The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour has released the list of the fastest servers and Venus Williams tops both this year’s list and the all-time one.
The American first served her all-time record of 129 mph at the 2007 US Open, and then repeated it this year on her way to the Wimbledon title.
Top 15 Fastest Servers – 2008
1. Williams, Venus (129.0 mph – Wimbledon)
2. Groenefeld, Anna-Lena (128.0 mph – US Open)
3. Williams, Serena (125.0 mph – Miami)
4. Lisicki, Sabine (124.0 mph – Cincinnati)
5. Brémond, Severine (121.8 mph – Australian Open)
6. Bychkova, Ekaterina (121.2 mph – Roland Garros)
Petrova, Nadia (121.2 mph – Roland Garros)
8. Stosur, Samantha (121.0 mph – US Open)
9. Fedossova, Youlia (119.3 mph – Roland Garros)
10. Sprem, Karolina (119.0 mph – Amelia Island)
11. Ivanovic, Ana (118.1 mph – Roland Garros)
Tulyaganova, Iroda (118.1 mph – Australian Open)
13. Amanmuradova, Akgul (118.0 mph – Amelia Island)
Cavaday, Naomi (118.0 mph – Wimbledon)
Kleybanova, Alisa (118.0 mph – Wimbledon)
Note that the six fastest servers of all time have all emerged over the last three years. Tennis players train more and more, the physicality of the sport is increased, and faster serves are one of the proofs.
Top 15 Fastest Servers – all-time
1. Williams, Venus (129.0 mph – 2007 US Open, 2008 Wimbledon)
2. Groenefeld, Anna-Lena (128.0 mph – 2008 Wimbledon)
3. Williams, Serena (127.0 mph – 2006 Cincinnati)
4. Schultz-McCarthy, Brenda (126.0 mph – 2007 Indian Wells, 2007 Cincinnati)
5. Ivanovic, Ana (124.9 mph – 2007 Roland Garros)
6. Lisicki, Sabine (124.0 mph – 2008 Cincinnati)
7. Granville, Laura (123.0 mph – 2003 Memphis)
Gullickson, Carly (123.0 mph – 2003 Memphis)
Stevenson, Alexandra (123.0 mph – 2003 Memphis)
Taylor, Sarah (123.0 mph – 2003 Memphis)
11. Petrova, Nadia (122.4 mph – 2005 Australian Open)
12. Henin, Justine (122.0 mph – 2005 Charleston)
13. Brémond, Severine (121.8 mph – 2008 Australian Open)
Molik, Alicia (121.8 mph – 2005 Australian Open)
Sánchez Lorenzo, María (121.8 mph – 2004 Acapulco)
Don’t those 03 Memphis serves at 123 seem a bit suspect. Granville, Gullickson, Stevenson, Taylor? all at 123, all in the same tourny. hmmm.
Good observation, David. It is strange. I don’t know the explanation, though.