Sam Groth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Groth
OLY, MP
|
|
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg)
Groth during the 2015 Wimbledon Championships.
|
|
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Victoria | |
| Assumed office 27 December 2024 |
|
| Leader | Brad Battin |
| Preceded by | David Southwick |
| Deputy Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party | |
| Assumed office 27 December 2024 |
|
| Leader | Brad Battin |
| Preceded by | David Southwick |
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Nepean | |
| Assumed office 26 November 2022 |
|
| Preceded by | Chris Brayne |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Samuel Groth
19 October 1987 Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal (since 2021) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Blairgowrie, Victoria, Australia |
|
Tennis career |
|
| Country (sports) |  Australia |
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) |
| Turned pro | 2006 |
| Retired | 2018 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $1,950,436 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 38–62 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 53 (10 August 2015) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | 3R (2015) |
| French Open | 1R (2015, 2016) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2015) |
| US Open | 2R (2014, 2015) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 69–59 |
| Career titles | 2 |
| Highest ranking | No. 24 (2 February 2015) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (2017, 2018) |
| French Open | SF (2014) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2016, 2017) |
| US Open | 3R (2016) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (2017) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | SF (2015, 2017) |
Sam Groth (born 19 October 1987) is an Australian politician. He was also a professional tennis player. Groth is a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. He represents the Liberal Party in the area of Nepean. He is currently the deputy leader of the Victorian Liberal Party.
As a tennis player, his highest singles ranking was World No. 53 in August 2015. His highest doubles ranking was World No. 24 in February 2015. Groth is known for hitting the fastest serve ever recorded. It was 263 km/h (163.4 mph) in 2012. Before politics, he worked in TV, covering tennis and hosting a show called Postcards.
Sam Groth's Tennis Journey
Sam Groth had an exciting career in tennis. He played in many big tournaments around the world. He was known for his powerful serves.
Junior Tennis Years
When he was a junior player, Sam Groth played in the 2005 Wimbledon Championships. He and his partner, Andrew Kennaugh, reached the boys' doubles final. They lost to Jesse Levine and Michael Shabaz.
Setting a World Record Serve
Between 2007 and 2013, Groth made a name for himself. In 2007, he beat Mark Philippoussis in a match. He also played in an ATP event in Nottingham.
In 2009, he set a record for the fastest serve by a male player at the Australian Open. It was 232 km/h. In 2012, at a tournament in Busan, South Korea, he hit an even faster serve. This serve was 263 km/h (163.4 mph). It is still the fastest serve ever recorded!
By November 2013, his ranking had improved a lot. He reached a career high of #173 in singles.
Breaking into the Top 100 (2014)
In 2014, Groth got a special entry into the 2014 Brisbane International. He reached the quarter-finals, which was his first time doing so at an ATP World Tour event. He also won his first Challenger tour title in Canada.
At the 2014 French Open, he made it to the final round of qualifying. He also reached the semi-finals in men's doubles with Andrey Golubev. This helped his doubles ranking reach a new high of #41. Later that year, he made his first ATP semi-final at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. This achievement helped him enter the top 100 singles rankings for the first time.
He won his first Grand Slam singles match at the 2014 US Open. He then played against tennis legend Roger Federer in the second round.
Continued Success and Davis Cup Heroics (2015)
.jpg)
Groth started 2015 strong at the 2015 Brisbane International. He beat defending champion Lleyton Hewitt in the first round. At the 2015 Australian Open, he reached the third round. This was his best Grand Slam singles performance.
He won two more Challenger titles in 2015. At Wimbledon, he reached the third round. He played against Roger Federer again. Groth hit the second fastest serve ever at Wimbledon in that match. He was also the only player to win a set against Federer before the final.
Groth was a hero for Australia in the Davis Cup Quarterfinals. Australia was losing 2-0 to Kazakhstan. Groth and Lleyton Hewitt won their doubles match. Then, Groth won his singles match to tie the score at 2-2. Australia went on to win the tie and reach the semi-finals.
He continued to play well, reaching his first ATP500 Quarterfinal at the 2015 Citi Open. He defeated two top 20 players in a row there.
Retirement from Tennis (2016-2018)
In 2016, Groth faced some challenges and his form dropped. He continued to play in Grand Slams and other tournaments. He also represented Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. He won his second doubles title in Newport that year.
In 2017, he reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in doubles. He also helped Australia win a Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic. The 2018 Australian Open was Sam Groth's last tournament. He played in the doubles with Lleyton Hewitt and reached the quarter-finals. After this, he retired from professional tennis.
Sam Groth's Political Career
Sam Groth decided to enter politics after his tennis career. He joined the Liberal Party in 2021.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
| Year(s) | Electorate | Candidates | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Nepean | Sam Groth | 74 | |
| David Burgess | 33 | |||
| Elizabeth Miller | 4 | |||
On 22 February 2022, Groth was chosen by the Liberal Party to run for the Nepean seat. This area is where Groth lives. He told Sky News Australia that he was unhappy with the COVID-related lockdowns in Victoria.
Groth won the selection process with 74 votes. He had support from important political figures. These included former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett and Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
Winning the Nepean Seat (2022)
| Years | Electorate | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–2026 | Nepean | 60th | |
Nepean used to be a safe Liberal seat. It was a very close race in the previous election. Groth believed he had a good chance to win it back for the Liberal Party. He said that winning Nepean was key for the Liberal Party to form government.
On the night of the 2022 Victorian state election, Sam Groth won the Nepean seat. After the election, he was given new roles. He became the Shadow Minister for Youth and Shadow Minister for Tourism, Sport and Events.
Becoming Deputy Leader
Groth resigned from his Shadow Cabinet roles on 13 December 2024. This happened after the leader, John Pesutto, lost a court case. Some people in the party were not happy with Groth's decision.
On 27 December 2024, Groth was elected as the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. He was the only candidate for the role. This was part of a bigger change in the party's leadership. Brad Battin became the new leader.
Sam Groth's Personal Life
Sam Groth was born in Narrandera, New South Wales. He grew up in the Riverina area. He is a big fan of the Sydney Swans, an Australian Rules Football team. He even played for a local football club during a break from tennis in 2011.
In January 2019, he received the OLY post-nominal title. This title is given to athletes who have competed in the Olympic Games.
From 2009 to 2011, Groth was married to tennis player Jarmila Wolfe. In 2018, he married his long-time partner, Brittany Boys. Brittany also played tennis at a university in the United States. Sam and Brittany have two children, twin boys, who were born in April 2021. The family lives in Blairgowrie, Victoria.
See also
In Spanish: Samuel Groth para niños
