The limits of serve bots: can one tennis skill make a champion?
A serve in tennis is more than just the first shot of a rally. For some players, it becomes a true weapon, allowing them to control a match right from the start. But despite its importance, is it enough on its own to achieve greatness on the court?
In tennis slang, serve bots are players who rely heavily on their powerful and precise serve while being limited in other aspects of the game.
The term comes from their robotic, serve-dominated style, where they focus on aces and first serves to win easy points. Despite their predictable approach, serve bots have still found success at the professional level.
For example, Australian player Sam Groth holds the record for the fastest serve in ATP history (263 km/h). At Wimbledon 2015, in a third-round match against Roger Federer, one of his serves reached 147 mph (237 km/h). He even managed to take a set off Federer — one of only two sets the Swiss lost before the final. At the end of that season, Groth was awarded the Newcombe Medal, the top tennis honor in Australia.
Are serve bots really that effective?
Serve bots gain an early advantage in rallies thanks to their powerful serve, which is their main weapon on the court. However, beyond serving, their game often lacks variety. They typically struggle with shot diversity, find it hard to compete from the baseline, and have difficulty adapting to different match situations.
Their tall stature and less agile movement make it harder to hit effective topspin shots and play strong defensive tennis. Additionally, many serve bots face endurance issues in long tournaments, which affects their consistency.
Many fans view this playing style with skepticism, finding it repetitive and predictable. It lacks the strategic depth and excitement that make tennis thrilling when played by more complete players.
Have any serve bots reached the top?
Some of the biggest names in serving include Ivo Karlovic and John Isner, both of whom hold records for career aces. However, despite their serving dominance, neither player has won a Grand Slam title.
Among serve bots, Isner achieved the best results — he reached the ATP top 10 and made the Wimbledon 2018 semifinal, where he lost to Kevin Anderson in one of the longest matches in tournament history.
Karlovic, on the other hand, reached a career-high ranking of No. 14 and won eight ATP titles. Yet in key matches, they often fell short against more well-rounded players like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal, who excelled in all areas of the game.
Giovanni Perricard: can he change the serve bot narrative?
American tennis analyst and YouTuber Gill Gross recently addressed a question about whether Giovanni Perricard could redefine the role of serve bots and break into the top tier of the sport.
Gross was skeptical, arguing that a great serve alone is not enough—players also need to break their opponents’ serve. “I just don’t think a serve alone is enough, because you still need to break serve,” Gross explained. In his opinion, no player can dominate purely through serving and consistently challenge for Grand Slam titles or stay in the top 10 for an extended period.
The serve undoubtedly plays a crucial role in tennis, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. To become a champion, a player needs to win in multiple ways—excelling not just on serve, but also in rallies, return games, defense, and movement. A well-rounded approach is what ultimately defines success and gives players the best chance to stay at the top.
Cover photo: Unsplash
