Novak Djokovic is the fastest tennis player on the planet, according to new data from Tennis Australia’s Game Insight Group (GIG). GIG, who are developing a range of innovative metrics for measuring player performance, found that Djokovic hit a top speed of 36.02kph when sprinting more than three metres. Simona Halep was the fastest female player, with a top speed of 23.04kph.
Using data collected over the last three years, GIG tracked the movement of players over a distance of three metres or more at the Australian Open. Using that information they were able to collate a list of the fastest (and slowest) tennis players in the professional game, as well as determining which players have the fastest average speeds.
As many might expect, Novak Djokovic topped the list of the men with a max speed of 36.02kph, while Andy Murray was second at 34.87kph. Interestingly, after analysing all of the data Murray’s average top speed around the court is 15.89kph, higher than Djokovic’s average top speed of 14.89kph. Rafa Nadal was twelfth on the overall list with a top speed of 26.84kph, while Roger Federer’s top speed was nearly 10kph slower than Djokovic at 26.03kph.
On the women’s side, Romanian Simona Halep leads the pack with a peak speed of 23.04kph. Carla Suarez Navarros was second (22.48kph) and Dominika Cibulkova third (21.98kph). Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber recorded the highest average top speed, at 14.27kph. Six-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams was thirteenth overall, with a top speed of 20.52 kph and an average top speed 13.50kph.
As a comparison, Usain Bolt has hit a top speed of 44.7kph, while the fastest land animal on the planet, the cheetah, can hit 120kph.
Top 10 fastest male tennis players (plus selected)
| Name | Top speed (kph) | Average top speed (kph) | |
| 1 | Novak Djokovic | 36.02 | 14.89 |
| 2 | Andy Murray | 34.87 | 15.89 |
| 3 | Lleyton Hewitt | 31.24 | 15.24 |
| 4 | Gilles Simon | 30.76 | 14.93 |
| 5 | Grigor Dimitrov | 28.91 | 15.05 |
| 6 | David Ferrer | 27.82 | 14.71 |
| 7 | Stan Wawrinka | 27.66 | 15.17 |
| 8 | Tomas Berdych | 27.28 | 14.49 |
| 9 | Milos Raonic | 27.28 | 15.36 |
| 10 | Kei Nishikori | 27.17 | 14.52 |
| 12 | Rafa Nadal | 26.84 | 15.38 |
| 17 | Roger Federer | 26.03 | 15.55 |
Top 10 fastest female tennis players (plus selected)
| Name | Top speed (kph) | Average top speed (kph) | |
| 1 | Simona Halep | 23.04 | 13.69 |
| 2 | Carla Suarez Navarro | 22.48 | 13.56 |
| 3 | Dominika Cibulkova | 21.98 | 13.43 |
| 4 | Agnieszka Radwanska | 21.82 | 13.79 |
| 5 | Eugenie Bouchard | 21.82 | 12.95 |
| 6 | Ajla Tomljanovic | 21.69 | 13.33 |
| 7 | Angelique Kerber | 21.46 | 14.27 |
| 8 | Garbine Muguruza | 21.32 | 13.21 |
| 9 | Ana Ivanovic | 20.9 | 13.64 |
| 10 | Julia Goerges | 20.75 | 13.85 |
| 11 | Maria Sharapova | 20.61 | 13.6 |
| 13 | Serena Williams | 20.52 | 13.5 |
| 22 | Victoria Azarenka | 19.54 | 13.34 |
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