“Without doubt” – Alcaraz believes Mpetshi Perricard has best serve on the tour

Riding on the back of his big serve, the 21-year-old Frenchman has climbed from outside the top 200 in January to No 31 in the world rankings

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Basel 2024 Image Credit: Action Plus / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

October 29, 2024

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard has been rated as the top server according to the ATP Tour stats. The 21-year-old Frenchman tops the ATP Stats Leaderboard with regards to serve, hitting an average of 18.6 aces per match.

But it’s not only the stats which indicate the same. Mpetshi Perricard’s peers, such as world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz, also believe the newly crowned Basel champion is the best server on the tour currently.

“Without doubt,” Alcaraz responded in Paris yesterday when asked if Mpetshi Perricard had the best serve on the tour.

“The way he serves is unbelievable. I saw the stats in the final. The average of the first serve, it was 235, and the second serve it was 215. So that’s the average (smiling). That’s crazy. I played against him recently, was totally different conditions. Obviously, the court was slower, so I could return his serves few times in the games that I broke his serve.”

He has big shots, as well. Really good forehand, good volleys. He can be solid from the baseline.
Carlos Alcaraz on Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard wins 2024 Swiss Indoors title in Basel © Georgios Kefalas/AP/SIPA

Alcaraz, who opens his Paris Masters campaign on Tuesday against Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, added that the Frenchman is not only the best server on tour, but also a solid player from the back of the court and can volley well.

“It was difficult because from the baseline he has big shots, as well. Really good forehand, good volleys. He can be solid from the baseline. So I think he just have to win in Basel and probably is a player who is going to be there for a long time.”