpoint.com — Image | Sports Illustrated.

Speed: 244.6 km/h (152.0 mph)
Event: 2004 Davis Cup
Round: Doubles 1R

Joachim Johansson, the former tennis player from Sweden, was one of the known names of the early 2000s. He reached the semi-finals of the 2004 US Open and won 3 singles titles.

To reach the semi-finals of the 2004 US Open, he had defeated the defending champion Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals.

However, in 2004, another big moment came in his career, when he served at 152.0 mph in the Davis Cup doubles' first round, to enter the list of the top 14 fastest tennis serves in history.

In 2005, he had hit 51 aces against Andre Agassi in the round of 16 of the Australian Open.

Read Also | Players with most aces hit in tennis history

6. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard | 153 mph (246.23 km/h)

Fastest Tennis Serves at Grand Slam - Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard - 153 mph (246.23 km/h) | sportzpoint.com — Giovanni has the record for the fastest tennis serve recorded at Wimbledon and Grand Slams - Image | ATP Tour

Speed: 246.23 km/h (153.0 mph)
Event: 2025 Wimbledon Championships (Grand Slam)
Round: Singles 1R

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard broke the record for the fastest tennis serve in Wimbledon history when he served at 153.0 mph against Taylor Fritz in the first round of the 2025 Wimbledon.

Not only did he break the Wimbledon record, but it was the fastest second serve in tennis history. Along with that, the French tennis player broke the record for the fastest serve at any Grand Slam as well.

Interestingly, that fast serve did not help Perricard win the point, as Fritz was able to hit the ball across the net and then win the point.

Read Also | Longest Tennis Matches in history (All formats)

5. Chris Guccione | 154.1 mph (248 km/h)

Top 14 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised) [2025 Updated] - Chris Guccione - 154.1 mph (248 km/h) | sportzpoint.com — Image | Tennis Australia

Speed: 248.0 km/h (154.1 mph)
Event: 2006 Davis Cup
Round: Singles 1R

Chris Guccione, the former left-handed Australian, is another tall player on this list, standing at 6'7". He was last seen playing the 2020 Australian Open in the men's doubles event, when he and his partner Matt Reid lost in the round of 16.

Guccione has a career-high doubles ranking of No. 38. However, he rose to the limelight after breaking Andy Roddick's record of fastest tennis serve, with a 154.1 mph (248 km/h) in the first round of the 2006 Davis Cup.

Read Also | Top 10 fastest serves in tennis history (Women's tennis)

4. Andy Roddick | 155.0 mph (249.4 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 249.4 km/h (155 mph)
Event: 2004 Davis Cup
Round: Singles SF

Andy Roddick was the best American tennis player of his generation, and at the end of 2003, he was rated No. 1 in the world.

He was known for blasting the ball and relied heavily on his serve.

Andy Roddick stood a respectable 6'2" tall among a list of giants. However, he quickly established himself as one of the top servers in the game's history and created a wonder by smashing Rusedski's world record for fastest serve in the Davis Cup semi-final against Belarus in 2004.

He launched the ball at a breakneck pace of 249.4 km/h (159 mph). It wasn't until 2006 that the record was broken.

Read Also | 10 longest winning streak in tennis history which are unforgettable

3. Milos Raonic | 155.3 mph (249.9 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 249.9 km/h (155.3 mph)
Event: 2012 SAP Open (ATP 250 event)

When Milos Raonic defeated Roger Federer to win the Brisbane International in 2014, he demonstrated his whole spectrum of abilities.

In 2016, he emulated the feat in the Wimbledon semifinals. Raonic is the first player from Canada to crack the top ten. He is also one of the game's most powerful servers.

In 2012, his tremendous first serve helped him to overtake Andy Roddick at 155.3 mph in the SAP Open.

Afterwards, he reached a career-high rating of number three in the rankings, all thanks to his poised serves.

Read Also | Players who won the Golden Slam in their career

2. Ivo Karlovic | 156.0 mph (251 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 251 km/h (156.0 mph)
Event: 2011 Davis Cup
Round: Doubles 1R

In his peak, Ivo Karlovic was a fantastic server who holds the record for most career aces with about 13,000 of them.

He is tied for the title of tallest player in professional tennis history, and his personal greatest record was set at the 2011 Davis Cup.

Karlovic shattered Roddick's fastest serve record during Croatia's first round of the Davis Cup match.

He fired an ultimate bullet of a serve at 251 km/h that fell directly on the list of records.

Read Also | Most matches in Tennis history (male & female): Tennis Records

1. John Isner | 157.2 mph (253 km/h)

Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Speed: 253.0 km/h (157.2 mph)
Event: 2016 Davis Cup (ATP recognises Davis Cup)
Round: 1R

Our list of the top 10 fastest serves in tennis history can't be completed without mentioning John Isner.

He is often regarded as the sport's quickest consistent server, and his height played a significant factor in his ability to strike aces. Isner also has the record for playing the longest tennis matche in history.

John Isner has hit many serves above 150 mph during his career, but his fastest was in the 2016 Davis Cup. In a tie versus Australia, the American unleashed lightning of a serve, setting a new world record of 253 km/h.

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