Two tennis players, Jamie Murray and Laura Robson, strapped to the roofs of SUVs tearing down a runway, hitting a tennis ball back and forth isn’t something you ever expect to see, but this was the stunt Lexus pulled off to get two Guinness World Records. They called it “Served at Speed,” and turned Duxford Airfield, a place usually home to old planes, into a wild tennis court for a day.
Safety came first, because no one’s crazy enough to put athletes on moving cars without a solid plan. Lexus built sturdy aluminum platforms, bolted tight to the roof racks of two NX SUVs. These weren’t shaky setups—engineers tested them over and over to make sure they wouldn’t budge. Four heavy-duty straps held Murray and Robson in place, so there was no chance of them slipping off. Professional stunt drivers, the kind who could steer blindfolded, took the wheel, driving with the focus of a tightrope walker. Before the players even climbed up, the team ran countless tests to make sure everything was safe and secure.
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The actual challenge was as nuts as it sounds. Murray and Robson, both pros who’ve played on the world’s biggest courts, had to keep a tennis rally going while the SUVs sped along at up to 29 miles an hour. That’s 101 back-and-forth shots, each one needing perfect timing and teamwork, all while the wind howled and the cars vibrated beneath them. The runway at Duxford, normally a quiet spot for vintage aircraft, became their court. After a few tries, they pulled it off, setting two records: the longest tennis rally on moving cars and the fastest speed during one, clocked at 46.67 km/h.
Murray and Robson couldn’t hide their excitement. “To achieve something that’s never been attempted before and also be awarded with two Guinness World Records titles is a thrill we’ll never forget,” they said in a joint statement. “Tennis is a sport that requires precision, skill and coordination, so playing a rally on top of moving cars traveling at speed is no mean feat!” Their words sum up the wild, heart-pumping moment—two athletes taking their game to a place no one’s ever been, all while strapped to speeding SUVs.
Lexus didn’t just pull this out of thin air. The stunt was a big, showy way to celebrate their partnership with Sky Sports Tennis and the Lawn Tennis Association, which covers everything from kids’ programs to pro tournaments. Chris Hayes, head of Lexus in the UK, said: “Achieving two Guinness World Record titles with two British tennis legends is a great way to mark our partnership with Sky Tennis, and our involvement in the sport overall.” It was a stunt, yes, but it was also a love letter to tennis, from the grassroots to the pros.
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