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-recognized fastest serves in tennis history for the applications of this top ten.

Therefore, without any further ado, let us dive right into the topic.

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

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 acquired him the 10th position in our list of Top 10 fastest serves in tennis history.

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

9. Taylor Dent | 149.8 mph (241.1 km/h)

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.

8. Ben Shelton | 150 mph (241.4 km/h)

The 21-year-old tank-topped terror generated gasps with 150mph serve at the 2024 Indian Wells. Shelton beat fellow top prospect Jakub Mensik 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in round two. Shelton 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.

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

German player Oscar Otte secured the seventh 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.

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

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 still has the potential to burst through and have a successful career.

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 7th position in our list of Top 10 fastest serves in tennis history.

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

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 of 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.

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

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 a person who was known for blasting the ball and relied heavily on his serve. Andy Roddick stands 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 2011 that the record was broken.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

However, We'll not limit ourselves to WTA-recognized fastest serves in tennis history for the applications of this top ten.

Therefore, without any further ado, let us dive right into the topic.

Read more: Top 10 fastest serves in Tennis history (ATP recognised)

Fastest Serves in Tennis History | Women's tennis

10. Caroline Garcia and Liudmila Samsonova (126.1 mph)

French tennis sensation Caroline Garcia and Russian player Liudmila Samsonova share the ninth spot on this list, chalking up a serve speed of 203 km/h (126.1 mph).

Caroline Garcia achieved her personal best at the 2016 Federations Cup in Strasbourg, where France hosted the Czech Republic in the final.

The host nation failed to outclass the Czech brigade in the summit clash and settled for a second-place finish.

Kicking off the top 10 list is the 6 ft” Russian, Liudmila Samsonova hit a 126.1 mph serve at French Open in 2024.

She has won five singles and two doubles titles on the WTA Tour, her first title being a WTA 500 title at the 2021 German Open. 

9. Elena Rybakina (126.8 mph)

9th on the list is Elena Rybakina, who left a lasting impression during the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open with her serve clocking in at a remarkable speed of 204 km/h (126.8 mph). 

Rybakina is the first player from Kazakhstan to win a title at a major tournament, claiming the 2022 Wimbledon.

She has won eight titles on the WTA Tour, including two WTA 1000 titles at the 2023 Indian Wells Open and the 2023 Italian Open.

8. Naomi Osaka (127.4 mph)

Four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka is one of the WTA’s brightest talents whose well-rounded game includes a powerful serve that’s a crucial element in her success.

At the 2016 US Open, she hit her fastest serve at 125 mph (201 km/h).

After that, she broke her own record by serving at 205 km/h (127.4 mph) at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open.

7. Coco Gauff (128.0 mph)

Since turning pro in 2018, Coco Gauff has had one of the more powerful games on tour, and her career fastest serve is proof.

At the young age of 18, Coco hit her fastest serve, which reached 128 mph (206 km/h) while playing at the 2022 US Open. Born in 2004, she’ll have plenty of opportunities to break her record.

Gauff has already won a Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open and reached a final at the 2022 French Open.

6. Serena Williams (128.6 mph)

A list of the fastest serves in tennis history in the women's game would be incomplete without the name of the legendary Serena Williams.

Serena's strong serve has saved her numerous times, and it has been her go-to weapon under duress for more than two decades.

At the 2013 Australian Open, Serena didn't just hit one 203.0 km/h (128.6 mph) serve; she blasted two in her match against Garbine Muguruza.

Asked about her achievement in the post-match interview, Serena said - "It's my fastest that went in. I've hit some 150s, but of course, they're, like, to the sky."

4. Venus Williams and Alycia Parks (129.0 mph)

Venus Williams, and Alycia Parks share the fourth spot on this list, recording a serve speed of 207.6 km/h (129.0 mph).

Venus Williams, like her younger sister Serena, has a tremendously powerful serve in her arsenal.

She is one of the tallest female tennis players in the world, and her first serve is one of her most powerful weapons.

Venus, however, relies heavily on her first serve because her second serve is problematic, with a number of double faults occurring at inopportune periods.

Venus has hit 207.6 km/h (129.0 mph) twice in her career, once in the first round of the 2007 US Open against Kira Nagy and again in the 2008 Wimbledon final against sister Serena.

