Top 10 Tallest Tennis Players Ever in History

One of the more important aspects of modern tennis has always been height. A tall player naturally has a longer reach with a steeper serving angle and thus can generate more power, especially in the serve itself. Through the years, some of the tallest tennis players ever have reigned supreme in the sport, using their height to key advantage, more so in the service games.

From record servers to Grand Slam finalists, these towering players proved that an advantage at court could exceptionally tilt the balance in their favor. Here's a closer look at the 10 tallest players in tennis of all time, in ascending order, with their awards and career highlights.

Top 10 Tallest Tennis Players Ever in History

1. Ivo Karlović (6 feet 11 inches)

Ivo Karlović is a giant at six feet eleven inches (211 cm) and one of the best servers that the sport has had to present. Karlović won eight ATP singles titles between 2007 and 2016 and once held the record for fastest serve in professional tennis at 251 km/h (156 mph).

Karlović nearly held the record for most career aces for nearly three decades and finished up with 13,728. At his prime, this serve made him one of the hardest men to beat on ATP Tour, especially on fast surfaces.

2. Reilly Opelka (6 feet 11 inches)

Towering at 6 feet 11 inches (211 cm), the American Reilly Opelka is tied with Ivo Karlović for the tallest man in history in men's tennis. Opelka has four ATP singles titles and one doubles title to his name and is also a junior Wimbledon champion.

He achieved his highest singles ranking of No. 17 in the world in 2022. Hitting serves for fun while regularly cruising past the 140 mph mark, Opelka remains one of the most fearsome servers on tour.

3. John Isner (6 feet 10 inches)

You can't discuss tall tennis players and not speak about John Isner. Widely regarded as one of the greatest servers, Isner stands tall in ATP history, measuring 208 centimeters.

Isner reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 8 in 2018 and won 15 ATP titles. He holds the record for the fastest official serve in ATP history at 157.2 mph (253 km/h) and the most aces in ATP Tour history (14,470 aces). He was also a part of the longest match in tennis history with Nicolas Mahut, where he completed a record 113 aces.

4. Jerzy Janowicz (6 feet 8 inches)

For someone from Poland, Jerzy Janowicz, at 203 cm, should be remembered mostly for his run in Wimbledon 2013, where he became the first man from Poland to reach a Grand Slam semi-final.

Janowicz was known for his explosive serve and aggressive groundstrokes and reached a career-high of World No. 14 in 2013. Besides not having won any ATP Tour title, Janowicz's height combined with his raw power ensured he was a dangerous opponent when on fire.

5. Kevin Anderson (6 feet 8 inches)

The tallest man ever to reach a Grand Slam final is the South African star Kevin Anderson. Anderson's booming serve helped him reach the US Open final in 2017 and the Wimbledon final in 2018, both at 6 feet 8 inches.

He achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 5 in 2018 and lifted seven ATP singles titles. Anderson announced his retirement in May 2022, earlier than later in July 2023, further extending his professional career.

6. Dick Norman (6 feet 8 inches)

Dick Norman, one of Belgium's tennis elders, stood at a staggering height of 6 feet 8. He had a fairly long career, turning 22 years old before retiring in 2013.

Norman shot up to a World No. 85 singles ranking in 2006, which was very late in his career, and he became the oldest player on the ATP Tour during that period from late 2006 until his retirement. Notably, he qualified at the age of 39 for the ATP World Tour Finals in doubles in 2010, which truly shows off his longevity and fitness.

7. Chris Guccione (6 feet 7 inches)

Australian lefty Chris Guccione was a sight to behold at 200.6 cm. Even though he was pretty much unspectacular on the overall tournament circuit in singles, making some decent money in doubles is how he carried on.

Guccione won five ATP Tour doubles titles and peaked at World No. 38 for doubles on the ATP Tour in 2014. In singles, he was ranked top 67 in the world back in 2008. Guccione was known for his serving and volleys, having also represented Australia in the Davis Cup in some memorable years.

8. Sam Querrey (6 feet 6 inches)

Sam Querrey, at 198 cm, was among the more dangerous servers on the ATP Tour. The former American tennis player reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 11 in 2018 and won 10 ATP singles titles.

With 10 straight service aces in a single match, Querrey made a clear statement of his serve's dominance. His best Grand Slam performance would land him a semi-final berth at Wimbledon in 2017 after defeating the then World No.1 Andy Murray. He also won five ATP doubles titles and ventured into professional pickleball after tennis.

9. Marin Čilić (6 feet 6 inches)

One of Croatia's greatest players, Marin Čilić, well reputed among the most enduringly consistent tall players of his generation at 6 feet 6 inches. Armed with fearsome service and solid baseline game, he bagged a total of 20 ATP Tour singles titles.

His pinnacle of achievement was crowned with the 2014 US Open title, his only Grand Slam. His career-high singles ranking was World No. 3 in 2018, and in that same year, he was a runner-up at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He also won the silver medal in men's doubles at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with Ivan Dodig.

10. Juan Martin Del Potro (6 feet 6 inches)

Former Argentine great Juan Martin Del Potro, who clocked in at 6 feet 6 inches, married height with one of the most dreaded forehands in the history of tennis. If power was to be given any other name, it would certainly be Juan Martin Del Potro and his skills would surely earn him a mention in that book, especially on hard courts.

He enjoyed a glorious 22 ATP Singles title career, with his majestic victory at the 2009 US Open earning him fame. He beat Rafael Nadal in the semi-final and took out the five-time defending champion Roger Federer in the final. Among his other accolades are a runner-up finish at the 2018 US Open, a bronze medal in singles at the 2012 London Olympics, and silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Del Potro also greatly assisted Argentina in winning their first Davis Cup in history in 2016.

Why Height is Important in Tennis?

Tall players get:

• Better angles serving,
• More reach over the net,
• Added power in flat shots.

For these reasons, the majority of serving records, fastest serves, total aces, belong to the tallest tennis players ever.