As Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard stepped to the baseline for the start of his contest against Frances Tiafoe in the sleepy suburbs of Brisbane on Thursday afternoon, his very first shot of the match drew dramatic, startled gasps from the full Pat Rafter Arena crowd. Although Mpetshi Perricard usually does not pay attention to serve speeds in the blazing heat of battle, the loud commotion after his thunderous ace led him to steal a glance at the speed clock. The screen read: 232kph (144mph).
By the end of the opening game, the Frenchman had served four aces off his first five serves, finishing with a cool 227kph (141mph) second serve ace. He would finish an excellent straight-sets win over Tiafoe with 20 aces. For his captivated audience, it was the perfect introduction to what has quickly become the most destructive weapon in professional tennis.