Another big-hitting female tennis player on this list, Alycia Parks, has an explosive game, which includes one of the WTA’s biggest serves.

In 2021 she hit her fastest serve ever at 129 mph (207.6 km/h), which she clocked during her first-round match against Olga Danilovic.

Alycia won her maiden WTA title at the Lyon Open, outclassing French No. 1 Caroline Garcia in straight sets in the final.

3. Sabine Lisicki (131.0 mph)

2013 Wimbledon runner-up Sabine Lisicki was one of the finest servers on the WTA Tour between 2011-2015, before injuries and bad form took a toll.

Despite being sensitive to "grass," the German regards the surface as her favourite.

In fact, she has had more success on grass than on any other surface, including four consecutive quarterfinal appearances in the Wimbledon Championships from 2011 to 2014.

Sabine Lisicki rewrote the record books by serving the fastest-ever serve on the WTA circuit in her match against Ana Ivanovic at the 2014 Stanford Classic.

The German breached the elusive 130 mph mark for the first time as she clocked a thunderous serve measuring 210.8 km/h (131.0 mph).

2. Aryna Sabalenka (133.0 mph)

With a powerful baseline game and serve, Aryna Sabalenka has proved herself as one of the WTA’s elite players.

Her serve speed has topped out at 133.0 mph (214 km/h), number two on the list of fastest serves in tennis history.

She achieved the feat in 2018 at the WTA Elite Trophy, a year-end tournament.

Known for her aggressive playing style, Sabalenka's powerful serve has become one of her signature weapons on the court.

She's one of the most in-form players on the women's tour at the moment.

1. Georgina García Pérez (136.7 mph)

Topping the fastest serves in the tennis history list is Spanish player Georgina García Pérez, who unleashed a monstrous serve with a speed of 220 km/h (136.7 mph) during the 2018 Hungarian Ladies Open.

However, Garcia Perez couldn't find her best potential in terms of her all-round game.

She struggled to make the top 100 of the WTA rankings and has never won a main tour title in her career.

Novak Djokovic moved one win closer to capturing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title when he ended 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti's dream in straight sets and sought revenge on defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz match will be the rematch of last year's final which the Spaniard won in five sets.

Also Read: Most Grand Slam finals in tennis history

If the 37-year-old Serbian wins a record-tying 25th major on Sunday, he will become the oldest champion in Wimbledon history. Djokovic, leading Alcaraz 3-2 in the ATP head2head series, will be eager to avenge that defeat and equal Roger Federer's record eight Wimbledon crowns.

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz Match Info

• Men's Singles Final: July 14, Sunday
• Venue: AELTC Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Ground
• Location: London, England
• Court Surface: Grass

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz head-to-head

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz: Form against each other

In the past two years against one another, Djokovic has three wins and Alcaraz has one. In their last match, on November 18, 2023, Djokovic won 6-3, 6-2. Djokovic has clinched nine sets against Alcaraz (64.3%), while Alcaraz has taken five. In 136 total games against one another, Djokovic has taken 77, while Alcaraz has claimed 59. When going head-to-head, Alcaraz and Djokovic have averaged 34 games and 3.5 sets in their four matches against each other.

Djokovic's 2024 performance

Djokovic has captured zero tournament victories on the year, with an overall record of 16-6. In 2024, Djokovic hasn't yet played a match on grass. He is averaging 27.3 games per match (33.2 in best-of-five matches) through his 22 matches played this year across all court surfaces, posting a 57.7% game-winning percentage. Djokovic has put up a service game-winning percentage of 82.1% on all surfaces (247-for-301 in service games) and a return game-winning percentage of 33.1% (99-for-299 in return games).

Also Read: Most Matches Played in Grand Slam

Alcaraz's 2024 performance

Alcaraz has won two of his nine tournaments this year, with an overall match record of 32-6. He has a match record of 7-1 on grass courts so far this year. Alcaraz has competed in 38 matches this year (across all court types), and 26.6 games per match (34.4 in best-of-five matches). The World No. 3 has won 35.6% of his return games this year, while also winning 83.5% of his service games.

