The fastest recorded tennis serve is Sam Groth’s 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph) bomb at the 2012 Busan Open Challenger, though it is not always treated as the official ATP record because Challenger-event speed readings are not uniformly recognized. The fastest serve recorded at an ATP-level event is John Isner’s 253.0 km/h (157.0 mph) serve at the 2016 Davis Cup.

Quick Scoop

  • Fastest ever recorded: Sam Groth, 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph).
  • Fastest ATP-recognized event serve: John Isner, 253.0 km/h (157.0 mph).
  • Why there’s debate: some record lists include Challenger and older event measurements, while ATP-recognized records are more conservative about what counts.

What makes it tricky

Tennis serve records can differ depending on the source because of event type, radar-gun standards, and whether the tournament is officially ATP-sanctioned. That is why you’ll often see Sam Groth listed as the fastest ever, but John Isner named as the fastest at an official ATP event.

Notable big servers

  • Sam Groth — 263.4 km/h (163.7 mph).
  • John Isner — 253.0 km/h (157.0 mph).
  • Ivo Karlović — 251 km/h (156 mph).
  • Andy Roddick — 249 km/h (155 mph).

TL;DR

If you mean the fastest recorded serve ever , it’s Sam Groth’s 163.7 mph. If you mean the fastest official ATP-level serve , it’s John Isner’s 157.0 mph.