While the game has seen some titans on the baseline serving – a booming serve does not always guarantee even the best in the business success on the court.
A useful weapon to possess in a player’s arsenal, a powerful serve needs to be punctuated with an all-round ground game – but nonetheless, having a potent serve that can whip up a cauldron of noise is always exciting to watch.
In this feature, SinkorSwimSports explored what Brits have the fastest serves throughout history and how they utilised them on tour.
10. Heather Watson – 105mph
Watson has been a regular on the women’s tour since 2010, winning her first accolade in Osaka 2012, beating Kai-Chen Chang (TPE) in the final 7-5 5-7 7-6. The Gursney-born Brit’s 105 mph serve might not be her main weapon, but it’s got her over the line over the years.
Watson’s biggest triumph was winning the mixed Wimbledon doubles back in 2016 – making her the first British woman to win a Grand Slam in over 15 years. With a career-high ranking of 38 back in 2015 – Watson has achieved what many others only dream of and her hard-biting serve aided her most of the way.
9. Emma Raducanu – 110mph
Raducanu exploded onto the scene in 2021 after winning the US Open which can only be described as a fairy tale tournament. The Toronto-born Brit shocked the world as she refused to drop a single set over the entire tournament and won the prestigious New York Slam as a qualifier.
The Orpington resident’s venomous 110 mph serve made a huge statement as she vanquished a handful of household names over the years but especially gave the Brit a good platform to claim the Flushing Meadows silverware.
8. Tim Henman – 120mph
Tim Henman cemented his spot in British tennis as one of the many greats – reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon on 4 separate occasions while playing in the semi-finals of the French Open and US Open and winning the 2003 Paris Masters.
With a powerful 120mph hour serve, Henman plied his serve and volley trade in perfect fashion. Many still feel the Oxford-born Brit fell short of his true potential but still amassed a staggering $11, 635,542 in prize money and has become a wonderful ambassador for the game.
7. Liam Broady – 126mph
With a career-high ranking of 116 back in February 2022, Broady has been a denizen of the ATP, entertaining tennis acolytes with his awkward but effective left-handed approach.
A 126 mph bullet serve has helped the Brit reach the quarter-finals in Tel Aviv as recently as 2022 and also a last 8 appearance in St Petersburg in 2017. Brother to formerly ranked 76 Naomi Broady, it’s clear that the Broady family are not short of some good servers.
6. Cameron Norrie – 127mph
Cameron Norrie has had a meteoric rise to stardom over the past 3 years. Supplanting Dan Evans as British no.1, winning Indian Wells in 2021 while reaching the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2022. All this could not have been achieved without a serve that can unlock an opponent’s defences.
Norrie’s serve is unorthodox and awkward for players to return and has baffled many of the game’s top players.
5. Ryan Peniston – 131mph
A second-round appearance at Wimbledon in 2022 really showcased the Essex-born Brits’ nuclear serve. At 131 mph, Peniston left an indelible mark at Queens in 2022, as he dispatched Wimbledon finalist Casper Rudd – claiming his first-ever ATP win.
Peniston’s serve has become his greatest weapon over the years and playing left-handed has also given him an extra bullet in the chamber when coming up against top opponents on tour.
4. Kyle Edmund – 132mph
Edmund was one of Britain’s most exciting talents bar Andy Murray when he arrived on the ATP. Edmund reached an impressive career-high ranking of 14 in 2018 as he became a regular top-20 player over the next few years.
Edmund sits behind a spellbinding serve speed of 132 mph – while utilising a booming forehand if the serve got returned. The South African-born Brit won the ATP 250 Dallas Open in 2020 and also won ATP 250 Antwerp Open in 2018.
3. Jack Draper – 136mph
Jack Draper is one of Britain’s most exciting prospects and has raised some real eyebrows over 2022. A mouth-watering US Open in 2022 that was cut short to injury, Draper has emerged as one of the country’s possible Grand Slam contenders.
Draper’s sledgehammer serve comes in at a whopping 136 mph and he’s been described as a “lefty howitzer.” Standing at 6’4”, Draper can bully opponents with his missile first serve and happily outserve many others that possess the same power. Draper is one to watch out for in the future.
2. Andy Murray – 141 mph
What more can we say about Sir Andy Murray that’s not been said before. The former world no.1 and three-time Grand Slam winner has done it all in the game and will go down in history as one of the many greats of the game.
Murray recorded his fastest serve back in 2016 at the US Open against Grigor Dimitrov – coming in at an astonishing 141 mph. Even though Murray is one of the best servers on tour, the Scot doesn’t solely rely on his monster serve – finding success at the baseline with his unrivalled defence skills.
1. Greg Rusedski – 149mph
In the 98th edition of Indian Wells, Rusedski recorded the then-fastest serve ever recorded during a semi-final – serving at a colossal 149 mph a record that was unbroken for 6 years.
Although Rusedski never won a Grand Slam, the Canadian-born Brit won 15 ATP tournaments and punched his ticket to the top becoming the British no.1 after switching allegiances from Canada to the UK. Rusedski will go down in history as one of the biggest servers in the game and certainly claims the elusive title here.
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