Tennis in India is not as popular as cricket. But Indian tennis has been enjoying a good run of late. No doubt, the athletes have been neglected for many years. But thanks to their constant efforts, tennis is already set to be a revolution in the near future. In this article, we will explore the players who have achieved positions in the top 100 ATP rankings in the category of men’s singles since its inception in 1973. So Let's take a look at the 'Highest Ranked Indian Tennis Player'.

Also Read: Rohan Bopanna qualifies for Paris Olympics 2024

Highest Ranked Indian Tennis Player

10. Jasjit Singh | 89

Jasjit Singh was the first Sikh player to represent the Indian Davis Cup team. Notably, India advanced to the final in his inaugural Davis Cup appearance. Furthermore, he finished second in the 1975 Australian Open and the 1969 US Open. Jasjit achieved the world ranking of 89 in the men’s singles category on June 3, 1974.

9. Yuki Bhambri | 83

Yuki Bhambri achieved the junior no. 1 ranking in February 2009. During the same year, he secured the Junior Australian Open Boys singles title, thus becoming the fourth Indian in history to achieve such a feat at a Grand Slam championship. In 2015, Bhambri achieved a significant milestone by entering the top 100 ranking in the men’s singles division.

After that, Yuki qualified for the 2015 Australian Open, losing to Andy Murray in the first round. On April 16, 2018, Yuki reached his highest men’s singles ranking, attaining the 83rd position. In 2018, Yuki reached the third-round of the Indian Wells Masters and second round in the Miami Open, both was prestigious ATP Masters 1000 events.

8. Prajnesh Gunneswaran | 75

Prajnesh Gunneswaran turned professional towards the end of 2018. Entering the 2018 season ranked at 243, he consistently performed well, finishing the season with a career-best ranking of 104. On February 11, 2019, Prajnesh achieved a significant milestone by entering the top 100 ranking in the men’s singles division for the first time in his career. Prajnesh attained his highest career ranking of 75 on April 22, 2019. His most notable accomplishment remains the winning of a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games.

Also Read: [Updated] Most weeks at no.1 in tennis (male)

7. Anand Amritraj | 74

Vijay Amritraj’s younger brother Anand Amritraj has a win-loss record of 195-170. Anand secured seven singles titles throughout his career. He also contributed to India’s 1987 Davis Cup team, which advanced to the final. On November 6, 1974, he attained his highest ranking in the men’s singles division, reaching the 74th position. His most notable performance in a Grand Slam was reaching the third round of the US Open in 1974.

6. Leander Paes | 73

Leander Paes has emerged victorious in 101 matches throughout his career. His most notable performance in a Grand Slam tournament occurred in 1997, when he advanced to the third round of the US Open. Moreover, his highest singles ranking was 73. He reached that position on October 24, 1998. Leander has clinched eight Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles and 10 in the mixed doubles category.

5. Sashi Menon | 71

Sashi Menon actively participated in over 700 matches from 1970 to 1984, 15 years of his career. With a career win percentage of 46.4%, he secured four singles titles. His highest ranking in the men’s singles division was 71, achieved on October 21, 1975. 

4. Sumit Nagal | 71 

The 4th Indian men’s singles player to enter the highest ranked Indian tennis player list is Sumit Nagal. He achieved this milestone on June 17, 2024, by finishing runner-up at the Perugia ATP Challenger tournament. This performance moved him 6 spots up in the rankings. Nagal was ranked 77th last week. 

In 2024, Nagal made it to the second round of the Australian Open. He also won the men's singles title at the Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger event in Germany in June and the Chennai Open in February. Nagal has won four ATP Challenger titles since 2023 and Heilbronn was his fourth title on clay.

Also Read: Sumit Nagal reaches highest ranking of his career ahead of Wimbledon 2024

3. Somdev Devvarman | 62

Somdev Devvarman did not attain any accolades in Grand Slam tournaments, but he secured a gold medal in the men’s singles event at both the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Asian Games. On July 25, 2011, Devvarman achieved his career-high ranking, reaching 62nd in the ATP Men’s Singles. Regarding his ATP titles, he attained two runner-up titles in the ATP World Tour 250 series.

