
Tennis serve record holder Groth visits Proton Australia Open
One of Sam Groth’s biggest accomplishments is hitting the fastest recorded serve in tennis history at the 2012 Busan Open, which came in at 163.7 miles per hour.
It’s probably not possible (and definitely not safe) to hit a pickleball that fast, but that didn’t stop Groth—who now serves as a member of the Parliament of Victoria—from going to check out the Proton Australia Pickleball Open on Friday.
“It’s a bit of a change from the courts that I’m used to, but I know there are a bunch of ex-tennis players that have picked up the sport,” he said. “It’s so good to see a big pickleball event—an international event—here in Melbourne.”
We haven’t seen Groth compete on the pickleball court yet, but he does have a 1-0 career record in tennis against Jack Sock, who began competing full-time on the PPA Tour in 2024.
Groth says he would be surprised to find similar success against Sock on the 20x44.
“I beat Jack at Wimbledon one year, but I reckon he’d take me down in pickleball at the moment,” he admitted. “Maybe if I get a little bit of practice in, I can try and double up on that win.”
We won’t be seeing that matchup this weekend at the Melbourne Convention Center, but there’s plenty of action to watch on Pickleballtv as play continues with men and women’s doubles.
Related articles

Frazier swaps Selkirk for JOOLA in Tucson
Dylan Frazier uses a JOOLA paddle instead of a Selkirk in Arizona and comes away with some serious hardware.
1 day ago
-Pickleball.com Staff

A final look at the Proton Tucson Open
It was a beautiful week, with the excellence of the weather matched by the level of play.
3 days ago
-Jim Kloss

H. Johnson battles past Alshon for first 2025 gold
Hunter Johnson is having quite the Super Bowl Sunday.
3 days ago
-Will Daughton

Clinical performance lifts Waters, Parenteau to women’s doubles gold
The top seeds put together one of their most impressive performances as a partnership in front of the Arizona crowd.
4 days ago
-Will Daughton