Top 10 tallest tennis players in the world
Tennis is a physically demanding sport, and quite often a player's physique becomes a natural advantage. And one physical characteristic which has always benefited tennis players is height.
The sport has witnessed several players with varying heights, ranging from the relatively short ones to the extremely tall ones. Here is a compilation of 10 tennis players (men) who stand taller than all of their counterparts.
10. Juan Martin del Potro
The former US Open champion is 6 feet 6 inches tall. As expected from a tall player, Del Potro has a big serve with the capability to consistently touch the 130 mph mark on his first serves, 147 mph being his fastest serve so far.
The Argentine is a baseline player and has a powerful flat forehand, and a formerly strong double-handed backhand that has now been reduced to a slice due to his recurring wrist injuries. His high point came at the 2009 US Open, when he defeated Rafael Nada and Roger Federer in the semifinal and the final respectively to lift the title.
9. Sam Querrey
Querrey is an American tennis pro. The 29-year-old is 6 feet 6 inches tall and is another big server. He holds the record for the most consecutive aces in an ATP event; he fired 10 consecutive aces against James Blake in a match in 2007.
In 2016 Querrey shocked the tennis world by defeating Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon third round. Many regard that result as one of the biggest upsets in tennis history.
8. Marin Cilic
Another player who is 6 feet 6 inches tall is Marin Cilic of Croatia. He turned pro in 2005, and received worldwide fame when he defeated the then World No. 2 Andy Murray at the 2009 US Open.
The 28-year-old made headlines after it was revealed that he had failed a drug test in 2013. But he rebounded from that setback spectacularly, winning the 2014 US Open while defeating Roger Federer along the way.
7. Chris Guccione
Guccione is an Australian tennis player, who turned pro in 2003. He is 6 feet 7 inches tall, and is capable of hitting some big groundstrokes.
Despite possessing a big serve, Guccione hasn't found much success in singles, although he has won five career titles in doubles.
6. Marc Rosset
Rosset turned pro in 1988 but his best moment came in 1992, when he won a gold medal at the Olympics for his country Switzerland, defeating several top players in the tournament including Jim Courier and Goran Ivanisevic. It was a tall achievement for the 6’7″ tall Rosset.
Rosset was also one of the most powerful servers in tennis, which is not hard to believe given his height. He also served as the Swiss Davis Cup team captain.
5. Kevin Anderson
Anderson is a South African tennis player. He is one of the tallest players of the game, at 6 feet 8 inches. He made headlines when he defeated Andy Murray at the 2015 US Open, eventually losing in the quarterfinals.
Anderson is the top-ranked South African player. He won the first of his three career titles in 2011, when he defeated Somdev Devvarman in the final of the South African Tennis Open.
4. Dick Norman
Norman is 6 feet 8 inches tall and was known for his powerful left-handed groundstrokes. During the last stages of his career, he was also known for being the oldest player on the ATP tour. He retired in June 2013, aged 42.
3. Jerzy Janowicz
This 26-year-old Polish pro is one of the fastest servers of the game, with his first serve ranging between 130-140 mph on average. With an average speed of 115-120 mph, his second serve is also a deadly weapon.
Janowicz is known for his trademark high ball toss while serving. Despite being 6 feet 8 inches tall, Janowicz is very athletic and is a quick mover on the court. In the 2012 Paris Masters, he defeated five top 20 players including the likes of Andy Murray and Janko Tipsarevic, before bowing down to David Ferrer in the final.
2. John Isner
John Isner, at 6 feet 10 inches, is the third tallest player in tennis. Isner holds the record for playing in the longest ever match in professional tennis; he achieved the feat during his Wimbledon 2010 first round match, when he took 11 hours and five minutes of play spread over three days to beat Nicolas Mahut.
With such a great height, Isner is also a genuinely fast server. He holds the record for the most number of aces in a professional match (113) and most number of aces in a set (85).
1. Reilly Opelka
The latest product to come out of USA's factory line of freakishly tall players, Reilly Opelka is touted for plenty of success in the future. Standing 6'11” and aged just 19 years, Opelka already knows what it feels like to lift a Grand Slam trophy – he won the junior Wimbledon title in 2015.
As you would expect, Opelka's strongest suit is his serve, and he will be looking to inflict plenty of damage on the tour with that shot in the years to come.
1. Ivo Karlovic
Standing 6 feet 11 inches tall, Karlovic is the tallest player on the ATP tour, a mark he holds jointly with Reilly Opelka. The Croatian is known for his super fast serve and enjoys playing the serve-and-volley game. It goes without saying that his height adds to his serving advantage.
Karlovic also holds the record for the fastest serve recorded in professional tennis, with one of his serves clocked at 156 mph. His other records include fastest second serve at 144 mph, and in 2007 he became only the fourth player to record more than 1,000 aces in a season (1,318).