2. Ramesh Krishnan | 23

Ramesh Krishnan emerged as a notable figure in the world of tennis during the era of Vijay Amritraj. With a career win-loss record of 319-285, Ramesh attained his highest individual ranking of 23 in the men’s singles category on January 28, 1985. His most notable performances at Grand Slam events include reaching the quarterfinals twice at the US Open and once at Wimbledon. Additionally, he was part of the Indian team that advanced to the Davis Cup final in 1987 and also secured eight ATP 250 series titles throughout his career.

1. Vijay Amritraj | 18

The leading figure in men’s singles tennis in India is Vijay Amritraj. Throughout his illustrious 23-year professional career, he achieved a win-loss record of 399-308. On July 7, 1980, he reached his career-high ranking of 18, a record that still stands as the highest ranked Indian tennis player in the men’s singles category. Furthermore, his notable Grand Slam performances include two quarter-final finishes at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal on Monday continued his improvement in the ATP singles rankings and reached the 71st position, the highest ranking of his career.

Also Read: Naomi Osaka loses to Bianca Andreescu in Wimbledon warm-up

Sumit Nagal, who was preparing for the Paris Olympics 2024, was ranked 77th last week. He managed to move up six places by finishing runner-up at the Perugia ATP Challenger tournament. Nagal now has 777 ATP points.

Nagal surpasses Leander Paes

Sumit Nagal also goes past Leander Paes by becoming the joint-fourth highest-ranked Indian man in ATP Rankings history. Paes had a career-high singles ranking of 73 in 1998. Ahead of Nagal and Menon, who were ranked 71st in the world in 1975, are Somdev Devvarman (62), Ramesh Krishnan (23), and Vijay Amritraj (18).

Only Indian to make it to the Paris Olympics in men's singles

By performing well recently, Sumit Nagal not only improved his ranking but also managed to secure a place in the men's singles of the Olympic Games. He is the only Indian player to make it into the men's singles draw of the Paris Olympics.

Nagal won Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger event

Nagal made it to the second round of the Australian Open at the beginning of the year but was eliminated in the first round at the French Open. Matches in the Paris Games will also be held at Roland Garros where the French Open is played.

Also Read: Rohan Bopanna qualifies for Paris Olympics 2024

Nagal had won the men's singles title at the Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger event in Germany earlier this month and the Chennai Open in February. Nagal, who is currently the best-ranked Indian singles player, has won four ATP Challenger titles since 2023 and Heilbronn was his fourth title on clay.

World No. 4 doubles tennis player Rohan Bopanna secured an automatic quota place for the Paris Olympics 2024 through his ATP rankings in doubles on Tuesday.

Also Read: Rohan Bopanna chooses N Sriram Balaji as his partner for the Paris Olympics 2024

Bopanna maintained his position in top 10

Rohan Bopanna represented India in the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics but missed out on a place at the Tokyo Olympics. He secured the quota for India by maintaining his position in the top 10 in the doubles rankings since November last year. 

The 44-year-old Rohan Bopanna won the Australian Open Grand Slam at the beginning of the year and reached the semi-finals of the French Open last week.

Rohan Bopanna will reportedly partner with world no 67 Sriram Balaji for the 2024 Olympics.

Each country can achieve a maximum of four quotas

64 players each will participate in the men's and women's singles events at Paris 2024. According to the ATP rankings released on June 10, the top 56 men's singles players have secured quotas for their respective countries. However, each country can achieve a maximum of four quotas.

The men's and women's doubles draw at Paris 2024 will consist of 32 teams, with one team being a pair of athletes from the same country, i.e. a maximum of two teams from each country.

The tennis qualification window for Paris 2024 ended on Monday. National Olympic Committees have until June 19 to confirm the use of their quota.

Sumit Nagal made the cut a day before

India's Sumit Nagal has also secured quota places for the Paris Games a day before. Nagal made the cut-off after rising 18 places in the singles rankings last week, according to Olympics.com, making him the last player to earn a quota through the world rankings.

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Indian athletes who qualified for the Paris 2024

Nagal, who was ranked 95th last week, achieved his career-high ranking of 77th after winning the ATP Challenger title at the Heilbronn Challenger Cup in Germany on Sunday. He defeated Switzerland's world number 184 Alexander Ritschard 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 to clinch the title.

Although Nagal is ranked 77th, he is last among the eligible players to get quota through world rankings.