Tennis Serve Speed Calculator

Serve speed is one of the most important measurements in tennis, and it can change the dynamics of a match — a faster serve can win free points and push the returner off the court. 

But remember, serve speed alone is not everything: spin, placement, and timing also decide outcomes. If you are a player, coach, or fan who wants to calculate tennis serve speed, you have come to the right place. 

We bring you a Tennis Serve Speed Calculator that helps you accurately and quickly convert distance and time into speed.

In this guide we cover:

• What is the Tennis Serve Speed Calculator?
• How the Tennis Serve Speed is calculated
• Some FAQs

Let's walk through it step-by-step so you understand how it works with an example.

What is the Tennis Serve Speed Calculator?

A Tennis Serve Speed Calculator is a tool designed to help you calculate serve speed — that is, how fast the ball was traveling based on distance and time. The result is shown in miles per hour (mph) or kilometers per hour (km/h).

Here is how it works:

1. Distance: enter the distance the ball traveled.
2. Time: enter the time the ball took to travel that distance.
3. Output: the calculator computes the speed and shows results in mph and km/h.

How the Tennis Serve Speed is calculated

Are you wondering how exactly tennis serve speed is calculated? Don't worry — we'll walk you through the formula involved:

Here is the formula:

Ball Speed = Distance / Time

This shows that the speed of the tennis ball is the distance it traveled divided by the time it took to travel that distance.

Unit conversions used in the Tennis Serve Speed Calculator:

• 1 foot = 0.3048 meters
• 1 millisecond = 0.001 seconds
• 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h or 2.23694 mph

A Real-world example

Let's see a real-world example that will help you understand tennis serve speed calculation.

Imagine a player hits the ball and it takes 0.25 s to travel 60 ft before the first bounce.

• Distance = 60 ft
• Time = 0.25 s

Convert distance to meters (we know the formula works in seconds and meters):

• 60 ft × 0.3048 = 18.288 m

Now apply the formula:

• Speed = 18.288 / 0.25 = 73.152 m/s

Convert to miles per hour (mph):

• 73.152 × 2.23694 = 163.64 mph

Hence, the serve speed is ≈ 163.64 mph.