Video - Gaël Monfils on fire in Paris: his supersonic forehand at 118 mph astonishes radar
Gaël Monfils once again electrified the audience. But this time, it wasn't a dive or a tweener that made the Accor Arena roar... It was a blistering forehand at 118 mph that left everyone speechless, starting with his opponent Miomir Kecmanovic.
Facing Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of the 2021 Rolex Paris Masters, the Frenchman scored a stunning victory (4-6, 7-5, 6-3). But while the score will hold the essential, one point, in particular, left a lasting impression.
In the third set, just after Monfils broke serve, the Parisian unleashed all his frustration and killer instinct on a short ball from Kecmanovic. The result: a forehand missile, taut like an arrow, streaking across the court in a flash.
Official radar recorded 118 mph. A simply dizzying figure for a forehand. By comparison, the known record in this category is held by James Blake, who hit a winning return at 125 mph at the US Open in 2011. Monfils isn't far from the top... and is well above the usual tour standards.
