Who is Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard? Know more about the French tennis prodigy 

Standing tall at 6’8’’ and boasting a powerful serve, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is a budding French tennis player. The twenty-year-old has just recently managed to break into the Top 100 in the Men’s Tennis ATP Rankings 2024 by winning his maiden ATP Tour trophy at the clay-court ATP 250. He rose 51 places to a career-high 66th place in May 2024 with this trophy and this quick rise to the top 100 ranks is evidence of his talent and diligence. 

However, his victory was not just a matter of chance. He was making strides in the tennis world from a very young age. At twelve, he moved out of his parents’ house to practice with the French Tennis Federation in Poitiers. Thereon, he spent his teenage years developing his skills and building a strong foundation. 

His first major appearance came in 2021, when he made headlines by excelling in the junior circuit. He made it to the semifinals of the French Open boys’ singles that year. Despite falling to Arthur Fils in the singles tournament, Mpetshi Perricard joined forces with this very same rival to claim the doubles title later that year. 

After turning professional, Giovanni maintained the same zeal and drive from his earlier days. He took part in numerous ATP Challengers events, and as a result, he won his first championship in 2023 at the Lean Open, triumphing over Juan Pablo Ficovich. He consequently made it into the top 200 at that point. His title-winning streak continued as he secured three more Challengers titles in 2024—one in Nottingham (February), one in Morelos (April), and one in Seguros (April). 

However, these victories were far from the pinnacle of his career, as he went forward and clinched his first ATP Tour title at the Lyon Open. The Frenchman fired 21 aces in the Leon Challenger final and held his nerve to escape against the Argentine Juan Pablo Ficovich. This victory was particularly special as it took place in his hometown, adding a personal and emotional layer to his triumph. Bringing home this championship at only 20 years of age is a critical achievement and certainly stamps him as one of the most promising tennis players.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard personal background

As seen in his games, Perricard’s playstyle is characterized by powerful serves, strong baseline games, and aggression. Perricard’s height of 6 feet 8 inches is another one of his significant advantages on the court. However, Perricard is known for his calm and composed demeanor on the court, despite having an intimidating physical presence. 

Moreover, the Frenchman was no stranger to the world of sports. His father, Ghislain Mpetshi, was a semi-professional football player while his sister, Daphnée Perricard, played basketball. His mother motivated and supported him a lot too. Besides his mother acting as a hero, he likes to credit his coaches Cyril Genevois, Jean Baptiste Dupuy and Emmanuel Planque as the people who helped him improve his game.

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