Wednesday 30 July 2014 10:53, UK
Sabine Lisicki recorded the fastest-ever serve in WTA Tour history on Tuesday during her first round match at the Stanford Classic in San Francisco.
The German unleashed a serve measuring 210.8 kph – or 131 mph – at five-all in the opening set against Ana Ivanovic who somehow managed to get a racket on the ball.
Although the 24-year-old Lisicki, the Wimbledon runner-up in 2013, won the point she eventually lost the match – played on hard court – 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 in 84 minutes.
Her serve bettered the previous best of 207.6 kph set by American Venus Williams at the US Open in 2007.
Unfortunately for Lisicki, her second serve was rather less destructive, losing 16 of 23 points.
In all, she was broken four times, including all three of her service games in the second set.
