Andy Murray And Gael Monfils Pipped To The Crown For The Fastest Forehand Ever Recorded On The ATP Tour
In an era of tennis dominated by baseline power plays and line-hugging passing shots, a powerful forehand is just about the most potent weapon one can possess. But who holds the record for the fastest forehand ever recorded on the ATP Tour?
As the physical demands of tennis have grown exponentially, so too has racket technology.
Not only have swing mechanics advanced to generate more power and topspin, but rackets have changed immeasurably in line with the way modern players hit the ball.
Open string patterns and spin grommets make modern heads a dangerous tool for players with an inclination for topspin, while lighter frames and thicker beams equals effortless power.
While the average forehand speed on the ATP Tour sits at over 80 mph, there are a select few who have blown this metric out the water with a collection of very special forehands.
Fastest Forehands Ever Recorded on the ATP Tour
5. Gael Monfils – 115 mph vs Roger Federer (2010)
This will not the last time Gael Monfils features on this list.
A man put on this Earth simply to entertain has given us some of tennis’ most absurd shots, from leaping smashes to improbable tweeners.
Toweringly tall and slight in build – yet astonishingly mobile – makes him the perfect athlete for tennis. His long reach and loose wrist allows him to generate bucket loads of rotation on the ball.
One of his more memorable shots came in Paris in 2010, as he decimated the ball down the line against a dumfounded Roger Federer, recording a speed of 115mph.
