Height can provide certain advantages in tennis, particularly when it comes to serving. Here are some reasons why being taller may help:

Reach and Leverage

Taller players have a greater wingspan, allowing them to reach higher when serving. This can lead to a more effective serve as they can hit the ball at a higher point, increasing the angle and potential speed.

Additionally, taller players can generate more leverage in their serve motion. A higher point of contact can contribute to better power and spin on the serve.

Court Coverage

Height can also aid in overall court coverage. Taller players may have longer strides and can cover the court more effectively, which can be beneficial during rallies after a serve.

Serving Variety

Taller players often have the ability to hit more varied serves, including powerful flat serves and high-kick serves. These varied serves can be more challenging for opponents to return.

However, height is not the only factor determining serving ability. Technique, timing, strength, and athleticism play crucial roles as well. Many successful tennis players are not particularly tall, demonstrating that skill and practice can overcome physical advantages.

Overall, while height can help improve serving in tennis, it is not the sole determinant of success in the sport.

-height has no measurable advantage in a sport like tennis.

Tall Tennis Stars

It’s a mixed bag, but for serving, height is a HUGE help. John Isner and Reilly Opelka are the two best servers in tennis right now. Both stand at 6'10" and 6'11" respectively, and they regularly hit 20 aces in a match. Over his career, Isner has served 13,854 aces, the most of any tennis career. Opelka, who is 12 years younger, also regularly hits 20 aces in a match and shares the record for the tallest ATP player ever with Ivo Karlovic. Fun fact: Karlovic has the second-most aces in any career. Coincidence? Nah.

These players have done a good job adapting their style to focus on serving and net play. It’s very hard to lob past a 6'11" man at the net, but the all-time greats can still get the ball around them consistently.

Height and Tennis

Generally, 5'11" to 6'2" is the sweet spot for height in tennis. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Pete Sampras, and Andre Agassi all fall within this range, with the most promising teenager Carlos Alcaraz also standing at 6'0". Players like Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, who are 6'6" and 6'4" respectively, are still unusual on the tour.

But tennis might evolve over time to feature very tall players with excellent agility. You never know, in this sport.