Just saw this guy serve for the first time at Wimbledon yesterday. He hit the biggest serve on court (132 mph). He's listed at 6'0/183 cm, but you know how height is listed. Also on court was Thanasi kokkinakis (6'4/193 cm) and austin Kracijek (6'2/188 cm), who both serve really well. I don't see how he gets the pop that he does, other than his motion is really smooth. I realize in layman tennis, 6'0 isn't short, but in pro tennis it is, yet, he still gets serious pop on his serve.
"Short" guy serve (Kovacevic)
- Thread starter ey039524
- Start date
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Aryna Sabalenka, listed at 6’0” had a serve recorded as 133 mph in 2018. Sabine Lisicki, standing at 5’10” hit a serve at 131 in 2014 at Stanford.
I would liked to see it in person. I think a lot of the clocks are juiced. It would be easy for a tournament to increase the mph for a WTA match.
Watching Kovacevics hit serves in person was impressive. I've seen reilly opelka serve in person, too. WTA serves aren't nearly as big.
ErrorMachine
Semi-Pro
Gotta hit the Laver serve
cha cha
Hall of Fame
Uncomplicated, repeatable, beautiful.
No, but I've seen what 120 looks like in real life.Only the data you believe in is accurate?
I'm not saying that women can't serve big, but some of the speeds I've seen on screen, don't match what I've witnessed in reality. That's all.
LuckyR
Legend
Duh, obviously. 149 is way faster than 124. But 124 is realistic (despite it not fitting your personal worldview).
My personal worldview aside, the match I watched last week, Kovasevics had the biggest serve on court, w/ Kokkinakis and Kracijek, but it was about 131. He and Kokk had 21 aces in 2 sets, but almost all firsts were in the 120s. These serves are monster in person. The average person hasn't ever faced a 120 mph serve, unless you know a pro or a giant.
LuckyR
Legend
I'm sure your observations are accurate, but since Coco can hit 128 at 5'9", 124 at 5'6" is believable. I'm not hearing anything (other than a spectator's doubt) to counter a documented accomplishment.
shug
Rookie
Until the Tennis world starts to take reach as well as height into account, the same as Boxing, MMA, ... It's kinda speculation how folks less than 6' are serving. IMHO.
It would have been a big mistake to train Mike Tyson (inside fighter) the same as Lenox Lewis (outside fighter)
It would have been a big mistake to train Mike Tyson (inside fighter) the same as Lenox Lewis (outside fighter)
Last edited:
