“Ridiculous” – Mpetshi Perricard draws rave reviews from Musetti and many others at Wimbledon

French tennis can feel good about its chances of having success at Wimbledon over the next decade after seeing Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard serve 115 aces and make the round of 16 on his main draw debut. The 6’8″ Frenchman is a hulking specimen with a ballistic serve that projects to be on par with some of the game’s most legendary servers.

In the first round at Wimbledon, Mpetshi Perricard became just the seventh man in history to hit more than 50 aces in a match, as he clocked 51 in a comeback from two sets down against Sebastian Korda. John Isner and Ivo Karlovic are also on the list.

After he was knocked out by Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti on Monday, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2, the Italian was asked what he thought of Mpetshi Perricard’s future.

I really love the work that they are doing. He probably will break through the top 30, top 20 pretty soon. The hard season is coming. With his serve, it’s not easy to return. He has a bright future ahead.

— Lorenzo Musetti on Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

“I think he has a lot of potential, of course,” the Italian said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

22-year-old Musetti, who defeated Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(9), 7-6(9) at Stuttgart on the grass earlier this summer, says he already sees improvement in the 20-year-old’s baseline game.

“I saw him playing in Stuttgart,” he said of the Frenchman, who turned 21 on Monday. “Comparing to here, he was playing way better here. I’m speaking about baseline. Of course, the serve is his lethal weapon. He has to make experience because, of course, he’s new on tour. In a few months, the end of the year, more players, they’re going to know him better.

“They will probably know better how to play against him. That’s something that I find on myself also. But, of course, if he keeps growing, he has a good coach, I really love the work that they are doing. He probably will break through the top 30, top 20 pretty soon. The hard season is coming. With his serve, it’s not easy to return. He has a bright future ahead.”

Mpetshi Perricard, along with Arthur Fils, were the first pair of 20-year-olds to reach the second week at Wimbledon since 2005. Fils, slightly younger, and a great friend of Mpetshi Perricard, will turn 21 next June.

“I think he will very soon be one of the best players in the world,” Fils said this week at Wimbledon. “And then, with his enormous serve, he taught me how to return better!”

Brad Gilbert, former ATP world No 4 and current coach of Coco Gauff, couldn’t help notice the lethal serve of the Frenchman. He says that Mpetshi Perricard is likely to break some speed records on tour in the years to come. At this Wimbledon, his 140 MPH serve was tied with Ben Shelton for the fastest of the tournament as of Day 8.

“I think within 18 months, whatever some of these serve speed records are, this young fellow is going to have them,” he said, adding: “He has great variety as well.” 

Nick Kyrgios, known for his ability to rain down aces on the Wimbledon grass, was amazed with the kid also.

“He was in the 140s the other day, consistently,” said Kyrgios. “He’s only 20 years old? I don’t know what they are feeding him down there in France, that guy has a huge serve.” 

Shelton, too, was impressed.

“Ridiculous,” is how Shelton describes the Mpetshi Perricard serve, according to the Athletic. “He basically hits two first serves.”

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